x
Breaking News
More () »

'My dogs were cooked alive': Lake City couple mourns the loss after their two dogs died at Nicole's Natural Dog Training

The facility's owner, Nicole Wirth, told police she was gone for close to 8 hours and came back to her kennel and discovered there was a power outage.

LAKE CITY, Fla. — Love greets everyone at Brent Dean and Tracie Kurtz's home. 

Whether it's the "Welcome hope you like dog hair" sign or actual dog hair embedded in their carpet. 

You expect a dog pawing at your foot or barking playfully as you enter. 

"Gracie, she was half Lab and half Anatolian Shepherd mix,” Kurtz said.

“I got her three years ago when I was going through my divorce, so she really became a therapy dog for me."

“Gizmo was just our new baby, we had just gotten her in November,” she added.

“One dog didn’t want one lap the other one laying next to Brent."

“Fighting for mom’s attention,” Dean said. 

The two are about to get married and loved their babies.

Gizmo and Gracie were one of 12 dogs who died at Nicole's Natural Dog Training on Sunday. 

“Essentially my dogs were cooked alive, and I felt really guilty that I wasn’t there to protect them," Kurtz said. 

Owner, Nicole Wirth, told police she was gone for close to eight hours on Sunday and came back to her kennel and discovered there was a power outage.

Body camera footage from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, shows first responders using wire cutters to free a dog whose jaw was clenched to its crate. 

The dog was given an IV and was alive. 

But, Gizmo, Gracie and 10 other dogs died. 

“Gracie was so very protective of Tracie, and she was protective of her little sister," Dean said. "I can see her not only protecting and saving herself but trying to save her little sister."

Brent needed more answers and spoke to Wirth Tuesday.

“I asked her 'have you ever thought to add a remote temperature sensor?' and her answer was 'now I know those things exist,'" Dean said. 

Brent and Tracie are still gathering facts and watched the body camera footage for the first time Wednesday. 

The couple wants other dog owners to be prepared with questions before sending their dogs to a boarding facility. 

"When you take your dogs, even if you used the kennel many times in the past, take a few moments and tour again and ask the questions we failed to ask. Protect your babies," Dean said. 

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office says there will be no criminal charges but, did say if new information was made available, they would investigate. 

First Coast News reached out to Wirth but has not heard back.

Before You Leave, Check This Out