Ten dogs found dead at supposedly luxury pet kennel in Utrecht town

The police found ten dead dogs at luxury canine hotel Hondenhuys in Woudenberg, Utrecht, on Saturday. A source told RTL Nieuws that the hotel was not nearly as luxurious as advertised, and the dogs were kept in a shipping container without proper ventilation.

Police officers found 13 dogs in a shipping container on the grounds of the Hondenhuys. They rushed 11 of them to a veterinary clinic. Only one survived. “There was only one ventilation grille in that container. So those dogs most likely suffocated due to a lack of oxygen,” the source said.

The owner of the Hondenhuys told RTL that he was “deeply affected” by what happened. “It is terrible. But I can't say anything further at this time as the investigation is ongoing.”

One of the dog owners involved told the broadcaster that they are devastated, but could not provide many details. “We hear rumors, but we don’t know anything for sure yet. If I were to say something now, it would be out of anger. Because there is a lot of anger,” they said.

“We are still on holiday, so we can’t do anything from here.” According to the owner, an autopsy will be conducted on one of the dogs.

Attorney Birgitte Roodvelt, who is advising four affected dog owners, said that the police went to investigate the Hondenhuys after someone called animal protection services. “That’s all we know right now,” Roosevelt told RTL Nieuws.

The owners are devastated, she said. “For most dog owners, a dog is like a family member. They only want one thing: to know what happened.”