Executive Overview
What was meant to be a joyous family milestone rapidly devolved into a devastating nightmare for prominent digital creators Madeleine White and Andrew Fedyk. Best known for her high-fashion content boasting over 5.2 million followers on TikTok, White, alongside her partner Fedyk—one-half of the chart-topping electronic DJ duo Loud Luxury—faced an emotional gauntlet in the summer of 2024. Following the premature birth of their daughter, Juliette, who spent a grueling three months fighting for her life in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the couple eagerly planned their first family vacation.
Their itinerary was designed to introduce their infant daughter to her grandparents in Portugal. To ensure a smooth transition while they were out of the country for a month, White and Fedyk arranged to board their two beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs, Poutine and Dunkin, with Jeff Todd, owner of the Los Angeles-based training facility Smart Dogs Training. After extensive consultations, the couple agreed to pay a steep $4,500 per dog for a month-long boarding and behavioral training package aimed at refining their leash manners and greeting etiquette.
However, shortly after touching down in Portugal on August 26, the young family received shattering news. Their healthy, two-year-old dog, Dunkin, was dead. While the initial explanation from their trainer attributed the tragedy to an unfortunate accident caused by acute heat exhaustion during a routine outing amid a Southern California heatwave, a darker reality quickly began to surface.
Fedyk and White now allege that Todd operated with extreme negligence, pointing to a deeply disturbing pattern of behavior that they claim has harmed or even killed multiple dogs under his supervision. Despite ongoing investigations by L.A. Animal Services, the couple has discovered that current California state laws view pets primarily as personal property, posing significant roadblocks to criminal prosecution without definitive proof of explicit malice or intent.
Determined not to let Dunkin’s death be swept under the rug, White and Fedyk are leveraging their massive online platform to demand accountability. They are campaigning not only for legal justice for Dunkin, but also for widespread systemic reforms and stricter regulatory oversight within the pet care and boarding industry.
Detailed Chronology: From Dream Vacation to Unimaginable Tragedy
The timeline of events leading up to and immediately following Dunkin’s death highlights a series of alarming discrepancies, questionable actions by the training facility, and a heartbreaking aftermath for the surviving dog, Poutine.
August: Preparations and Departure
Months before their departure, Fedyk and White carefully vetted options for their two Bernese Mountain Dogs. They ultimately selected Smart Dogs Training, run by Jeff Todd, trusting his professional expertise to care for Poutine and Dunkin. The total cost of $9,000 for both dogs reflected a high-end service package expected to provide 24/7 care, professional training, and a secure environment.
On August 26, the family boarded a transatlantic flight to Portugal. The journey was meant to mark a turning point for the family after the harrowing months spent navigating the NICU with baby Juliette. But peace was short-lived.
The Phone Call and the Cover-Up
While unpacking at their destination, Fedyk and White received the call every pet owner dreads. According to the couple, Jeff Todd claimed that Dunkin had suffered from heat exhaustion during a routine outdoor training session in a public park, occurring amidst a historic Southern California heatwave. Todd allegedly stated that both Dunkin and Poutine were rushed toward a secondary boarding facility, but Dunkin passed away while in transit.
As the couple began asking questions, the narrative provided by Todd unraveled. Most notably, neither Todd nor his assistants contacted Fedyk or White when Dunkin first exhibited signs of distress. By the time the notification was finally delivered, Dunkin had reportedly been dead for hours.
Even more suspicious were the digital breadcrumbs left behind. Both dogs wore Apple AirTags attached to their collars for real-time tracking. According to White, both devices abruptly ceased transmitting location data between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. that morning.
"So instead of seeking vet care for our dog, they decided to disable our dog’s AirTags and remove the collars instead," White asserted.
The Recovery of Poutine
Stranded thousands of miles away in Europe, Fedyk and White urgently dispatched their regular, trusted dogsitter to retrieve the surviving dog, Poutine. The sitter’s report painted a harrowing picture of trauma and distress. Fedyk noted that Poutine was in a "terrible state" upon returning home.
The dog exhibited extreme behavioral abnormalities: refusing to eat, rejecting water, and suffering from continuous panting and whimpering that required physical intervention, such as cooling wet towels placed over her body.
"Luckily, I think she’s recovered a bit now that she’s surrounded by someone who’s caring for her 24/7. But it’s obvious that Poutine encountered a trauma," Fedyk shared.
Supporting Context & Metrics: A Broader Pattern of Allegations
When Fedyk and White took to TikTok to share the tragic loss of Dunkin and warn their followers about Smart Dogs Training, they anticipated grief and sympathy. Instead, their inbox was flooded with testimonies that suggested Dunkin’s death was not an isolated incident.
A Flood of Whistleblower Accounts
Within days of posting, the couple received over a dozen messages from individuals claiming to have had deeply troubling, abusive, or neglectful experiences with Smart Dogs Training and Jeff Todd.
- Physical Condition: Several former clients reported that their dogs returned home emaciated, deeply anxious, emotionally withdrawn, or exhibiting signs of physical mistreatment.
- Fatal Outcomes: Most alarmingly, three separate individuals came forward claiming that their dogs had also died while under Todd’s care, with owners alleging they were similarly notified hours after the fact under dubious circumstances.
While Rolling Stone and other investigative outlets reviewed screenshots of these allegations, many remain difficult to independently verify due to non-disclosure agreements, lack of formal police reports at the time, or settlement agreements. However, the sheer volume of corroborating anecdotes transformed the couple’s perspective.
"We were really upset because initially when we had had the story from Jeff, it didn’t make sense to us, but we just thought the proper precautions hadn’t been taken," White explained. "We never thought that this was intentional or malicious until we started receiving all of the similar stories and so many people messaging saying that this had happened to them too."
Dunkin’s Intuition: A Special Bond
Reflecting on Dunkin’s life, Fedyk and White paint a picture of a gentle, joyful giant who adored running on the beach and interacting with strangers and children. In retrospect, the couple recognizes profound signs of Dunkin’s extraordinary intelligence and empathy.
During White’s pregnancy, before she was formally diagnosed with a severe blood pressure condition that necessitated Juliette’s premature delivery, Dunkin’s behavior shifted dramatically. The usually relaxed dog began closely tracking her movements, barking persistently until she sat down, whereupon he would rest his heavy head directly on her chest. This protective ritual ceased the moment White gave birth.
Medical professionals later confirmed that the condition had been active for weeks prior to diagnosis.
"The surgeons told me that this was a condition that I had had for weeks before I actually [gave birth], they just hadn’t been able to diagnose it yet," White shared, fighting back tears. "We’re 100 percent convinced he knew."
Official Statements and Legal Hurdles
Navigating the aftermath of a pet’s death exposes deep systemic limitations within existing state and federal legislation regarding animal welfare and consumer protection.
The Legal Framework: Pets as Property
Under United States federal law, animal cruelty and abuse statutes typically target extreme, blatant acts of violence or large-scale neglect, such as animal fighting rings or puppy mills. However, civil and criminal codes governing restitution are dictated by individual states.
In California, pets are legally classified as personal property. Consequently, while owners can pursue civil lawsuits for damages, theft, or grand larceny, achieving criminal prosecution requires prosecutors to prove malice, criminal intent, or gross recklessness beyond a reasonable doubt.
When friends of the couple attempted to file an official police report, they encountered profound institutional apathy.
"[They and their friends] were told, ‘It’s a hot day in Los Angeles. Lots of dogs died today. Can you prove malice? Can you prove that this dog was beaten? Can you prove that this dog was intentionally murdered? No? Then sorry, we can’t help you,’" White recounted.
Investigation by L.A. Animal Services
Despite the hurdles in criminal court, the case has drawn the attention of municipal regulatory bodies. L.A. Animal Services confirmed that an active investigation into Jeff Todd and Smart Dogs Training is underway.
In an official statement to investigative journalists, the department noted:
"L.A. Animal Services has received the complaint from the dog owner, and we are looking into the incident. This is an open and active investigation, so no additional information is available at this time."
Representatives declined to comment on whether Smart Dogs Training had faced prior disciplinary actions, complaints, or safety violations. Meanwhile, Jeff Todd has consistently failed to respond to multiple requests for comment from major media outlets, including Rolling Stone.
Future Outlook: Campaigning for Industry Reform
While seeking legal accountability for Dunkin remains a primary objective, Fedyk and White have accepted a reluctant role as advocates for structural change within the pet care industry.
Pushing for Legislative Change
The couple is utilizing their digital megaphone to lobby for comprehensive reforms in California’s animal welfare regulations. Their legislative goals include:
- Mandatory Licensing and Inspection: Establishing a dedicated state-wide regulatory agency with the authority to conduct unannounced inspections of commercial dog boarding and training facilities.
- Standardized Care Guidelines: Implementing legally binding protocols regarding outdoor activities during extreme weather advisories, such as heatwaves.
- Transparent Reporting Standards: Requiring licensed facilities to immediately notify owners and regulatory authorities of any medical emergencies, injuries, or fatalities.
- Stricter Penalties for Negligence: Updating state legal definitions to recognize the severe emotional and psychological impact of pet loss, lowering the threshold for criminal prosecution in cases of severe professional negligence.
A Legacy Born from Tragedy
Though the road ahead is uncertain and legal battles are notoriously protracted, Fedyk and White remain resolute. They acknowledge the heavy emotional toll of transforming their private grief into a public crusade, but they view it as the only path forward to honor Dunkin’s memory.
"We would never have chosen to be the figurehead for change in this industry. We just want our dog back," White concluded. "But if we can use his name and all the best things about him to incite change and real reform, then I will be happy that he has gotten just a little bit of justice for what happened to him."
