‘Canada’s dog whisperer’ dies in rural Ontario fire that destroyed his home, killed puppies
Adrian Humphreys | Feb 12, 2013 9:50 PM ET | Last Updated: Feb 13, 2013 9:45 AM ET
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Handout: Craig Gagliano Craig Gagliano, a Toronto home developer, lost his 16-month-old yellow lab, Charlie in the fire.
A man hailed as Canada’s dog
whisperer for his work with the pets of well-to-do and famous clients,
said to include both Bush presidents, has been killed along with his
wife in a fire that destroyed a home near Lake Simcoe, clients say.
News of the fire Sunday at the Beaverton farmhouse of Jerry and Eve Cudahy, which also killed many of the puppies boarding there, has been spreading among shocked pet owners in some of Toronto’s most prestigious neighbourhoods.
Several dog owners drove the 110 kilometres north from Toronto, Tuesday, looking for their pets after hearing about the blaze.
“What my hope was is that he hadn’t perished, that there was some hope of finding him,” said an emotional Neil Smith, a hockey broadcaster and former general manager of the New York Rangers, whose 12-week-old chocolate lab, Aston, was at the Cudahys’ farm.
When he saw the carnage, hope evaporated.
“It was destroyed. It was burned to the ground. All that was left was like what you see in the fireplace after a fire. My first thoughts were for Jerry and Eve, and then my own grief.”
Craig Gagliano, a Toronto home developer, lost his 16-month-old yellow lab, Charlie.
“Jerry is kind of like Canada’s dog whisperer and is very dedicated,” he said.
“It is tough to lose a pet but envisioning the sheer terror she faced, locked in a cage with this inferno, is horrible,” he said.
Mr. Gagliano, nephew of Tony Gagliano, chairman of St. Joseph Communications, which owns Toronto Life magazine, was supposed to get Charlie back Friday but let her stay over the weekend because of the snowstorm. He also drove to the farm after he heard.
It is unknown how many dogs died in the blaze.
“I know of eight dogs who were lost in the fire and that’s just the handful from people who I know. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were as many as 20, 30 or 40,” said Rob Godfrey, chairman of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who was also a client of the Cudahys.
One dog was found alive, in a cage on Mr. Cudahy’s truck, and several dogs staying in the barn were taken to a local animal shelter. Clients say Mr. Cudahy kept his own dogs in the barn and housed clients’ dogs in his house.
“He has a long client list, many of the prominent people of Toronto. The news is hitting a lot of people in Rosedale and Forest Hill pretty hard. He helped everyone,” said Mr. Godfrey.
“It is hard for me to believe Jerry is not going to be there anymore. It’s all so very tragic.”
Police would not confirm the identity of the two people found dead in the ashes and have sent the remains for forensic identification; several friends and clients said they understand the victims are Mr. and Mrs. Cudahy.
The fire is under investigation by Durham Regional Police and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office. Police were not ruling out arson and detectives with the homicide unit are assigned to the case, said Sgt. Nancy van Rooy.
“The cause of the fire and the cause of the deaths have yet to be determined,” said Sgt. Van Rooy. The priority is human victims with the dogs set aside for now.
Sarah Beauregard-Jones, Canine Control Supervisor for the Township of Brock, said eight dogs were rescued from the barn and taken to a local animal shelter.
“At this time it is undetermined the number of animals that were inside the residence. Any animals that were located in the house at the time of the fire have perished,” she said.
Mr. Cudahy had been in the dog business for close to 40 years. He lived in France, competing in dog shows at a high level, and, in Canada, training police dogs, drug- and bomb-sniffing dogs. He also trained dogs for both George Bush senior and junior over his career, clients said.
“He was someone who could fix all the ills of a dog, whether it was jumping up or chewing or biting. No matter what they were like, when Jerry got there — without him using any force — they listened to him. He never advertised yet everyone seemed to use him,” said Mr. Godfrey.
Despite glowing reviews from clients, Mr. Cudahy was not universally liked. He could be fiery on issues of training, leading to several online exchanges with other trainers.
One, Mike McConnery of Baden K-9, posted a response on his website several years ago during an online feud with Mr. Cudahy.
“I’m sorry he is gone. I don’t know him personally, I never met him. I feel terrible for him and for his family,” said Mr. McConnery in an interview.
“He argued with a lot of people, he was a very passionate man. But I’m sure he was good at what he did or he wouldn’t have lasted in the business for so many years.”
National Post
News of the fire Sunday at the Beaverton farmhouse of Jerry and Eve Cudahy, which also killed many of the puppies boarding there, has been spreading among shocked pet owners in some of Toronto’s most prestigious neighbourhoods.
Several dog owners drove the 110 kilometres north from Toronto, Tuesday, looking for their pets after hearing about the blaze.
“What my hope was is that he hadn’t perished, that there was some hope of finding him,” said an emotional Neil Smith, a hockey broadcaster and former general manager of the New York Rangers, whose 12-week-old chocolate lab, Aston, was at the Cudahys’ farm.
Handout / Neil Smith Neil Smith and his chocolate lab Aston, lost in the fire at a farm in Brock Township near Beaverton, Ontario.
“It was destroyed. It was burned to the ground. All that was left was like what you see in the fireplace after a fire. My first thoughts were for Jerry and Eve, and then my own grief.”
Craig Gagliano, a Toronto home developer, lost his 16-month-old yellow lab, Charlie.
“Jerry is kind of like Canada’s dog whisperer and is very dedicated,” he said.
“It is tough to lose a pet but envisioning the sheer terror she faced, locked in a cage with this inferno, is horrible,” he said.
Mr. Gagliano, nephew of Tony Gagliano, chairman of St. Joseph Communications, which owns Toronto Life magazine, was supposed to get Charlie back Friday but let her stay over the weekend because of the snowstorm. He also drove to the farm after he heard.
It is unknown how many dogs died in the blaze.
“I know of eight dogs who were lost in the fire and that’s just the handful from people who I know. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were as many as 20, 30 or 40,” said Rob Godfrey, chairman of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who was also a client of the Cudahys.
One dog was found alive, in a cage on Mr. Cudahy’s truck, and several dogs staying in the barn were taken to a local animal shelter. Clients say Mr. Cudahy kept his own dogs in the barn and housed clients’ dogs in his house.
“He has a long client list, many of the prominent people of Toronto. The news is hitting a lot of people in Rosedale and Forest Hill pretty hard. He helped everyone,” said Mr. Godfrey.
“It is hard for me to believe Jerry is not going to be there anymore. It’s all so very tragic.”
Police would not confirm the identity of the two people found dead in the ashes and have sent the remains for forensic identification; several friends and clients said they understand the victims are Mr. and Mrs. Cudahy.
The fire is under investigation by Durham Regional Police and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office. Police were not ruling out arson and detectives with the homicide unit are assigned to the case, said Sgt. Nancy van Rooy.
“The cause of the fire and the cause of the deaths have yet to be determined,” said Sgt. Van Rooy. The priority is human victims with the dogs set aside for now.
Sarah Beauregard-Jones, Canine Control Supervisor for the Township of Brock, said eight dogs were rescued from the barn and taken to a local animal shelter.
“At this time it is undetermined the number of animals that were inside the residence. Any animals that were located in the house at the time of the fire have perished,” she said.
Mr. Cudahy had been in the dog business for close to 40 years. He lived in France, competing in dog shows at a high level, and, in Canada, training police dogs, drug- and bomb-sniffing dogs. He also trained dogs for both George Bush senior and junior over his career, clients said.
“He was someone who could fix all the ills of a dog, whether it was jumping up or chewing or biting. No matter what they were like, when Jerry got there — without him using any force — they listened to him. He never advertised yet everyone seemed to use him,” said Mr. Godfrey.
Despite glowing reviews from clients, Mr. Cudahy was not universally liked. He could be fiery on issues of training, leading to several online exchanges with other trainers.
One, Mike McConnery of Baden K-9, posted a response on his website several years ago during an online feud with Mr. Cudahy.
“I’m sorry he is gone. I don’t know him personally, I never met him. I feel terrible for him and for his family,” said Mr. McConnery in an interview.
“He argued with a lot of people, he was a very passionate man. But I’m sure he was good at what he did or he wouldn’t have lasted in the business for so many years.”
National Post
Scott Barber/National Post The
remains of two people have been recovered from the debris of a Brock
house fire, according to police. The fire broke out early Sunday morning
at B570 Concession Road 2 Thorah.
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