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Influencer Madeleine White Fedyk and her husband Andrew Fedyk were only a couple of days into their overseas holiday when they received a call that broke their hearts.

The couple, who often travel, usually left their two beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs with a trusted pet sitter at home, Madeleine told her followers on Instagram.

But, having just welcomed their first child, the celebrity couple decided to leave the dogs at an LA-based dog training company's board-and-train program to receive "basic leash training" while they were away. Leash training that the couple believed would be helpful as they raise their young family. 

It's a decision the couple say they will regret forever.

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The couple say they had dropped their dogs off less than 48 hours before they received the call that their two-year-old dog, Dunkin, had died after suffering from heat exhaustion.

"We lost our dog Dunkin today and the reason why makes me sick to my stomach," Andrew, who is one half of the DJ duo Loud Luxury, wrote on Instagram.

"Dunkin was supposedly taken to the park during an extreme heat wave, 'showed signs of heat exhaustion' in the car, and had passed away by the time they arrived at a boarding facility we were not informed they were ever being transferred to."

Andrew claimed Dunkin was never taken to a vet.

"They just decided he was dead and called me hours later. He never even had a chance to be saved," he said. "I'm heartbroken and genuinely astounded."

The couple say their dog died in the care of an LA-based trainer. Image: Instagram/ @madeleinecwhite

Andrew told local news outlet KTLA that the couple paid $10,000 for the two dogs to board and be trained at the facility for about four weeks.

He told the outlet he's concerned about what he believes has been a lack of transparency from the training facility.

"I'm concerned because of so many gaps in the story that they told me, including not telling me that he died until hours later," Andrew said.

"And then not going to a vet until I asked them to. My dog drops dead and you don't take him to the vet? The owner of the training company, although he said sorry, I didn't get the vibe that he was deeply remorseful."

Dunkin's death occurred during a record-breaking heatwave in Los Angeles. Andrew told the outlet he believes the dogs were kept outside in the heat. 

Madeleine also shared her account of the circumstances surrounding the dog's death to her more than two million followers on Instagram. Soon after, the couple began receiving message after message from people claiming to have had similar experiences with the dog training company. 

One person claimed that their four-year-old German Shepherd died in the care of the trainer. 

Another alleged their dog returned from a stay with the company malnourished and died three days later.

A third claimed that they left their dog with the trainer and received a call one week later saying that the dog had "lashed out on a member of the public and bit a guy". They claim the dog was "immediately euthanised" before they were alerted and the dog's remains were never returned to them.

The couple say they have received messages from others with similar experiences with the training company. Image: Instagram/ @madeleinecwhite

Madeleine and Andrew said they received dozens of messages with similar allegations of animal mistreatment against the dog training company. The couple claim they now know of seven dogs who have died in the care of the dog training company. 

"What started as a tragedy with an [allegedly] negligent dog trainer for our dog, Dunkin, has evolved into something way worse," he told KTLA. 

Madeleine and Andrew said they originally went with the company because it had many good reviews online. They claim that bad reviews are being deleted from online review platforms like Google and Yelp. 

"The Google and Yelp review system needs a complete overhaul to prevent [alleged] manipulation like this," Madeleine wrote on Instagram, sharing screenshots of some of the messages the couple had received.

"The dog training and boarding industry needs more regulation, stricter licensing laws and heavier penalties for abuse or neglect," she added.

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The incident and wide-reaching social media attention have since prompted an investigation into the pet training and boarding company. 

KTLA reported that Los Angeles Animal Services is now investigating the reported deaths. 

"LA Animal Services has received the complaint from the dog owner, and we are looking into the incident," the service said in a statement to the outlet. 

"This is an open investigation, so no additional information is available at this time."

Andrew told KTLA he plans to have a post-mortem examination done to determine Dunkin's cause of death and has contacted the local police department, asking for a thorough investigation. 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) commented on Madeleine's post, sharing that its "cruelty investigations department is looking into this matter".

"I will never be able to articulate the words for how much Dunkin means to us," Madeleine wrote on Instagram.

"Our sunshine boy, taken from us far too soon, gone but never forgotten."

Madeleine later shared on Instagram that the couple "will not stop until we see justice for our best friend Dunkin".

Mamamia has contacted the couple and the dog training company for comment.

Feature image: Instagram/madeleinecwhite.