SARASOTA, FL (WWSB) - A Suncoast family is mourning the death of their family pet.
They say their dog was electrocuted when he stepped on a manhole cover with wet paws. Now, that family is asking how it happened, while warning other animal lovers.
"It's just so hard," said dog owner, Debbie McDermott.
McDermott said she and her husband Lynn bought their 70 pound Great Pyrenees, Charlie, just four months ago.
"He was our home, he was our family, he was the love, he was the joy," McDermott said.
But on Saturday a routine walk down Dade Avenue turned tragic when Charlie was electrocuted when walking over a street light manhole.
"He had fell to the ground, then his tail was wagging and then Lynn had to try to move him off of that he realized that he got shocked and then Lynn's hand got shocked as he was moving Charlie and then Charlie started foaming at the mouth," McDermott said.
She said paramedics pronounced her dog dead at the scene. FPL said once aware of the situation they shut off that power line until it was fixed.
"To lose your dog in four months from something that could have been, it's negligence, I feel like we should still have Charlie today," said McDermott.
But, through all their grief, Debbie and Lynn say they hope someone can learn from this tragedy.
"The only way that we can wrap our minds around this in our hearts is to know that maybe Charlie, his legacy continues, that he's going to save other children, human beings, anybody you know from being electrocuted. Something that should not have happened," McDermott said.
The City of Sarasota, who owns the manhole said the dog was electrocuted due to a burnt wire underground in the pull box that had come in contact with the metal lid. The wired has been repaired and staff is performing precautionary inspections of other boxes in the area.
Copyright 2018 WWSB. All rights reserved.
