Chris McCann said her Irish wolfhound Finnigan died shortly after paint applied in home's basement
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A Metro Moncton family has received a cash settlement after they say that toxic paint fumes killed their pet dog.
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Chris McCann and her husband renovated the basement of their Upper Coverdale home in 2022 following flood damage, using interior paint on the floor that they purchased at Canadian Tire. Two days after they started painting the closed-off area, to which she said Irish wolfhound Finnigan had no access, they noticed changes in the five-year-old dog’s behaviour.
Finnigan seemed confused and was pacing, so they called their vet, who told them to keep an eye on the dog.
“We had no idea what was going on,” said McCann.
When the dog was let outside that night before bed, he refused to come back inside. McCann said they stayed outside with him until 6:30 a.m. and realized the dog may have been feeling ill from the odour of the paint. They took him to the vet, who told the couple his liver was so swollen it was pushing into his heart.
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Finnigan was prescribed medication but his condition didn’t improve. Days after their first vet visit, the couple made the difficult decision to euthanize Finnigan to end his suffering.
“He died a horrible, agonizing death,” said McCann.
While the vet initially was not overly concerned about the dog’s condition, Finnigan’s health declined rapidly. Told that the only change in Finnigan’s environment was the paint, the vet was “unequivocal in his response that this was the cause,” said McCann.
After Finnigan’s death, McCann looked for answers about the paint product. Last February, she was told by an insurance adjuster working on the case that the paint had been tested but she was never given those results.
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On April 11, the couple received the sum of $6,000 after signing a release that states Canadian Tire, paint company Peinture UPC Inc., and wood preservative manufacturer Solignum Inc., are “forever discharged” from any action the couple could take against them.
The release states the payment does not constitute an admission of liability.
She said she continued to fight for so long to ensure no other animal could be harmed if the paint was in fact a danger, but said the results of her complaint were unsatisfying.
“We would have preferred an additional two years with Finnigan and acknowledgment of any dangers related to the product, but that clearly was not going to happen,” she said.
Brunswick News requested comment from Canadian Tire and the two manufacturers listed in the release.
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In an emailed response, Peinture UPC Inc., said the company takes safety concerns very seriously and each product is tested regularly in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as the company’s own vigorous testing procedures.
“We are not aware, nor has our testing demonstrated, that any of our products pose a risk to domestic animals. Due to confidentiality considerations, we can not comment on this specific matter,” the company said.
Canadian Tire and Solignum Inc. did not respond to requests for comment.
McCann said the money will be donated to an animal charity in Finnigan’s memory. They’ll remember the dog for his sweet nature and intelligence.
“All dogs are special, but he was extremely special to us,” she said. “I still miss him.”
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