Wendy and Mark Buterbaugh live with a grief that still feels as sharp as the day it began. Their dog, Reign, who was only 2 years old and already a decorated show dog, died in August 2025 after being left in a hot car. For the family, that loss has not eased with time.
“It’s hard,” Wendy Buterbaugh told NBC10. “I keep waiting for it to get better and it doesn’t.”
Investigators said Reign was left in the back of a vehicle on a summer day with both the windows and doors closed and no air conditioning running. The Buterbaughs had hired a professional handler, Carissa Shimpeno, to care for her. According to the criminal complaint, Shimpeno drove home to Chester County after leaving a dog show to assist her own dog, who was giving birth. Authorities said she admitted that she went inside and forgot Reign was still in the car. Hours later, Shimpeno’s husband returned home and discovered the dog unresponsive.
“Reign deserved more,” Wendy said. “She mattered. She mattered not just in that show world; she mattered to us as a family member. She mattered.”
For Wendy, the idea that Reign’s death was an accident does not sit right. “Some people are like, ‘She was only a dog.’ She was like a child to me,” she said. “She was everything. And I’m robbed of the best years of her life. And I get really mad when people call it an accident or a mistake. Because I feel choices went into it.”
The Pennsylvania SPCA investigated the case. Courtney McGinn, the PSPCA’s Director of Humane Litigation, expressed frustration with the circumstances. “Incredibly frustrating,” she told NBC10. “It’s 100% preventable. While I do understand mistakes happen, there is no mistake when an animal is dead by the results of your inaction.”
Shimpeno is now facing charges of animal cruelty and neglect. Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said, “You can’t just leave a dog in the back of a car. These charges reflect that she was at least reckless or negligent in her care of the animal and as a result, she is facing multiple misdemeanor counts because of that.”
Shimpeno’s attorney offered a written statement to NBC10, saying, “The suggestion that Ms. Shimpeno acted with cruelty toward an animal she loved and nurtured is both painful and false. She has waived arraignment and looks forward to the opportunity to clear her name in court.”
The American Kennel Club confirmed that its internal investigation has concluded. However, the organization said its policy prevents it from releasing any disciplinary actions unless Shimpeno chooses to move forward with an appeal or trial board review. Until those processes are complete, details will remain confidential. Shimpeno is currently barred from exhibiting at AKC events and from using AKC services.
For the Buterbaughs, accountability is a priority. “There needs to be accountability and that has to come from the AKC, the American Kennel Club,” Mark said. “It should have never happened and I think raising the awareness of the safety and concern of these dogs is critical.”
Reign’s breeders, Colleen Nicholson and Cindy Kelso, have joined the effort to promote heat safety for dogs. “So we can prevent another dog going through this,” Nicholson said. “Because anyone that owns a dog has to be able to put their dog in Reign’s situation.”
The Buterbaughs also created bracelets meant to remind people to remove pets from cars during extreme temperatures. Wendy said the goal is simple. “If Reign can save one life, it means that her death will mean something instead of just tragedy,” she said. “If she can save just one.”