My Chemical Romance Drummer Sues Dog Trainer

06/25/09 11:00am

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar is suing a dog trainer because his dog, Dixie, died in the trainer's care and was returned to him cremated.

Bryar filed a lawsuit for breach of contract, fraud, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Daniel Schaffer, a self-described "dog trainer to the stars," in a Burbank, Calif. court on Tuesday, according to People magazine.

"I don't even know what happened to my best friend and miss her more than anything in the world," Bryar told People. "The devastation I feel is beyond words."

The magazine reports that the lawsuit states Bryar spent $7,500 U.S. (about $8,600 Canadian) to send Dixie, who had been abused in her previous home, to Schaffer in April so she could adjust to her new home. The lawsuit alleges Schaffer told Bryar a week later that Dixie was "having a blast and had been partying all day," only to receive information later that Dixie died when a drunk driver struck Schaffer's vehicle, which contained her and other dogs.

The same day, Schaffer called Bryar and told him Dixie had been "cremated due to her condition," according to the lawsuit, and delivered an urn which allegedly contained the dog's remains two days later. But the lawsuit states Schaffer changed his tune and said she had died in her sleep when he was asked to produce a police report. He again changed the story and said she died in another way, the suit alleges.

Schaffer has not responded to the suit.

You can see Bryar with My Chemical Romance at the Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo, Japan on Aug. 7 and at the Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka, Japan a day later.