PORTSMOUTH, NH – A local woman is mourning the loss of her dog who was electrocuted and died while out for a walk behind Portsmouth Highschool.

Deborah Van Patten says her dog; Frankie died in the incident that authorities confirmed an occurred on February 28,2026 after an underground cable which connected two lamps in the parking lot broke and fed electricity into the ground water and then killed the animal when it walked through the puddle.

Monday night VanPatten appeared before the City Council and asked the city to acknowledge the incident and asked that the city make a donation to the SPAC in her dog’s name.

Portsmouth City officials did end up issuing an apology for a lack of communication and councilors voted in favor of making a donation to the SPCA in Frankie’s memory.