People and pets came together Saturday for a memorial for the 14 dogs that died at a Saskatoon kennel last weekend.

The dogs died overnight when a room overheated at Playful Paws Pet Center. The building's rooftop heating units pushed the heat into one of the facility's upstairs kennel rooms.

Dawn Loessin's dog Linc, a black husky-German shepherd mix, was one of the 14 dogs.

"There was a lot of tears, but there was a lot of laughter," Loessin said of the memorial service. "And for those who have had dogs, whether they got them as puppies or they rescued them as older ones, there's never shortness of laughter with our dogs."

Dozens of people gathered for the pet-friendly service at Acadia-McKague’s Funeral Centre. (Albert Couillard/CBC)

Dozens of people gathered for the pet-friendly service at Acadia-McKague's Funeral Centre. Loessin said she and the other families have been overwhelmed by the support they've received from the community.

Loessin said now the families are going to try and give back by lobbying for regulations to make sure something like this never happens again.

"It is important to all of us that this tragedy be turned into something good. We need there to be changes to the way kennels are regulated and monitored," Loessin said.

A Go Fund Me page has been started to help fund the efforts.

Having used Playful Paws Pet Center for 10 years, Loessin said she's been surprised by what she has learned in the past week since the dogs died.

Loessin said the week has been devastating for her family.

"[When] they've died in such a senseless manner, it takes your grief to a whole other level because it's not just grief anymore, there's anger there. And there's a lot of uncertainty there."

Loessin said the families are proceeding with legal action against the kennel.