30 May 2024 , 10:24
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A "devastated" family who bought a labrador puppy from a "sketchy" breeder have told how she died just a week later.
Thomas Hrynkiawicz, 20, from Gorbals, Glasgow, bought Luna for £500 on Thursday, May 16, after he and his family fell in love with her when they spotted her for sale on a site named 'FreeAds'. He has now issued a warning about buying pets from illicit breeders.
Luna was supposed to be a birthday present for Thomas' 10-year-old brother, Blazej Gawrysiak, after the siblings tragically lost their family dog last year. The online advert, which has now been removed, described Luna and her siblings as being nine-weeks-old, microchipped, "socialised" and "ready for their new homes".
The seller was listed as being located in Airdrie but when the family went to collect the pup, the breeder asked them to pick her up from a flat in East Kilbride. They never received any vaccination certificates or KC register details from the breeder.
Tragedy struck within one day of bringing Luna home, as the pup started to vomit, suffered from diarrhoea and became extremely lethargic. The family rushed her to a local vet before she was taken to the PDSA Pet Hospital.
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Luna was for sale on a site named 'FreeAds' (dailyrecord)Thomas told the Daily Record: "The day we took her home, she was so happy and full of energy and life but the following day, everything changed. She wasn't eating or drinking then suddenly started being sick, had really bad diarrhoea and became very tired. When she got to the animal hospital, the vet suggested putting her to sleep twice, but we wanted her to continue with treatment.
"She was then put on a drip and fed through a tube. She also had to have her stomach filled due to the fact she wasn't eating. We were told to expect a phone call to say her heart had stopped, but somehow, she pulled through the night. Then she passed away the following day. Her heart gave up because she was so sick. We are all absolutely devastated. We expected to have her for so many years but instead, we only had one week."
Thomas Hrynkiawicz, 20, has now issued a warning about illicit breeders (dailyrecord)Vets told the family that Luna died after contracting suspected parvovirus - a highly contagious viral disease in dogs that causes acute gastrointestinal illness in puppies. Thomas said: "In hindsight, I now know the breeder was really sketchy. When Luna became unwell, I asked for her vaccination certificates, but I was ignored.
"I regret not making myself more informed and there are so many things I'd do differently if I could go back in time." Thomas and his family have spoken out about their horrific experience to warn others about the dangers of buying dogs online.
Luna was taken to the vets when she became unwell (dailyrecord)He said: "If you're buying a dog, you have to make sure you are buying from a reputable breeder. Our biggest mistakes were not checking if Luna was registered or if she had her vaccinations. We never knew about these checks and it has cost us a lot of sadness and grief. If I could go back in time I would have spent more time looking into the breeder and checking if they had sold pups before.
"If we did all of these things, we might have still had a dog today." Thomas added: "Luna was only 10 weeks old but she fought with everything she had in the last days of her life. Everyone in my family is completely heartbroken, we feel robbed. We will cherish the short time we had with Luna and we will miss her every day."
Thomas with his younger brother Blazej (dailyrecord)The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) confirmed the charity is investigating the breeder after receiving a call of concern. An SSPCA special investigations inspector said: "Anyone considering buying a puppy should research the potential breeder carefully, as unauthorised breeding can have a significant impact on the welfare of dogs. If you have purchased a puppy that shows any signs of illness or distress take them to a vet immediately."
Important checks to make if you are buying a puppy
- Do not buy a puppy online or from someone where it is impossible to verify where the dog is actually coming from.
Research the potential breeder carefully
Check records - ensure the puppy is microchipped and vaccinated and get copies. Vaccination records should be stamped by a veterinary practice. Beware if you can’t read the details. If in any doubt, phone the vet to make sure they‘re genuine
Get records of worming or parasite control. The puppy should have been wormed at four, six and eight weeks of age
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Make sure they were bred and reared where you see them. Look for clues like whelping pens, food bowls andbedding. If the puppies appear scared in unfamiliar surroundings they may not have been bred there
Meet both parents or at least the mother and siblings. Be sure she’s the mother - look for enlarged nipples or that she is still producing milk