A couple have been left devastated after their puppy died – within a week of being adopted from a Stoke-on-Trent dogs’ home. Alex King adopted four-month-old collie-cross Cassie from City Dogs Home nine days after finding her wandering the streets near her West Midlands home.
A dog warden took Cassie to City Dogs Home after she was not microchipped and Alex was allowed to adopt her after no owner came forward. But Alex says Cassie started vomiting within 30 minutes of being collected and died five days later after being struck down with parvovirus.
Alex, aged 27, said: “She seemed quite unwell so I called City Dogs Home and told them. I booked her in at the vets the next day and she had her bloods and things taken and she stayed there overnight. She tested positive for parvo and it was fatal. I let City Dogs Home know straight away and my vets told me they’d need to quarantine the kennels.
“I don’t blame them for not knowing but I’d hate for anyone to go through what I’ve been through. No home checks were done when I adopted Cassie and that’s not really very professional in my opinion. They’d asked for a photo of our garden and that was it, I could’ve been a breeder looking for a female to breed.
Cassie, a collie cross found as a stray by Alex King, passed away from parvovirus within a week of leaving City Dogs Home
(Image: Alex King)
“I have contacted Stoke-on-Trent City Council about parvovirus in the area to make people aware. When I lost Cassie I didn’t want to speak to anyone at the time.”
StokeonTrentLive has approached City Dogs Home for a statement following Cassie’s death.
Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you – it’s FREE
Join our brand new website TeamDogs now.
When you get there, make sharing a picture of your dog in our Top Dogs feed your very brilliant first job.
Maybe when you’ve done that, leave a recommendation to help fellow dog owners in the TeamDogs community.