A family who bought a dog on Gumtree for £500 are facing a £14,000 bill for surgery to the animal. Sophie and Paul McDonnell purchased black labrador Maya six months ago but say it didn't take long to realise that the pup was unwell and allegedly underweight and riddled with worms.
The Cumbrian couple told LancsLive that Maya needed two full hip replacements at a cost of £14,000. The pair said they didn't have that sort of money so were now asking for help. The dog is unable to climb stairs or squat and has to take six painkillers a day. Customer relations worker Sophie said: "It's heart-breaking. She's such a loving and fun dog. It's horrible to see her in so much pain.
"She's on a massive dose of painkillers and she's so young. It's about her quality of life. Without the operations her hips could totally lock at any time and she won't be able to move.
"That leads to arthritis, and her quality of life could become so poor we'd have to have her put down. The vet said it's one of the worst cases of hip dysplasia they've ever seen."
The couple, who have a young son, bought Maya in June as one of a litter being sold on Gumtree, advertised at £1,200 apiece. Sophie couldn't believe her luck when she called the seller and they told her she could have the last one for £500. The pup, their first, was handed to them at the gate without papers, food, bedding or toys, Sophie claimed.
The pup weighed just four kilos at nine weeks old when the expectation would be around nine kilos. Sophie said she thought Maya's strutting walk was comical at first. But in October the dog, now nine months old, began limping and whining and can now only manage a 10-minute walk. Specialists at two veterinary hospitals diagnosed severe hip dysplasia in December.
The condition is often found in larger dogs and is considered one of the most serious problems in dog breeding, according to studies. Vets have told the family Maya's surgery needs to be completed by March but the insurance policy has a £3,000 limit per year, which is currently being used for X-rays and medicine.
Sophie said: "Now I look back at the pictures I think [Maya] spent all her life in a crate. Her hip problems were likely present before we bought her. And she stunk so bad!"
She continued: "I feel really bad and also stupid, like I’ve been tricked. It would be amazing if we could raise enough money. We just want her to be pain free and happy."
Sophie says she had reported the seller to the RSPCA. Late last night (Thursday, Jan 12) her gofundme appeal was just £2,652 short of its £14,000 target.
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