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.
