A devastated pet owner claims his beloved chinchilla got tangled in a Pets At Home toy and died.
Richard Collins adopted Tatty back in 2013 and loved his pet ever since.
The 26-year-old IT administrator from Redhill, Surrey, recently bought her a toy from his local Pets At Home store called the ‘small animal bugs and insects mobile’.
But when he went to check on Tatty later he found her “cold and lifeless”.
He described the loss as “heartbreaking” and said his beloved pet had gotten tangled in the toy and died of shock, despite the company specifying the product as suitable for small animals, including chinchillas.
Richard now feels he can’t trust the company’s toys anymore.
He told SurreyLive: “I feel like I can’t trust any toys or products from Pets At Home.
“I just want to make sure no other pet owner has to suffer this horrid loss.”
A Pets At Home spokesperson said: "The safety and welfare of pets is our top priority and all our products undergo stringent tests. We have reached out to Mr Colins to understand what happened so we can investigate this case further and we extend our sincere condolences to him at this time.”
The next step in the company's investigation is receiving Tatty's vet's notes.
According to the RSPCA, chinchillas can live for between 10 and 20 years.
Richard, his parents Donna and Richard Snr, and his aunt, Tracey, bought “mischievous but adorable” Tatty in 2013 when she was around a year old.
Richard said he had used some of his grandmother’s inheritance money to do so.
Fondly remembering his late chinchilla, Richard recalled: “She chewed anything she could get her little paws on and she would love to grab hold of your hands as you gave her fuss.
“One of the best times was watching her have her dust baths. She would roll around and make a complete mess with the sand used for her baths. It was always hilarious and adorable.”
Richard bought the mobile in mid-May and said that Tatty had loved it when he hung it in her cage.
“It was the following day and everyone was waking up. She woke up too and was playing about in her cage. All of a sudden she’s got one of the strings wrapped around her back paw and is being hung upside down by this toy.”
He continued: “My father rushed to remove it from her leg and to release her from it. She seemed okay, just a bit shocked by the event. We immediately removed the toy.
“Later on, I checked in on her to ensure she was okay. As I placed my hand on her I found her cold and lifeless. I had to break the news to everyone. I was numb from it but my mother and aunt broke down in tears.”
Richard added: “The hardest part was not hearing the noises from her cage where she would be bouncing around, playing. Or when she would come up to the front door to open to have some fuss - she loved chin scratches.”
Richard claimed he submitted a complaint to Pets At Home and in a letter requested an apology and a recall of the product to prevent other pets and owners from having a similar experience.
He says Pets At Home has taken the product into its possession as part of an investigation.
The product remains on sale on the Pets At Home website and the description still markets towards small animals. The product description online states: “Suitable for guinea pigs, gerbils, rabbits, Syrian hamsters, dwarf hamsters, chinchillas, rats, mice, and degus.”
It adds: “Not suitable for ferrets. For your pet's safety, examine the item regularly for wear and tear and replace when appropriate. Natural wood products have the potential of splintering and should be regularly checked and removed immediately if signs of damage are noted. Not suitable for children.”
