Wednesday 18 May 2022 01:10 PM Welsh dog owner left with £8,500 vet bill after his pet escaped from a dog ... trends now
A distraught dog owner has been left with a £8,500 vet bill after his lurcher was badly hurt after escaping from an unlicensed dog sitter.
Alex Marshall from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales has warned other owners of the dangers of using unregistered mini kennels this summer.
Mr Marshall said he had previously trusted the dog sitter having used them since December. He said he believed the increase in numbers of pets as a result of Covid-19 is putting pressure on the legitimate pet sitting business.
Juno the lurcher, pictured, suffered horrendous injuries after she escaped from her unlicensed dog sitter's house in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales in March
Owner Alex Marshall, pictured, who is an NHS Care assistant claimed he had previously used the dog sitter without any problem
Juno, pictured here in happier times, was found by railway workers beside a train line where she had been badly injured
The vet was forced to amputate one of Juno's back legs as the limb had been damaged too badly
The lifting of travel restrictions has led to difficulties in finding a legitimate kennels
Under legislation, anyone who is looking after 'even a small number of animals' in their own home has to apply to their local authority for a licence and undergo a safety inspection.
Mr Marshal's dog Juno fled after jumping over a garden wall and vanished for ten days.
He had used the sitter since December last year without any problems but then Juno got out in March.
Railway workers found Juno with major injuries, which resulted in the amputation of one