When Nicola Gooch decided a Chihuahua was the right breed for her, she couldn't wait to find her puppy and bring them home.
Little did she know, the experience would have a profound impact. Heartbreakingly, for all the wrong reasons.
An emergency vet visit
After seeing an advert online, Nicola contacted a breeder in Cambridgeshire, where she arranged to meet the litter to choose her new four-legged friend.
But, just days after coming home, Chihuahua puppy Frankie developed serious health complications.
"We rushed him to the emergency vet, where he spent four days in intensive care" recalled Nicola in an interview with the BBC. "He had seizures, he was found to be much younger than we were told and he was severely malnourished. Frankie died in my arms, and although the vets revived him, he suffered mild brain damage", she continued.
Signs of a puppy farm
In hindsight, the devoted dog owner realises she must have bought Frankie from a puppy farm.
He was being kept under a heat lamp in a garage, and he had clearly been washed just before she arrived to meet him - all tell-tale signs of poor breeding practices.
Two days after Frankie's vet ordeal, the breeder's phone was disconnected, and the property had been emptied.
Now, Nicola works hard to educate others as to the perils of puppy farms, explaining the warning signs it's important to look out for.
"Frankie was absolutely adored by all of our family and I would never regret getting him, but I've learned so much since then, and I'm committed to helping others avoid the heartache I went through", she explained.
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