Teenager's sick pup saga now a happy tale

BY BRITTON BROUN

Whanganui SPCA has been flooded with calls from people offering money to save a puppy that was taken from a vet by the owner, who could not afford to have it treated.

The five-month-old puppy, named Buck, was back at Wanganui Veterinary Service yesterday after its teenage owner Bronson Stewart snatched it on Friday.

Buck was apparently targeted and run down two weeks ago by Mongrel Mob members, angry with Bronson and his father Kevin Stewart and his son over upcoming legal action, Kevin Stewart said. 

Left with a badly broken back leg, the dog was taken to the vet last week.

It would cost $2500 to pin the leg back together or $800 to have it amputated. Mr Stewart, 18, and his father Kevin Stewart are beneficiaries and could pay only $5 a week, which the vets rejected.

Told Buck would be euthanised on Monday, Bronson went in to visit the puppy then grabbed it and ran off, with a vet chasing him for a block.

"They were going to execute him just because I haven't got enough money. He's a mongrel but is like a child to me. I've lost a lot to this city [in burglaries] and I wasn't prepared to lose anything else."

Mr Stewart said he had been unable to get the pup to a vet for a week because he did not have a car.

But he was breathing a sigh of relief yesterday and was incredibly humbled by the offers of money.

An SPCA animal welfare officer had visited the Stewarts and said the dog was now back at a vet clinic and on painkillers.

Last night the Wanganui Chronicle reported that Buck would be operated on by a vet in Bulls.

Yesterday Wanganui SPCA manager Val Waters said local people had been into the office all day giving donations to save Buck.

By late afternoon $900 in cash had been received. They had also fielded "hundreds" of calls from people offering to send donations to them.

"The dog will be just fine," Ms Waters said.

Though the SPCA was not looking at laying charges, an SPCA spokesperson said the Stewarts had no right to take a dog in pain and needing treatment.

Wanganui Veterinary Service vet Dave Barton said no-one had taken an animal from the clinic before but it was routine for injured animals to be put down when owners could not afford to pay for medical care.

Vets had a legal and ethical right to euthanise an animal, he said. "That's a dilemma we face all the time, constantly, in the clinic.

"It's all very well for people to have needs and not want to get rid of their animal because they love it. But they can't just leave it sitting in pain or take it home."

Mr Barton said the puppy may need to see a specialist but its leg could be healed if the money was available.

Mr Stewart said he was delighted with people's generosity.

"It's a story about a dog that deserves to live."

The puppy was the only survivor of a litter of seven after a farmer put the others down for being too yappy.

Mr Stewart said while he didn't totally approve of his son's actions at snatching the dog from the clinic, he knew something had to be done.

- with NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News