'The SPCA has taken my only friend'

ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominion Post

PET PEEVE: Julie Hutton and her nine-year-old son Brooklyn Griffen want the SPCA to return their dog, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel called Ruby.

FURRY FRIEND: Ruby was bought as a companion for Brooklyn, who, because of his illness, does not have friends.

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A terminally ill Lower Hutt boy with a rare genetic condition is without his only friend after the SPCA seized his pet dog, placing it in "protective custody".

Brooklyn Griffen's mum sold her car to buy the cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy for her nine-year-old son a year ago.

Julie Hutton said she bought Ruby for $900 from a breeder on Trade Me as a companion for Brooklyn, who suffers from a mitochondrial disorder.

This means he cannot walk, is prone to illness, and has serious physical and developmental problems. Doctors do not know how long he will live but he is not expected to make it to adulthood.

Ms Hutton bought the puppy because her son does not have friends of his own. "I felt that a small dog would act as a good companion and give him something to love."

Ruby never ate very much and began to show signs of congenital illness, including seizures. Ms Hutton said she bought the dog special food and tried to encourage her to eat, but the puppy had trouble gaining weight.

Nearly three weeks ago, Ruby went missing from the family's Waiwhetu home. Two days later she was handed in to the SPCA, which says she was "seriously underweight and with other health issues".

Ms Hutton says an SPCA officer told her then that she was under investigation. "She said that, in her opinion, I had neglected Ruby and that I had deliberately tried to starve her to death."

Wellington SPCA chief executive Peter Mason said his staff denied accusing Ms Hutton of neglect, but he said the dog had been put in "protective custody".

Ms Hutton says when she tried to follow up with the SPCA and see what was happening, the staff member she dealt with told her she was not allowed to visit Ruby.

It was the puppy's first birthday last Monday. "I told her that my son was upset and said what I am supposed to do, he wants to see his dog and she replied, `tell him to get over it'. He knows something's wrong but I've just told him Ruby's in the hospital."

Mr Mason said he had spoken with the inspector involved and she had denied saying this to Ms Hutton. The SPCA was awaiting lab and veterinary results before it decided the dog's future.

Ms Hutton believes Ruby has congenital problems caused by bad breeding.

Elaine Maisey, who has bred King Charles spaniels for almost 40 years, said after hearing from Ms Hutton, and another woman who had a puppy which died after seven months of similar symptoms, she believed both dogs may have come from the same puppy farm.

"I am certainly going to write to the SPCA, because it sounds to me as though there are congenital problems."

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