A family is devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of their 14-month-old puppy after a week's stay at a dog training facility.
Sisters Christina and Celia Zazzarino who live in Sydney had a healthy dog called Weston (Winnie) but he had become completely unruly.
Realizing the need for vocational training at such a young age, they began searching online for a reputable facility.
Based on the positive reviews, they chose a training facility in Sydney and arranged for Winnie to stay there for two weeks.
Before leaving the facility, the family took Winnie to the vet, who confirmed his good health.
But just over a week later tragedy struck and Winnie died unexpectedly. The grieving sisters paid $1,515 for his two-week stay at the facility.
On the fourth day of his stay.
Christina and Celia received distressing news from the facility – a staff member called to inform them that Winnie had not eaten in four days. They worry but trust in the expertise of those caring for their beloved pet. They provided information about his favorite food so it could be purchased.
A week passed without any updates on the Winnies' condition from the facility. Increasingly concerned, Celia decided to contact the head coach via text message for an update.
To their relief, Celia received a reply that Winnie was doing well and was now eating better.
but.
Later the same day. Winnie's condition worsened significantly and Selina was notified that he would be taken to the vet.
The trainers told her he was dehydrated and had a stomach ache, but assured her that medication and fluids were being provided.
Desperate to bring him home amidst these troubling developments. Christina and Celia asked to pick up Winnie immediately but were told he was in good health.
Despite their confidence in the abilities of these training facilities to care for their dog, Christina and Celia are now grieving the loss of their beloved companion, Winnie. Upon receiving photos of their dear puppy with the assurance that he “appears to be recovering.”
The Zazarinos were relieved for a moment before facing devastating news soon after.
Unfortunately. Winnie failed to show signs of improvement and tragically did not return home; instead of. Selena and Christina saw him off at the vets office where they observed firsthand his painful weight loss. Veterinarian Dr. Rob Zammit expressed concern about Winnie's serious condition by describing him as "visibly very ill" and expressed his belief that trainers should have detected these signs earlier.
Zammit stressed that professional trainers have a responsibility to recognize symptoms of disease in dogs and make informed judgments about their overall health. He stressed the need to notify dog owners immediately if a dog refuses food and loses weight rapidly, calling for quick action with a clear message: “Go back and get your dog back, this situation is not working.”
In their quest for understanding and support. The Zazarinos took to social media to share their experience at the training facility. Their post resonated with readers around the world and quickly went viral and received widespread attention. Subsequently. They were offered reimbursement as well as help covering the costs of Winnies' veterinary care.
Seeking to refute the allegations, the head coach responded by issuing a legal letter to A Current Affair in which he vehemently denied any wrongdoing while maintaining that Winnie was indeed “underweight” when he arrived at their organisation. Awaiting the autopsy results that will reveal the exact cause of Winnie's sudden death, Selena and Christina eagerly anticipate finding a solution to their profound loss.