Dog unexpectedly returns from kennel pregnant, sick with parasites

Sara Filips
·2 min read
3

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A dog who was taken to a Georgia kennel for training returned to her owner pregnant and sick with parasites.

Nala is a 10-month-old Goldendoodle who was taken to the kennel in hopes of bettering her behavior around others through training.

The dog’s owner, Steven Schild, told WFLA.com that some parents at their daughter’s school referred them to Savage River Kennels, located in Chickamauga, Georgia.

Schild said they wanted Nala leash trained and to have a dog with manners.

But what they didn’t want, was their dog returned to them sick and pregnant.

Nala was at the Kennel from Jan. 31 through Feb. 26 and when she returned, Schild said she had diarrhea for nearly two weeks.

“We thought that the first day or two it was maybe due to the anxiety from being away but after about a week of it, I mentioned to my wife that something wasn’t normal so we made a vet appointment,” Schild said.

The vet diagnosed Nala with Giardia, a parasite caused by contaminated food, water, and environmental factors, that lead to diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Schild said the kennel claimed it wasn’t from their facility, but he said the sickness began as soon as they returned home with Nala.

Along with the parasite, Schild said he discovered his dog was pregnant approximately two weeks prior to her giving birth to her seven puppies on April 17. He said several weeks after her return home, he noticed physical changes and felt the puppies move in her stomach.

He is unsure of the breed of the father but has sent in a DNA test kit to find out, and hopefully can connect back to the kennel.

After dropping $2,000 on the training, Schild said the company refuses any kind of refund or to cover vet expenses.

As of this report, Schild plans to seek legal advice, but no legal action has taken place yet. He said the contract he signed said the kennel isn’t liable for any breeding but does require them to notify them at first sign of being in heat, which he claimed did not happen.

WFLA.com has reached out to Savage River Kennels for comment but hasn’t received a response.

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