This week’s X-Ray is going to be heart-wrenching for anyone who loves dogs. Having to part with a much loved family pet, even if you feel it’s the best for your animal, must be one of the hardest decisions to make.
Talking to Tracy Evans at her home in Llansteffan, it was clear that it had been a very upsetting time. And if giving up her pet wasn’t hard enough, what happened next made it even worse.
Buddy had been in the family since he was 8 weeks old. But two years on, Tracy felt they couldn’t look after him properly any more. She thought she’d found him a new loving home, through an advert online.
But after handing over Buddy, she immediately suspected something was wrong. And just hours later, an advert appeared online from the same computer used to offer Buddy that perfect home, now offering a beagle for sale. Despite trying for more than a year, Tracy still hasn’t been able to find Buddy. She turned to X-Ray in desperation.
Most animal lovers would find it hard to imagine, but the RSPCA is concerned about how some people are exploiting online ‘wanted’ or ‘for sale’ ads. There’s no guarantee these animals won’t be sold on for a big profit and end up somewhere where they may not be looked after properly. The RSPCA wants a change in the current law, to cover the trade online.
I really wanted a happy ending to this story. I hoped we’d be able to track down Buddy, that we’d find him alive, well and healthy in a happy home. I wanted Tracy and her family to be able to see him again, for them to be able to stop worrying, to stop dwelling on possible dreadful scenarios, to stop blaming themselves.
Early one morning, the X-Ray team went to the one address near Llanelli where we thought Buddy could be. We wanted answers. We wanted to find Buddy. Driving down a single track lane through the mist, the crew and I were all silently hoping we could bring this to an end. We pulled up outside. We did not get a warm welcome.
Find out what happened on tonight's programme, 7.30pm Monday 2 March 2015, BBC One Wales.
