A Keighley dad whose family’s new pet puppy had to be destroyed due to a rabies scare has spoken of their heartbreak.

The 30-year-old father of two young children said they had travelled to Peterborough to collect and pay £250 for the Shih Tzu, advertised online.

But a routine check-up at the vets revealed its paperwork was false and the dog had not been given a proper vaccination against rabies. The pup, which was born in Lithuania, had to be put down.

“We were absolutely devastated,” said the father, who asked not to be named. “Although we only had the dog – called Brenda – for a very short time, the kids loved it.”

Keighley Vets4Pets, where the family took the dog, warned of the dangers of buying puppies online.

Vet Lara Clarkson said: “The family bought the puppy in good faith and what’s happened is heartbreaking.”