Owners bring 7-week-old puppy to be put down but vet is hailed for incredible response

A vet has been hailed a hero after he heartbreakingly revealed that a family brought in their seven-week-old Labrador puppy to be put down. The tiny pup, now named Toby and tipping the scales at a mere 5KG, was too young to have been weaned from his mother when his owners took him to see vet Oliver Reeve with the grim request.

Confronted with the harrowing plea, Dr Reeve decided to take a different route for little Toby. Taking to social media, Dr Reeve shared an image of the Labradoodle, captioning it: "A seven-week-old puppy got brought into the clinic to be euthanised tonight. Very sad. Anyway, meet my new son."

While keeping the family's reasons confidential, Dr Reeve divulged further details about Toby's journey, which thankfully took a turn for the better.

He explained: "I gave them the option of surrendering the puppy rather than euthanasia. They opted for surrender. Probably best if I don't discuss it. These situations are always more complicated than they can initially appear on the surface. Everyone's journey is different."

The name Toby was chosen by Dr Reeve's daughter, as reported by Belfast Live, with the vet quipping: "My daughter wants to call him Toby, which is a solid name. We'll see if it fits. Pet names depend a lot on if my wife has had a really difficult child by the same name in her class, then we can't use that name."

The vet expressed his concerns online, saying: "I'm now having anxiety about making sure his puppy life is as positive and rich as can be and then trying to make a big plan for his socialisation. Things have come along way since our last puppy many years ago."

Social media users were quick to react to the vet's heartfelt tweet. One touched Twitter user replied: "Happy crying. This is beautiful. Would love to hear his name when you have one. Lucky boy to have you."

Another shared their own experience: "Well done Oliver. I had a one-week-old Staffy presented for euthanasia because of a deformed right front leg. She's two-years-old now and rockets around her Mum's house."

Another enquired about the pup's breed: "Is he a golden doodle? He's beautiful."

Yet another recounted a personal tale: "I worked at an animal hospital as a temp many years ago. First day - abandoned kitten out the back. She came home with me and I still have her."

Despite curiosity from the public, the vet stated that he was unable to divulge the reasons behind the original owners' decision to seek euthanasia for the dog.