Frustrated dog owner calls for Kmart to stop selling a $5 toy after it 'made his pet suffer excruciating pain and undergo $4000 surgery'
- An Auckland dog owner is calling on Kmart to stop selling a $5 dog toy
- His dog had to undergo surgery after the rubber became lodged in her intestine
- Kmart has rejected his claim, citing the 'little self-protect label clause'
A dog owner is begging retail giant Kmart to stop selling a $5 toy after it allegedly caused his pet to suffer excruciating pain and undergo costly surgery.
Auckland resident Stephen Goument rushed his dog Touka to Orewa Vet Hospital after she became sick, lethargic and started vomiting on September 22 last year.
Mr Goument said the pain was caused by a piece of a two-handled rubber toy that vets found lodged in her intestines during surgery.
He had purchased the tug toy from Kmart last July.
Auckland resident Stephen Goument (left) is appealing to a leading retailer to stop selling a $5 dog toy after it allegedly caused his pet to suffer excruciating pain and undergo surgery
Mr Goument paid more than $4000 for his dog's treatment, but her health is still at risk because of the scar tissue created after the incident.
'I am a loyal customer of Kmart and appreciate their well-priced products, but honestly, not when a $5 toy ended up costing me $4177,' he told Stuff.
Mr Goument contacted Kmart Australia about the incident and was told to submit a claim.
He said he received a letter last month from Kmart mentioning about the product label, which read: 'no pet toy is indestructible and can be damaged during play, for your pet's safety inspect regularly and remove if damaged.'
Mr Goument said the pain was due to a piece of the two-handled rubber toy that vets found lodged in his dog's intestines during the surgery (stock image)
Mr Goument paid more than $4000 for his dog's treatment, but she is still at risk because of the scar tissue created after the incident (stock image)
Mr Goument is now appealing Kmart to withdraw the product from its stores.
'I'd hate any further dogs and their owners to go through this when it's easily preventable,' he said.
'Kmart should be accountable with or without their little self-protect label clause – don't even recall ever seeing this and she is generally always supervised when playing.'
This is not the first time dogs have fallen sick after chewing on Kmart's toy.
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Earlier this year, Wilston Vet clinic in Brisbane operated on two dogs after broken pieces of the rubber chew toy became lodged in their upper intestines.
'Both required major abdominal surgery to remove the obstruction. In both cases it was a $5 K-MART dog chew toy,' the clinic said in a warning on May 26.
'Warn everyone out there. They are brittle, and somehow break, and dogs think it's a good idea to swallow them.'
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kmart for comment.
This is not the first time dogs have fallen sick after chewing on Kmart's toy. Earlier this year, Wilston Vet clinic in Brisbane had operated on two dogs after broken pieces of the rubber chew toy became lodged in their upper intestines
