'My last option': Fundraising owner of puppy with a broken heart hits back at the haters

Jenna Wiffen, from Hadley, Telford, has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help save Cooper's life, and has so far raised £2,276 towards the £5,800 goal to give the pooch a heart operation and a stent.

The family believed that bulldog Cooper passed all of his health checks when he was born earlier this year but that was not the case and it turns out his heart beats too fast and he needs an operation. Crucially they were also told that the pup was covered by insurance for five weeks when they brought him for £1,000 from a dealer in Cardiff on April 1, but that was not the case.

But Jenna has come under a blitz of criticism online for not having insurance, for buying a dog by using a loan and for not choosing a cheaper form of treatment.

Jenna, an experienced owner of rescue dogs, said: "I've had people say why not return Cooper and get a refund. Even if I could he is not a toaster.

"On insurance I have repeated many times, breeders are meant to provide insurance cover for five weeks and I was told he had."

Meanwhile, little Cooper has been put on an escalating regime of beta blockers to try to protect his heart. But Jenna has been told by vets that this risks long-term damage and he needs an operation as soon as possible.

Jenna said: "I've had people say I should not have had a loan and should not have brought a dog if I don't have the money.

"But I have had rescue dogs in the past and even look after other animals out of my own pocket.

"I did everything I could before launching the appeal - it was my last option and I am embarrassed by having to do it," she added.

A minority of people have also suggested that the family should let the pup die and spend the money on something else instead.

Jenna says vets have told her that the dog needs an operation from a specialist vet in Solihull and there is not a cheaper option.

In the meantime, Jenna has her own health issues, including possible operations for her spine and brain surgery too.

"There's a lot of stress and worry," she said. "I am worrying sick about Cooper and keep crying. It is all really affecting the whole family."

Jenna, who is married with four children, added that a heart scan revealed that Cooper has severe pulmonic stenosis where the blood flows too fast as his heart valve is very badly malformed as a birth defect.

"We are devastated to hear our sweet gorgeous loving boy will die without surgery," she said.

A Facebook page has been created to keep people up to date with progress at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091992185386

Jenna also regularly updates the GoFundMe page with updates on Cooper and responses to her critics at gofundme.com/f/fix-coopers-broken-heart-save-his-life