‘Our 50kg Cane Corso died after choking on £12 toy – we want justice’

| Freelance News Reporter Published October 16, 2026 3:38pm Updated October 16, 2026 3:45pm King Cane died after he partially chewed a rope toy bought on Amazon (Picture: Antonia Speariett/SWNS) A dog owner has said she wants ‘justice’ after her pet died after swallowing a toy rope supposedly designed for ‘aggressive chewers’. Antonia Speariett, 31, purchased the dog toy from Amazon for her Cane Corso, named King Cane, before fun and games soon became a medical emergency, The five-year-old dog was found by a vet to have intestinal blockage after chewing part of the Sharlovy toy, which was bought for £12. Mrs Speariett, 31, said she noticed Cane fall ill and stop eating soon after playing with the multicoloured toy. Antonia Speariett and partner Ryan Roocroft from Coppull are heartbroken after their beloved five-year-old pet dog, King Cane, died after swallowing part of a rope dog toy (Picture: Iconic Media/SWNS) Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. She said: ‘As the days went on, his condition became increasingly worrying, and I knew he needed veterinary attention.’ The worried mother and her partner Ryan Roocroft, 31, took him to their local vets, where it was established that Cane needed emergency surgery, as medics became concerned the 50kg dog had sustained damage inside his abdomen and perforated intestines. Antonia Speariett, 31, noticed Cane was not eating and had become ill, before learning at a vet he had an intestinal blockage (Picture: Antonia Speariett/SWNS) Ms Speariett said: ‘Losing Cane has devastated me, and I am still trying to come to terms with the loss of a much-loved member of my family. ‘However, I feel this story is about more than my own heartbreak. ‘Dog toys are everyday products that owners purchase believing they are suitable for their pets.’ The dog owner added that her story raised questions about the safety of dog toys and treats for sale online. ‘The toy had good reviews, and other owners said their dog liked it’, she said. ‘I never thought a toy for aggressive chewers would ever cause a problem.’ She added: ‘I would welcome the opportunity for the seller or manufacturer to respond. The multicoloured Sharlovy toy rope was purchased on Amazon and was reportedly supposed to be for ‘aggressive chewers’ (Picture: Antonia Speariett/SWNS) ‘If sharing his story could help protect even one other dog, I would feel that something positive could come from this tragedy. ‘At the end of the day, because of these toys, I have lost my best friend.’ Ms Speariett has since paid more than £4,000 for hospital treatments, tests as well as costs for euthanising and cremating her dog. Rather than a traditional manufacturer, Sharlovy is a brand name sold on various e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Shein and Walmart. A spokesperson for Amazon said: ‘We were very sorry to hear about this. We are in touch with the customer.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: What is Fourth Wing after Amazon TV series finds its Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson? Arrow MORE: Dog is crowned animal of the year for hunting ‘sea vomit’ – but what is it? Arrow MORE: Games Inbox: Which 2026 video game has the best melee combat? News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.