Antonia Speariett says her five-year-old Cane Corso, King Cane, swallowed part of a rope toy bought from Amazon and later died. The family says the £12 toy was bought as a treat, then became linked to an intestinal blockage after he stopped eating.
She said King Cane, who weighed 50kg and stood at 5ft 2 inch on his hind legs, began to go downhill after playing with the multicoloured foot long chewer toy. Antonia Speariett and Ryan Roocroft took him to their local vets on October 8 at around 4pm after he became unwell.
Antonia Speariett and Ryan Roocroft
The vets found that King Cane was suffering from an intestinal blockage. A couple of days later, he died.
Antonia Speariett said she bought the Sharlovy rope toy from Amazon in November last year and had no reason to think it would cause harm. “The toy had good reviews, and other owners said their dog liked it. I never thought a toy for aggressive chewers would ever cause a problem.”
King Cane’s final days
She said the change in his condition was clear by October 7. “Cane began feeling unwell. He stopped eating, and although he was still drinking water, I knew something wasn’t right.”
She added: “As the days went on, his condition became increasingly worrying, and I knew he needed veterinary attention.” The family is sharing the story now to warn other dog owners who buy pet products online, especially when packaging suggests the item is built for stronger chewers.
Coppull and Amazon
“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. He was a calm and soft dog.” The case leaves one open point: whether the Sharlovy toy itself was unsafe or whether this was an isolated incident. The source does not identify any recall or response from Amazon.
