An investigation has been launched into the man the families say sold them the dogs, although he denies he is still a breeder and says any problems are the fault of the new dog-owners.

Mum-of-three Victoria Willett is furious that the beagle she bought for her family for £295 had to put down after just eight days.

Cookie had to be put down because he had contracted lethal parvo's disease – a disease associated with a failure to get young dogs their proper course of injections.

Victoria, 27, from Kilmeston Close, Leigh Park, and her children Cody, seven, Joey, five, and Lewis, two, are devastated at seeing the puppy die so soon.

'I'm absolutely mortified,' said Victoria. 'When I found out he had to be put down I just burst into tears – I don't know what to say to my children about this.'

The family say the dog was bought from John Lowe, operating in Farnham, Surrey.

Ian Pook, from Ellisfield Road, Leigh Park, bought a German shepherd from Mr Lowe for £195 and named him Charlie.

But days after bringing him home, Charlie appeared ill and Mr Pook decided to take him to the vet, where he still remains critically ill with parvo's disease.

Mr Pook is angry that his two-year-old daughter Faye has been so distressed.

'She knows there's something wrong with him, she was crying,' he said.

Samantha and Richard West, from Fareham, bought a beagle puppy from Mr Lowe over the August bank holiday but shortly afterwards the dog, named Lily, became ill and died.

Mr Lowe lost his licence to breed in 2004, was fined £4,000, and in 2005 was convicted at Guildford Magistrates' Court for keeping puppies and their mothers in conditions inappropriate to secure their best health.

Waverley Borough Council confirmed to The News that Mr Lowe does not have a licence to breed dogs.

Victoria Buckroyd, environmental health manager at the council, added: 'We understand that he may still be trading and are currently gathering evidence and taking legal advice based on this evidence.'

Mr Lowe said: 'There was nothing wrong with the puppies at all.' He insisted the dogs had received the correct jabs.

He also said he did not sell the puppies, and that he just owned the property where they were traded from.