Chihuahua puppy crushed to death by recliner chair

A pedigree chihuahua puppy was crushed to death after crawling into a gap at the back of hydraulic electrical recliner chair.

20-year-old Paul Gardner from Barnet, North London spent £1,000 on the chihuahua, Tillie, for his girlfriend, Lynsey Smith, 21, to comfort her over the loss of her grandfather.

Aged just 14 weeks, the adorable pup was crushed to death after it crawled underneath the back of a reclining armchair used as an aid to help Smith's mother stand up. Gardner and Smith were shocked to later find the dog's lifeless body at the back of the armchair.

According to Gardner, behind the chair is a velcro flap about 10 inches long and 15 inches wide. "Behind the flap there's a hydraulic pump and bars which move up and down," he said. "Even a small child could easily crawl inside it. "

The armchair was supplied by Medequip, a contract supplier of Barnet Council's community equipment services. A Barnet Council spokesman said, "we are very sorry to hear about this sad case. Medequip supply recliner chairs such as these on behalf of the council, and as part of the service demonstrate how to use each piece of equipment. They also leave information and guidance notes with the customer, which includes a warning to be careful of small pets."

A spokesperson for Medequip said they were investigating the issue.

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