Sussex vet receptionist whose seven pets died in house fire gives home to orphaned puppy

Sarah Leverett, a receptionist at Coastway Vets’ Portslade Surgery, was left homeless by the fire at her Woodingdean home in January.

Her family was unhurt, but the blaze claimed the lives of their three dogs, two cats, a rabbit and a gecko.

Sarah’s colleagues rallied round her after the fire, offering their support and raising £5,000 through a Just Giving page, and now they’ve helped her welcome a new addition to the family.

She has given a home to puppy May, who was one of a litter of three pups rejected by their mother and signed over to Coastway’s veterinary hospital in Kemptown by their owner.

Sarah, her husband Simon and sons Luke, 20, and Daniel, 15, quickly fell in love with May, who was hand-reared at the veterinary practice.

Sarah said: “I wasn’t looking for a puppy but May found me.

"After losing our pets in such difficult circumstances I wasn’t sure about getting another dog so soon, because I was worried about getting too attached and then something else happening.

"But I discussed it with my family and we decided to offer May a home.

"I’m so glad we did because she’s helping all of us by being a little ray of sunshine at a difficult time and she has given us something to feel positive about.

“May has a fun personality that’s developing every day, and we enjoy having her around and spending time with her. It’s so nice to have a dog again. I’ve had dogs in my life since I was a child, and my sons have always had pets around us, so it felt strange without them.

"May can’t replace what we’ve lost, but she’s already an important part of our family.”

Sarah met May when the pup was just 10 days old, then visited her weekly until it was time for her to join the family.

May and her siblings were given round-the-clock care by Sarah’s colleague Vicki Shears. They have all been rehomed by Coastway team members.

Sarah added: “May settled in very quickly and it’s heartwarming to see her tail wagging when she sees us.

"She goes everywhere with us, including coming to work with me at the veterinary practice, and my sons love having a dog to play with again.”

Sarah was at work when she received the call about the fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. Her husband had been home all day but left just after 2pm to pick up their son from school – when he returned, an hour later, the house was up in flames.

Sarah said everyone at work ‘has been amazing’ with colleagues calling her regularly to check if she was okay and the head nurse, Lizzie Ferandji, setting up a fundraiser.

The family are currently in temporary accommodation while work is carried out on the house, and they hope to be able to return home by the end of the summer.

The money raised from the Coastway fundraising, and a community GoFundMe page that generated donations totalling £6,600, will be used to help them refurbish the house.