MEMBERS of a Kent family are mourning the death of a beloved pet dog after he contracted a killer disease from contaminated rain water.

Now the couple want to warn other people in the Lapwing Close area of Minster, near Sheerness, that their pets and even family members could be at risk.

Michael and Lorraine Adach say they have been asking Swale Housing Association to help sort out the flooding problem in their back gardens since they moved in back in 2002.

Their three-and-a-half-year old German Shepherd, Boz, became ill last Thursday, feeling lethargic and off his food.

By Monday morning he had died of leptospirosis, a form of Weils disease which is caused by water contaminated with the urine of infected animals.

Their other pet dog is currently on a drip trying to recover from the same disease.

Mr Adach said: “Boz was a healthy, normal dog. None of this need have happened because we’ve been saying for years that there is a problem with rats up on the fields.”

Now the couple and their four children have all had to have blood tests to make sure they too have not contracted the bacterial disease. Their youngest child has also recently been suffering with sickness and diarrhoea.

“I see people pushing their pushchairs through puddles along our road every day and then going into their houses,” Mrs Adach said. “Goodness only knows what they’re taking in with them.”

Swale Housing Association neighbourhood director for Sheppey, Troy Francis said: “We understand that the death of a pet can be very distressing and we sympathise with Mr and Mrs Adach over their loss.

“We accept there is a possibility that the disease originated from the stagnant water in the back garden, and we need to address this as quickly as possible.

“Therefore, we will be visiting Mr and Mrs Adach’s home next week to create a purpose-built soak-away.

“However, we are also investigating the possibility that the dog contracted its disease elsewhere, for example during walks in nearby fields.”