An Oshawa woman is desperate to be reunited with puppy after an emergency trip to a veterinary clinic left her “surrendering” the dog to a rescue agency.

Debra DiPasquale adopted the three-month-old Dapple-Dachshund mix, named Shiloh, after grieving the loss of her previous dog.

“He was so sweet. He was doing so good with his training,” she told CTV News Toronto. “I fell in love with him right away.”

DiPasquale only had the dog for about 12 days when a freak accident happened.

Shiloh had habit of nestling under her couch to play with toys, she said. One day, as DiPasquale stood up from the couch, she noticed pills scattered around her feet.

“There were pieces that were in chunks so I knew he had them in his mouth. There was about five missing,” she said.

“The only thing I can think of is that they fell, rolled under the couch and were there. Only he could get under there and he happened to be the one who found them.”

Fearing for the little dog’s health, DiPasquale rushed Shiloh to her longtime veterinary hospital, driving through a nasty winter storm to get there.

When she arrived, she was told the veterinarian was not available.

“They said he might not make it to the next day. I’m bawling my eyes out,” she said.

“I was so upset I didn’t even know what was going on. I just wanted help for my dog.”

According to DiPasquale, a technician suggested she bring Shiloh to a clinic in Peterborough, but fearing the worsening weather, DiPasquale told the woman that she couldn’t.

She was also told by the veterinary clinic that the emergency care her dog required was expensive.

“She was telling me it was going to cost thousands of dollars and I said I brought my dog in to help him.”

DiPasquale said she didn’t have the money to pay for it and claims the situation unfolded quickly from there.

“She comes out with these papers. I’m starting to sign them. I said, ‘I can’t see,’ I had tears in my eyes, so she’s helping me… (She said), ‘Dash here, dash there, put this here, that there,’” DiPasquale said.

Panic set in when the technician informed her she could never see Shiloh again.

“I said, ‘I want my puppy. I just bought my puppy. I brought him here to get help,’” she said, her voice choked with emotion.

“I knew he was staying there, but I thought he was leaving to get help because there was no vet there… I saw she put him in a little cage and off she went.”

DiPasquale said Shiloh was supposed to be under 72 hours surveillance by medical professionals, as they believed the dog’s kidneys would fail from the pills.

But when her sister called the clinic on Friday, they were told the dog had “made it through” and had been put up for adoption.

DiPasquale still has no idea where Shiloh is.

“I want my dog back. I know it’s probably going to cost a lot of money…I’m not rich by any means, but I want my dog back. I’ll do whatever I can to get him back. Make payments, whatever it takes,” she said. “I want my puppy back. I miss him so much.”

The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association said transferring ownership of a pet is a “last resort when all other options have been exhausted.

“Pets are great companions and become like family, but before considering pet ownership you should be aware of the costs to care for them,” the association wrote in a statement.

“Pet owners should understand that they are transferring legal ownership of their pet to the shelter or rescue group, which will pay for any needed medical care and then seek to find the animal a new home.”

Last year, a Thornhill family endured a similar heartache after "surrendering" their golden doodle puppy when the costs of a routine spay procedure skyrocketed.

The family told CTV News Toronto they felt they were dealt an ultimatum by the clinic – pay $8,000 for the surgery or give up the dog.

Left with what they felt was no other option, they signed the puppy over. They regretted the decision instantly. After discussions with the clinic, they were able to resolve the issue and were reunited with their dog.

DiPasquale is hoping for the same outcome.

“The message I have for everybody is, do not sign anything unless you know exactly what you are doing,” she said.

“When you’re under duress like that, and you’re upset, and it doesn’t take much for me to get that way – for a lot of people, it’s like that…You know, that could’ve been my child… That was my puppy.”