A war of words has broken out between the owners of a dog rescue centre and a couple who adopted a pet from them.

Michael Tyler and his partner Sarah Webb took in the female chihuahua Bambi from K9 Rehoming, which operates in Swale and Medway, last October.

He says he chose to adopt the pet because he had fostered dogs on and off from the organisation for four years.

But just under two weeks ago, its owners Amanda McQuade and Julie Garner went to the family home in Lower Road, Teynham, to take the dog back in a disagreement over getting it spayed – a procedure that is K9 policy for fosterers to have done.

Mr Tyler, 41, who runs Whiteleaf Animal Farm and puts on exotic insect shows, said: “In January, they Facebook messaged us asking if we had had her done and we said ‘no’.

“We said she’s very nervous and we’re not breeding dogs, so we asked them whether she really needs to be done.”

After the exchange of dozens more messages with them, Mr Tyler took Bambi to be neutered and microchipped at K9’s preferred vet practice Easipetcare, in Chatham, on February 2 and paid the £75 bill.

However, 11 days after the procedure, the couple and their four children were left distraught when Ms McQuade and Ms Garner arrived at their house while accompanied by two police officers to reclaim Bambi, citing concerns over its well-being.

K9’s owners have defended their decision, saying it stemmed concerns about two other dogs also in the Tylers’ care developing health issues.

Ms McQuade and Ms Garner said in a statement: “This raised concerns for Bambi and any chance of further fostering.

“We have offered to refund the vet bill to Michael but he has yet to provide bank details.

“Bambi is microchipped to us, signed over to us by her previous owner and registered on our vet account because she is still our dog.

“No rehoming contract was ever completed which has to be done to rehome any of our dogs.”

Mr Tyler is now threatening legal action, arguing he is the rightful owner of Bambi and that it was only taken away from him because he hesitated about having it spayed.

Ms McQuade and Ms Garner added Bambi was recently fostered by someone else and they are also considering legal redress over comments made by Mr Tyler in Facebook groups.

A police spokesman said officers would not investigate a civil dispute, adding: “We attended an address in Teynham on Saturday, February 13, to prevent a possible breach of the peace and to facilitate the exchange of a dog that is currently in dispute.

“No offences were committed.”