THE deadline for a dog's potentially life-saving operation has been and gone. Freeway the cocker spaniel was insured under his previous owner's name, but current owner Annette Mills could not claim on the policy. Annette, of Cookson Close, Burnham, took

THE deadline for a dog's potentially life-saving operation has been and gone. Freeway the cocker spaniel was insured under his previous owner's name, but current owner Annette Mills could not claim on the policy. Annette, of Cookson Close, Burnham, took in Freeway last May, but by November he was starting to go blind. He now has a heart murmur and needs an urgent operation. The dog's previous owner, who moved to Malaysia, had taken out pet insurance with the RSPCA, but because Annette's name is not on the policy she is unable to put in a claim. The policy ran out on April 14 and now Annette says she cannot afford the vet bills. She said: "There were a few articles in the papers about Freeway, but no-one came forward to pay for the operations and I can not afford it. Freeway is not long for this world."I suppose he is happy in his own way and still wags his tail, but he keeps bumping into things and sometimes he cannot get up the stairs."It sounds horrible but I hope I wake up one morning and find he has died peacefully in his sleep. If it gets worse I think we will have him put down, but I'd prefer him to go naturally."The RSPCA said it had passed on Mrs Mills' details to its insurance provider and it did not wish to comment further.