When her beloved dog collapsed and had to be rushed to the vet , Heather Goddard was horrified . The grandmother was left grief-stricken when tests showed Clover , an eight-year-old crossbreed , had lung cancer and would have to be put down . But the biggest shock came when she was told that her dog ’ s death was caused by passive smoking – the result of being in the house as she and her husband Keith puffed through 30 cigarettes each a day . Scroll down for video . Devastated : 62-year-old Heather Goddard , from Seaton Delaval , said her dog got lung cancer after inhaling the toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke - she is now speaking out to protect pets in the future . Happier times : Ms Goddard , with husband Keith , granddaughters Chelsea and Leona and dog Roger , quit smoking a year ago and has been told she now smells 'like a proper grandma , which is lovely to hear ' Now Mrs Goddard , 61 , has quit smoking and is alerting other pet owners to the dangers posed to animals by second-hand smoke . She and Mr Goddard , 67 , of Seaton Delaval , Northumberland , were walking Clover in a park when the rescue dog became ill . They took her to a veterinary practice in Morpeth , where they were told she had black spots on her lungs and was also suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . The vet said nothing more could be done for Clover , adding that the cause of her cancer was passive smoking . ‘ Knowing my smoking was to blame was like somebody had just put a bullet into my heart . It was a nightmare that had come true , ’ said Mrs Goddard , a retired cleaner who has another dog , Roger , as well as two cats and a rabbit . ‘ Clover was a lovely dog . She was friendly and there wasn ’ t a bad bone in her body . Fond memories : She says thinking about Clover 'brings a tear to my eye just thinking about the damage my smoking was doing ' - she is now hoping to inform others about the dangers of second-hand smoke . Clover had to be put down after a scan showed up black spots on her lungs . ‘ She showed no signs or symptoms of being ill. We had no idea why she had collapsed until we took her to the vets . It was such a shock . ‘ You don ’ t think about your animals but they are just like us . They can get illnesses like diabetes and cancer the same as us. ’ Mrs Goddard says she now regrets exposing her family and her animals to years of cigarette smoke in the house and the car . She added : ‘ I think I would have tried to give up earlier if I had known the damage it was doing to my animals . As long as the animals were fed I would be happy to go without food but I had to have my cigarettes . ‘ I didn ’ t connect passive smoking with animals . You don ’ t realise how much of it they are taking in . My grandchildren are only here once or twice a week but our pets are with us 24 hours a day , 365 days a year. ’ It still took her nearly three years following Clover ’ s death before she managed to quit her 30-a-day habit – and by then she too had been diagnosed with chronic lung disease . Her husband has also given up smoking , much to the delight of their three children and eight grandchildren . Mrs Goddard , who had smoked for 40 years , said : ‘ I feel a lot healthier now I have stopped . ‘ I can walk to the end of the path without getting as out of breath and I don ’ t use my inhalers as much . New start : Ms Goddard pictured with her grandchildren - who are 'always happy that I no longer smoke ' ‘ My grandchildren tell me they are glad I stopped smoking because I don ’ t smell of smoke any more . When I gave up smoking that stopped my illness from getting any worse. ’ She hopes by speaking out she will alert other animal owners and help protect more pets from the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke . ‘ I would tell anyone who smokes and has animals to think twice , ’ she said . ‘ I know how difficult it is to give up but they need to think about their animals . Don ’ t give up trying , even if you have two cigarettes less a day. ’ The British Veterinary Association has long warned of the dangers of smoking around pets , saying it can lead to incidents of cancer , asthma and bronchitis in cats and dogs .
Goddard left devastated when pet dog Clover got lung cancer . Vet informed her harmful chemicals from tobacco smoke were to blame . It meant her 'extra special ' , eight-year-old rescue dog had to be put down . Now speaking out to protect more pets from the toxic chemicals in smoke .