PUPPY SCAMS

 

With broken hearts over losing our eleven in a half year old Maltese, we started looking for another puppy about a year go.  At first I felt disloyal to our beloved little Mindy, however, I had to stop our heartache and sobbing.  People advised us to look at animal shelters. Years ago we did and adopted a cute puppy which worked out well. Another time we adopted an adorable Schnoodle that just came in, but we had to sign a statement that if the dog owner claims the dog within a certain time, we had to release it to the rightful owner. That day came when we had to give her back.

 

Among the newspaper listings was a Ft. Lauderdale pet store. They directed us to their web site where we chose adorable Mayla. She was all white with black points. (nose and eyes). We rushed to the store on a very hot Fourth of July.  Impressed with the upscale store, we couldn’t wait to meet her...

 

The sales person whom we spoke on the phone showed us a white and tan puppy stinking with bad perfume. We told him that was not the puppy we saw on his web site..  He scratched his head and led us into another room with tiny puppies sleeping on their backs as if all drugged. While soft music was playing, we were told to be very quiet. “Wake them up” I said.” We are here to buy a puppy” The salesman escorted us to another room with about eight to ten puppies all awake in one cage about two feet by two feet. Because it was shocking to see them cramped, we stormed out saying they should be ashamed.

 

Breeders were our next choice, or are they really breeders? Some advertised saying they were breeders or kennels, but they were really brokers. I was unaware of puppy brokers at that time and soon learned to ask questions about the puppy's parents and to request to see them in person. None were available and they were indignant about offering me their last name. When I asked for their home address it wound up off a highway, at a supermarket, or they said they will meet me half way.

 

We were impressed with beautiful airbrushed professional photographs of the puppies, only to find out puppy brokers stole those pictures by putting them on their own websites or they text it to me making us believe that was the puppy they are selling.

 

Other red flags are lower priced puppy ads, free shipping from God knows where, only to find a dead or dying puppy or one that was not what they prepaid for.  Someone told me her mother prepaid for a particular breed.  On arrival the dog was not what she ordered. She could not get her money back and after time got attached to it. Some breeders take nonrefundable deposits for puppies before they are born.

There have been warnings regarding purchasing pets from pet stores as they usually come from puppy mills. I am afraid puppy brokers are included. Besides the Maltese in pet stores cost as much money as the private breeders only you are not getting the pick of the litter.

 

Thus our choices are to pay big money to well-known breeders or go to the animal shelters.