Getting a dog through a classified ad

More than once, the media informed about scams that happened to people getting their pet on the internet. The most frequent scenarios are, that the scammer gets a lot of money from you, but you never see the animal, or you unwillingly contribute to the abusive trade with animals operated through breeding houses. I’ve already written about the consequences that this has for dogs and cats in the articles A breeding house is a business not only with dogs, but with cats as well and Where we got our Little raisin.

Allegedly, up to 10% of all the dogs in Europe are bought on the internet. People fall for fashion trends and they want breeds that are not as common. Such phenomenon was the toy poodle, for instance. Often time, people from abroad are getting also dwarf breeds such as the Yorkshire terrier. It’s an entirely common thing to shop online, and therefore, we are less cautious. An even though the consumer protection is still increasing, you won’t be able to return a pet bought online so easily.

First of all, you should thoroughly check the seller, for example, whether they have some contact information that can be looked up. They should also have a trade licence and therefore, to be traceable in registers. According to the experts, most resellers prefer e-mail communication and you usually can’t reach them on the phone number they provide. If you look out your dream dog, try calling the seller first. And I recommend trying to agree, that you’ll come to see the dog in person as well. So far, it has never happened to me that a respectable breeder would refuse.

If the “breeder” is luring you in with a suspiciously low price even though it’s a dog with a certification and on top of it a fashionable breed, beware. In this case, the price might be bought out not only by additional costs, that the reseller might want, but also bad health of the dog. You’ll usually find out about this, when you take over the dog. Unfortunately, I’ve also seen a case, when the dog died soon after, since all the vaccinations were neglected and he died of parvovirosis. In a better case, you’ll get a slightly different “size”, than you’ve expected.

Sometimes it also happens, that you’ll get a last minute “discount”, but without any certification and consolation of this kind: “It’s no big deal if you’re not planning to go to exhibitions.” Definitely refuse. The same applies to paying a deposit in advance. If the uncertainty gnaws at you, you can try to seek advice on various forums for breeders and dog owners. If it’s a notorious case, the others will certainly warn you to avoid such purchase.

So, if you decide to buy a dog through an ad, whether a printed one or on the internet, you should definitely try to learn about the origin of the breed, about the conditions in which the puppies live, whether they have been dewormed and vaccinated. The alternative is to buy a dog from a verified breeder or from a breeding station. And if the purchasing process discouraged you, you can follow the motto “don’t buy, adopt” as I do and get a dog from a shelter, where those who were bought as “rabbits in a sack” and pets who fell victim to fraudulent transactions end up.

Do you have experience with getting a dog through an ad? Have you ever encountered a fraudulent offer?