Warning after puppy-farmed dog dies at Plymouth animal sanctuary
A Plymouth animal sanctuary has issued a warning after a puppy-farmed dog died in their care.
Staff at Gables Cats & Dogs Home tried to save puppy Trojan after his owner brought him in.
He was severely malnourished, feared people and refused to eat or drink - which staff say are classic signs of puppy farm breeding.
His owner said she bought the dog believing he was a six-month-old Dachshund-cross, but an inspection by vets revealed this to be wrong.
According to staff, Trojan was not a Dachshund-cross and was more like six-weeks-old, which is too young to be away from his mother.
Sadly, a day after he was seen by vets, Trojan died - something Gables’ deputy manager Ruth Rickard believes could have been avoided.
Trojan’s owner said she bought him for £950 in order to free him from the puppy farmers, and brought him to Gables to try and save him.
The animal sanctuary had since issued a warning to potential new pet owners to look out for certain warning signs when purchasing a dog or cat.
Signs to look out for:
Research: Have a look at the seller’s profile and search their name online. If they are advertising many litters from different breeds, then this is a red flag.
Check contact details: Copy and paste the phone number into a search engine. If the number is being used on lots of different adverts, sites and dates then this is likely to be a deceitful seller.
Check the animal’s age: Puppies and kittens should never be sold under 8 weeks old – do not buy from anyone advertising a puppy or kitten younger than 8 weeks.
Check the animal’s health records: Make sure the seller shares all records of vaccinations, flea and worm treatment and microchipping with you before sale.
When visiting, make sure the mum is present: If mum is not available to meet, it’s unlikely the puppy or kitten was bred there. Beware of the seller making excuses as to why mum is not there e.g. she’s at the vets, asleep, or out for a walk.
Check there isn’t a ‘fake’ mum: Most fake mums don’t interact with the puppies. Watch out for puppies or kittens labelled as ‘rescue’ but with much higher than expected price tags.
If you feel rushed or pressurised into parting with cash, this is a red flag.
Health problems observed at purchase are not normal and don’t be convinced otherwise.
Beware of offers to meet somewhere convenient e.g. car park or motorway services, or ‘shop front’ premises, common with rented properties just to make sales, and ‘sales rooms’ kept separate from nearby or onsite puppy farm.