DON’T FALL FOR ONLINE PET SCAMS
Welfare groups warn that dogs bought online can die within days
FAMILIES looking to buy pets online have been warned about ‘unscrupulous breeders’ trying to flog lame animals with fake vaccination cards.
The warning comes as a schoolgirl was left devastated by the death of a puppy her family bought for her.
It died after her family forked out more than €1,300 on vet bills in a desperate bid to save the infected pet.
The dog in question had a virus which the family feared could have been passed on to a pet they already had.
This led to them having to dump all the bed linen and toys used by the puppy.
Animal welfare experts have urged families to be aware, especially in the run-up to Christmas, that there are untrustworthy puppy breeders online who
are cutting corners in a bid to make a quick profit.
The young teenage girl who was the victim of one such scam was given the puppy to help her with her anxiety.
Her family felt that a pup would help calm her and improve her social interaction.
However, both the girl and her family were left shattered by the turn of events that followed.
Immediately they became aware that something wasn’t right with the canine they had bought online, and ended up paying €1,300 on veterinary bills trying to save it.
It was when they went to the vet that it was discovered that the dog’s vaccination card was fake.
Their vulnerable daughter, who is in first year of secondary school, was left heartbroken and extremely anxious as she watched the pup die from the parvovirus.
The Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group said that the case shows why families should prioritise taking pups from approved shelters or sellers as they said some online dealers will fake documents to unsuspecting families.
Dr Andrew Kelly, the CEO of the ISPCA and chair of the IPAAG, said that the teenage girl was heartbroken but the family couldn’t save the pup no matter how much money they spent.
The girl’s father Gordon, who is from Dublin, said: ‘My daughter suffers from anxiety. We thought having a puppy would help her make friends – sharing photos and videos, bringing it around school to collect her.’
Gordon’s daughter was very excited to get the new puppy when he brought her home but it only took a day for Gordon to realise something was terribly wrong. Within two days, the puppy was severely ill. She was lethargic, vomiting and had diarrhoea, he explained.
Gordon rushed the puppy to the vet, where it was confirmed she had parvovirus, a viral infection that is often fatal to puppies.
The dog was transferred to the Pet Emergency Hospital at University College Dublin where she was put on a drip. But, sadly like many puppies who contract the virus, she didn’t survive.
‘In Gordon’s tragic case, he was left with a bill over €1,300, a devastated family and no puppy,’ Dr Kelly said.
‘Puppies need to be vaccinated against parvovirus by a vet from six weeks of age, before they are old enough to be sold
‘When Gordon bought his puppy, the breeder gave him a vaccination card for her. It had a sticker and initials, but it had not been stamped by a vet, indicating the card was fake.’
Gordon said the family have another older dog who they feared would also contract the potentially deadly virus. ‘Thank God he didn’t get parvo. We had to throw out all the new bedding, dog bowls and toys,’ he said.
The IPAAG highlighted the case and issued the warning about buying pets online ahead of Christmas, a time when young families often buy puppies as gifts.
Dr Kelly added: ‘We always encourage prospective pet owners to consider adopting a pet from a reputable rescue organisation first. However, we do recognise that people will turn to their computers when looking to buy or sell almost anything at the click of a mouse, and sadly pets are not exempt from this.
‘This is why we believe the best solution [if they do go online] is to engage with online classified sites.
‘Done Deal are extremely cooperative and do everything they can to adhere to IPAAG’s minimum standards and remove advertisements in breach of these standards and that contain animal welfare concerns. We hope anyone looking to get a new pet, particularly a puppy, will avoid falling victim to unscrupulous breeders.’
The IPAAG was launched by the Government in 2015 as a way of improving the advertising of pets online. It is made up of ISPCA, animal welfare and advertising professionals, and advises both the public and the Government.
The IPAAG was at Ireland’s Family Pet Expo in Dublin yesterday to raise awareness about the dangers of responding to online pet advertisements.
A video called #PuppyDotCon was shown at the IPAAG exhibition stand to warn people about con artists and fraudsters in the pet market, especially those that fake pet vaccination documents.
The video demonstrated how easy it is to be fooled by underhand breeders and highlighted the dangers of buying a pet online.
The IPAAG says that more people than ever are looking online when they decide to get a pet.
It is encouraging members of the public who decide to buy a puppy or other pet online to do their research first, look out for red flags in online advertisements, and be armed with the information required before making any decision.
Thousands of puppies, dogs and other animals are advertised on DoneDeal.ie and other online classified websites in Ireland every month, highlighting the scale of the demand for pets.
Being able to sell puppies online makes it very easy for dodgy animal breeders to conceal the substandard and often dangerous conditions their puppies come from.
Animal welfare organisations regularly hear from families who purchased a pet from an online advertisement only for it to fall sick or even die soon afterward.
Dr Kelly said that the IPAAG and the ISPCA always encourage people to look to registered shelters first, where the animals will be vaccinated before being given to a family.
‘It wasn’t stamped. The card was fake’ ‘Don’t fall victim to these breeders’
AFTER many years of the worldwide web, everyone is aware of the dangers involved in making online purchases.
Nonetheless, the warnings by the Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group are particularly worthy of attention. Members of the body include veterinary professionals and animal welfare groups.
Among the risks associated with buying online include ending up with either an inbred dog or one that has previously been badly treated. Quite apart from this being a completely unscrupulous trade, it can also mean new owners being landed with huge vet’s fees for a pet that may not survive long.
Though it is bad enough for unsuspecting families to be ripped off in this manner, it is even worse for animals to be made suffer in the cause of profit. The authorities need to introduce a serious clampdown on those responsible for this cruel business.
If the guilty parties are flaunting their trade on the internet then they can be monitored closely. Which means, ultimately, there should be no problem in dealing with them in the toughest terms.