The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Puppy farm fear after pet suffering pneumonia sold
Welfare: Buyer fears scam as vets say beagle Charlie has 50/50 chance of life
A Shetland woman has told how a new pet that she believes came from an illegal puppy farm in Aberdeenshire arrived in such poor condition that it has been given a 50/50 chance of survival.
Karri Ramsay was landed with £150 in vets bills within hours of Charlie the beagle arriving – and she is speaking out to make more people do their research before buying a pet.
More than 100 animals, mainly dogs, were seized by SSPCA officers this week from East Mains of Ardlogie near Fyvie.
The charity is seeking to bring those responsible to book for what it described as one of the biggest such operations in the country.
Ms Ramsay shelled out £500 on Charlie after she spotted him on a classified adverts website and thought the sale seemed genuine and arranged for him to be picked up.
But she said suspicions were raised when the people picking up the dog went out on a dirt track road and met the seller walking from her house, meaning they weren’t able to look inside.
Karri collected the puppy off the boat on Monday morning from her boss but noticed instantly that the dog wasn’t in the best shape. Local vets have diagnosed Charlie with pneumonia after he arrived in Ollaberry.
She said: “When I got him I could tell straight away he was quite poorly.
“I got the vet out to him and he has had antibiotics and has been treated for pneumonia.
“The vets have also said that he is really ill, and that
“When I got him I could tell straight away he was quite poorly”
he’s basically got a 50/50 chance of surviving.”.
The Shetlander said the seller made it look “so genuine” and sent her photos of the dog along with snaps of the animal’s mum and dad. “She told me he was the cuddly one, and he was really greedy and steals all the other puppies’ food. She made it sound so believable. It’s really upsetting seeing the puppy in the condition he’s in.”
She warned people to do their research, adding: “I did do a bit but probably not enough, and if I had done a little bit more, I would have maybe been more careful.”
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “It’s very sad to hear stories like this, where a member of the public has bought a puppy in good faith and then has the heartache of dealing with unexpected illnesses and vet bills.
“Unfortunately, it is a story we hear quite often. We would always advise people to do their research when choosing to buy a puppy, and where possible view both parents. Puppy farms put profit before welfare and often the puppies that are sold on are too young to be away from mum and therefore too weak to survive.”