Puppy scams...
Education is your best defence
We live in a digital world and so many business arrangements are done online, with money changing hands virtually and sometimes the parties never meeting.
This should NEVER be the case when finding your furry friend!
With the rise of enquiries in the wake of Covid, and with the popularity of Beagles around the world...we have also seen a rise in the number of scams designed to take your money. Please listen to your gut...if it seems to be good to be true, it usually is...in these cases, there is NEVER a puppy available.
But how do you know if you have inadvertantly found your way to a scammers website?
Price
Remember that old addage, you get what you pay for?
Scammers generally target people in their twenties with a small purchase price that seems like a "Great deal" they may even offer a puppy at a reduced rate, quoting the reduced cost because puppy is "not show quality"
It gets tricky because some reputable breeders DO offer a reduced rate for dogs they do not feel meet the standard. That rate, however is not heavily reduced
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Beware of ads that seem to be local to your residence but do not want to meet face to face or over the phone.
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Beware of ads offering a rate reduction or "Discount" for puppies without CKC registration. In Canada, it is a criminal offence under the Animal Pedigree Act to sell non regiastered dogs represented as purebred at a reduced cost to those registered with the Canadian Kennel Club.
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Other increased ways that scammers are targetting unwitting prospective owners is to pull at the heart strings...to say "there has been a family emergency and we must place our dog...the dog is free but we ask you pay for shipping"
Commonly, the purchaser is asked to wire money via Western Union...remember, there is NEVER a puppy
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Sometimes you will even find a website with what appears to be well bred puppies. The photo to the right shows two well bred puppies advertised by "Cherry Beagles"
Note the description...
Beagles are NOT hypoallergenic, and YES, they DO shed!
These puppies were in fact bred by our dear friend, Madeline Baack in Sweden and are sired by our Johnny.
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A scammer will stop at nothing, including stealing cute photos from reputable breeders!
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Health
Since a scammer only wants to come between you and your hard earned money they put little thought into the health of their "Charges".
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Beware of ads or websites that state that the purchaser is responsible for the cost of vaccinations or that only offer a 24 hour health guarntee or no guarantee of health at all.
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Reputable breeders will likely have a 24 hour general health (we can't control what happens when you leave the property) but will offer at least a 2 year gentic health guarantee.
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Reputable breeders will welcome a puppy back at any time and want their puppy families to keep in touch. A scammer will not offer any kind of welcome back policy and once you have sent them the money, you will likely never hear from them again...remember, there is NEVER a puppy!
Follow your gut
Listen to your gut, its usually right. If something doesnt seem right, its probably not.
Dont be afraid to do your due diligence,
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Don't be afraid to ask questions...lots of them!
A reputable breeder will have questions for you as well. We don't mean to be intrusive, just trying to make sure you ar being paired with the right puppy for your lifestyle and to make sure we are placing puppy in their forever home!
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Get references! The dog community is a pretty tight bunch. A reputable breeder will have others to vouch for them in the dog world tho perhaps not in the same breed!
If no one has ever heard of them, it's probably not a good sign!
Trust the Canadian Kennel Club and any parent club for your breed. If they aren't a member, why not?
Call Veterinarians local to the Breeder.
Ask for referrals to breeders of the specific breed of interest.
Most Vets will happily recommend Breeder clients.
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Ask to visit puppies and see the parents. Be prepared for the Breeder to ask you to wait until puppies are p and doing things...usually around 6 weeks!
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Be patient!