A very, very sad story on the news out of California… a family bought a beautiful Morkie puppy from a Craigslist seller. Within just 6 days, Copper, the Yorkie Maltese mix, was dead.

As buyer Kathy Nixon said, “It’s very upsetting to see my children go through this.”

Her Veterinarian confirmed that the puppy would have been sold already suffering from parvovirus. And of course, the Craigslist seller refused to cover the nearly $900 vet bill.

Because of puppy mills, both Kijiji and Craigslist have been targets of international petitions demanding they remove the sale of animals and only promote adoption from registered animal rescue groups and shelters, and the re-homing of family pets (“for a small adoption fee”).

After this backlash, both sites have backed off pet sales to some degree, but do allow people to advertise to “re-home” their own pet to a forever home. So now, unscrupulous puppy mill breeders pose as regular dog owners, pretending to “re-home their pet. There is a “small” fee which is usually anywhere from $200 to $650 and up, supposedly for shipping and other ‘costs’. As one writer put it:

“I thought I would be doing a good deed and providing a forever home. Instead, it was a breeder scam.”

Be sure to ask to visit the breeder’s kennel or home, and see the other Morkies and dogs they have. The mother dog should be at the same location. Watch for suspicious signs – otherwise, you could be buying blind.

If the seller insists on meeting you at a halfway point, or somewhere other than where the other puppies and parent dogs are, you know you’re dealing with a puppy mill.

The California Case 

Ironically, there is a law in California that protects people who buy dogs. But this seller insists she’s not a “real breeder.”  If you buy from a breeder, defined in California as someone who sells at least twenty puppies or three litters a year, you have rights if a dog becomes sick within the first 15 days.

• You can return the dog for a refund and get your vet bills covered up to the dog’s purchase price.
• Exchange the dog and get your vet bills for to the amount the dog cost.
• Or keep the dog and get up to 150% of the price to cover the vet bills with proof of the illness

 Want more tips on avoiding sick puppies, scams and puppy mill dogs?

Download my free e-book, “The 7 Things You Need to Know Before You Get a Morkie.” Among other tips, this e-book tells you how to avoid getting stung like Kathy Nixon.

  THE DANGERS OF BUYING A PET ONLINE

What are the Red Flags?

No phone calls. The seller prefers to handle communication by email and not the phone. A reputable breeder will always communicate with you via phone or video chat (if not in person) before selling you a puppy. Fraudulent sellers are oftentimes outside of the U.S. and may be hiding their phone number by only communicating by email.

Copycat or stock photos. Photos of the dog or ad text can be found on multiple websites. Search for the text in the listing to see if the seller copied and pasted it from another site.

Sketchy payment. The seller asks for wiring of money or payment by gift cards. Be aware that if you choose a non-secure method of payment, it is highly unlikely that you will get your money back. Avoid paying a stranger using apps such as Venmo, as it is harder to get your money back if you don’t get what you paid for. Paying by credit card or PayPal are typically the safest options.

Price is too good to be true. Research the prices for the breed you are considering ahead of time. Purebred dogs sold at deeply discounted prices are typically frauds. If the seller says they register their dogs with a specific organization, you can call the organization to confirm.

Breeder “badges.” AKC does not distribute badges to breeders.

Homemade signs like these, filthy surroundings and lots of different breeds running around are all signs you’re dealing with an unscrupulous and cruel puppy mill.