Sold unwell 7 week old puppy - not disclosed

[KiaKira]

Hey,

First time poster, looking for some advice from other dog owners.

I purchased a golden retriever from a private seller and was due to get her at 8 weeks, however they asked if I could take her early at 7 weeks as the breeder was in hospital

I took her and within 24 hours I was at the vets because the dog had bloody mucus stools. I ended up getting treatment that cost around £100. The puppy appears to be healthy now, although there is still a very tiny amount of blood in the stool that the vet is aware of.

It was not a puppy farm. I done all checks, saw puppy with mum, have official KC registration documents, contacted KC etc. It appears all above board.

I contacted the breeder and told them about the blood, they said they didn't know anything about it and the vet checked them over a week prior. I have replied to them saying the blood is still there a few days later, they have ignored me

I am going to contact citizens advice to see what they say, but would you guys attempt to take legal action? Perhaps small claims to claim the vet fees back and/or get a partial refund of the puppy. She was £2000. I don't want to return her fully

Thanks!

 

[JoanneF]

It's actually not uncommon for puppies to have mucous stool, even with some blood, on moving to a new home. The stress of the move, possible change of diet, even different water can allow contribute to things like this.

If your vet is happy with her progress, that's the main thing.

 

[KiaKira]

It's actually not uncommon for puppies to have mucous stool, even with some blood, on moving to a new home. The stress of the move, possible change of diet, even different water can allow contribute to things like this.

If your vet is happy with her progress, that's the main thing.

Hi Joanne

Thank you for your reply. Yes, you're right that is not unusual. However my puppy required antibiotics and other treatment given by the vets, this wasn't a regular upset tummy due to the move. The stool was black, toxic, smelled like acid and had a significant amount of blood in it. She needed treatment or she would not get better. I appreciate i didn't go into this much detail on my original post. This wasn't a matter of the vet saying "oh it's just the move", the vet said my puppy was sick and required treatment

I'm happy to share pictures of what it was like, but not sure about the rules on that. Also, my main question is what action people would take, if any. The vet has most certainly advised that my puppy was ill

Thank you

 

[JudyN]

I'm happy to share pictures of what it was like, but not sure about the rules on that.

There's no rules against it, unless the photos are so awful they could be regarded as offensive. But in all honesty, I don't think they'd help.

Personally, I wouldn't claim. The headache and stress involved probably wouldn't be worth anywhere near £100, and if the breeder claimed that the pup seemed fine when she sold her, you probably couldn't prove otherwise. I'm not sure how small claims courts work, but you might end up being significantly out of pocket yourself. In my opinion it's best to put this behind you and enjoy your new pup without the extra worry of a court case.

If the breeder is known in the area, and if they have an online presence, you might be able to give a bit of online (or word of mouth) feedback. Again, I wouldn't say that the breeder must have known she was ill, but stick to the facts - that she was ill within 24 hours and needed antibiotics and other treatment. Other people can read into that what they want...

 

[KiaKira]

There's no rules against it, unless the photos are so awful they could be regarded as offensive. But in all honesty, I don't think they'd help.

Personally, I wouldn't claim. The headache and stress involved probably wouldn't be worth anywhere near £100, and if the breeder claimed that the pup seemed fine when she sold her, you probably couldn't prove otherwise. I'm not sure how small claims courts work, but you might end up being significantly out of pocket yourself. In my opinion it's best to put this behind you and enjoy your new pup without the extra worry of a court case.

If the breeder is known in the area, and if they have an online presence, you might be able to give a bit of online (or word of mouth) feedback. Again, I wouldn't say that the breeder must have known she was ill, but stick to the facts - that she was ill within 24 hours and needed antibiotics and other treatment. Other people can read into that what they want...

Thanks Judy, this is probably what I'll end up doing

I'll just keep an eye on the puppies progress and hopefully she's all better now, if not i'll have to reassess then make a decision! Hoping it's all over now and the puppy remains well

Thank you

 

[excuseme]

I thought that in England and Wales it was illegal to sell puppies under the age of 8 weeks.

 

[Ari_RR]

My 2 cents - if the puppy is doing well now, and the vet is happy, I would just move on and enjoy life. In the big schema of dog ownership (and future costs of food, vet, etc.) the extra 100 spent upfront will not make any difference. This is not the last time she got sick. On the bright side - you got a chance to see the vet in action, and if you are happy with the vet - that’s a good thing too.

 

[KiaKira]

My 2 cents - if the puppy is doing well now, and the vet is happy, I would just move on and enjoy life. In the big schema of dog ownership (and future costs of food, vet, etc.) the extra 100 spent upfront will not make any difference. This is not the last time she got sick. On the bright side - you got a chance to see the vet in action, and if you are happy with the vet - that’s a good thing too.

Yeah I think so too, it's just frustrating that I may have just been given this puppy early with them knowing its sick just to get rid of it and put the responsibility on me, but maybe I'm just thinking the worst

And yeah I'm familiar with these vets, they're great and really loving to I'm happy that she'll be okay

Thank you

 

[Feverfew]

I thought that in England and Wales it was illegal to sell puppies under the age of 8 weeks.

It is, yes. And it sounds like a classic breeder scam. KC registration means very little - even accredited breeders are barely checked.

It would be Trading Standards as the first port of call, but I agree with JudyN above - the stress and hassle of pursuing a claim may not be worth the outcome. You could submit a letter to the KC, for though it's unlikely they will take any action, if there are other complaints about this particular breeder, it might add up to something eventually.

 

[Hemlock]

Sometimes one just has to cut losses, treat it as a learning experience and walk away. There's an old saying "The game isn't worth the candle". There's nothing in it for you except hassle, and it will cost more than you will gain. Enjoy your pup.