Beware: Puppy Mill Scams on Craigslist, Off-Loading Sick and Dying Dogs

[elisarw]

Hi West Seattle,

I’m sharing this far and wide, in the hopes that no one falls for the trap I did this week. We’re trying to build as much awareness around puppy mill scams as possible, while raising funds for our puppy, Chula, who is at the Blue Pearl Vet in North Seattle, with Parvovirus.

Here’s what I wrote and have shared so far, for what it’s worth:

The Tip:

Every year, hundreds, possibly thousands, of puppies are sold via puppy-mills and scams in the Greater Seattle area. People like me believe they are adopting these puppies for a small “rehoming fee”, due to varying circumstances the supposed families claim to have. And some of these puppies end up sick and dying within days being with their new “forever” families, due to the canine Parvovirus disease running rampant in these unhygienic puppy-mills. The police say there is little to nothing they can do to prevent the perverse abuse of animals and their new owners.

The Story Details:

How is it possible that people in our Seattle-Tacoma area are not aware of the underground puppy mills selling sick and dying puppies, infected with the Parvovirus, to innocent families across the city and State? The burden becomes tremendous not only financially (between $2,450 to $12,500 in hospital bills), but emotionally traumatic.

I found out the hard way. And now, my brand new puppy, the little girl I named Chula and thought I was “adopting” from a Federal Way family, is at the Blue Pearl Vet hospital in North Seattle with a bill that currently stands at $3,000 and growing. And she may not make it; she won’t be the last.

I was scammed by a puppy-mill enterprise off Craigslist this week, and it is heart-wrenching, and I’ll admit, highly embarrassing. How could I not have known? Why didn’t I listen to my gut— that instinct that said something was wrong – these people were hiding something? But I, like so many others, thought we were just being a little paranoid. Because surely, who would sell sick puppies with an awful disease? I thought I was being paranoid, dramatic, and when I held her and she licked my chin and nuzzled in against the cold, she fit in my arms and I loved her. But as soon as I drove away, it sunk in, all the little red flags fell in a row.

“Did I just get scammed?”

How could I have been so clueless? “We’re moving and can’t keep our puppy. Our children will be so sad, but there’s nothing we can do! The rehoming fee is $360 and she’s a wonderful girl, good with kids, and 75% potty-trained. We just want a good forever home for her!”

Bullshit.

Now that I’ve witnessed what’s happening, it appears that a very large percentage of posts on Craigslist for puppies are likely puppy mill scams. And I say “scam” because it’s not a legitimate business; they lie about their identity, where the puppy came from, how old it is, its health status, likely its breed, how “sorry they are” to see it go, and maybe even the health records they hand over.

Officer Etchel (unsure of spelling), who specializes in animal cases with the Federal Way Police Office, told me today that there are dozens, hundreds, thousands of these puppy mills. There is little the law can do – they can’t keep up, it’s too hard to get the evidence – there needs to be a cultural shift, an awakening. Only a mass shift of public knowledge will change the tide. The only hope is to spread the word to all our friends, and their friends, and so on, until it becomes common knowledge.

There’s nothing I can do about my mistake now, except to share it with you, hope you realize the importance and implications behind it, and share it across our city and beyond. And of course, I can try my best with little Chula, and try to give her the best life she can have; if she makes it.

A brief question: If what the officer told me today is true, can you imagine how many clandestine mass-puppy graves exist in the State of Washington, those pups they couldn’t get off their hands soon enough? And how many of our families have suffered the consequences of this deranged industry?

Please get in touch, and take a look at these two articles, and don’t miss the comments section:

https://www.seattledogspot.com/dog-news/another-puppy-bought-craigslist-shady-couple-dies-parvovirus/

https://www.westsideseattle.com/highline-times/2015/11/03/update-heartbreak-and-lawsuits-follow-craigslist-dog-purchase

Heartbroken,

Elisa

https://www.gofundme.com/chulasparovirustreatment

Alternately, you can Google and call the vet directly, and tell them you’d like to donate in Chula’s name (I think they’ll accept that). And if you can’t donate, please, just spread the story so others are aware.

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[anonyme]

THERE ARE NO LEGITIMATE PET ADS ON CRAIGSLIST.
Craigslist prohibits the sale of cats and dogs on it’s website, but there are literally hundreds of puppy mills and backyard breeders who do so. These people are well aware of how to get around the rules: most of them call the sale “rehoming” if they list a price at all. There are lots of people (myself included) who routinely flag these ads for removal. The breeders re-post them immediately. Breeders aren’t the only problem. Those who view these animals as a commodity by making these purchases are also to blame for perpetuating this cruelty.
If you can find these people again, they can be sued in civil court. Next time, adopt from a shelter. If you can afford to shell out $500 for a designer dog, then be prepared to pay for vet bills and other associated costs. Anyone who chooses to support illegal and unethical businesses relinquishes their right to complain about getting burned.

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[Also John]

I’d love to see an end to all breeders that are out to make a profit. Even those that have a single dog that they continue to impregnate. Those mini-breeders believe it’s good, but it’s truly not. They just want the extra cash….and they know that.
Please get a rescue dog!

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[elisarw]

What can I do to help put an end to them? I’ve just discovered this issue (the hard way), and now feel like I have to do whatever I can to help.

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[PangolinPie]

Just never get a dog from a breeder; always rescue, and encourage friends and family to do the same.

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[elisarw]

PangolinPie, I absolutely will. My mission has started! And I’m now in contact with the police, setting up a meeting to write about their battle with puppy mill scams south of Seattle. I’ve been out of the country for most of the last five years, and just had no idea it’s become so prevalent.

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[anonyme]

Some years ago I was part of a campaign supported by Ron Sims to require that all breeding be licensed. The measure was defeated. Maybe times have changed, and more people realize that pet over breeding is a catastrophe, with enormous costs both financial (tax dollars spent housing and euthanizing innocent animals) as well as in terms of animal suffering? I would definitely support such restrictions. Do we really need more pit bull and chihuahua breeders? The shelters are overflowing with them. One way to approach sponsors in the legislature might be to point out that these breeders are making thousands of dollars, maybe more, completely tax free. One pit bull breeder told me he bred dogs “out of love”. His breeding pair produces at least two litters per year, sold at $1,200 per pup. That’s nearly 20k per year, undeclared. Hmmm. I guess “love” pays in some professions…

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[elisarw]

Anonyme, I made a response but it seems to not have posted. In short: I agree with everything you said. But I didn’t get a ‘designer dog’. Just a little mutt I thought needed a forever home. It’s called a ‘scam’ for a reason, though shame on me for being so terribly oblivious. I’ve learned my lesson, the hard way.

That doesn’t mean Chula should pay the cost and die, though. I’m doing whatever I can to save her, but my mission doesn’t end there. I’ll be trying to do whatever I can to build awareness around this issue, which is what the Federal Way police officer I spoke with said was the most important step: Make people aware. I wasn’t aware. Now I am. Thank you for continuing your efforts to flag the posts on CL. You’ve likely saved a lot of people heartbreak.

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