Numerous American families have fallen victim to a cruel scam where they were deceived into buying puppies that were sick or dying. This heartbreaking trend has left countless families devastated and out of pocket.
The scam works by fraudsters advertising puppies for sale on websites such as Craigslist or Facebook. The fraudsters claim to be reputable breeders, but in reality, they are just ruthless criminals who are only interested in making a quick profit.
From 2007 to 2022, the HSUS received nearly 7,900 puppy buyer complaints via the organization’s puppy mill tip line, or by email or online form. However, the Humane Society says those are just a fraction of all sick puppy complaints filed nationwide since many buyers file grievances with the seller, local animal control or law enforcement, or consumer advocacy groups. Others simply don’t file a complaint at all. Read the report from the Humane Society that lists complaints from puppy buyers.
The unsuspecting families are given little to no information about the puppy’s health condition, and they are often not provided with any medical records or documentation. The fraudsters are only interested in selling the puppies quickly and moving on to their next victim.
Once the puppies arrive, it becomes apparent that they are not in good health. They may have serious medical conditions or may be severely malnourished. Unfortunately, the families are left to deal with the emotional and financial burden of caring for the sick puppies, which can cost thousands of dollars in medical bills.
The authorities are aware of this issue and are working to shut down these illegal operations. However, it is essential that families do their due diligence when purchasing a new puppy. They should research the breeder, ask for medical records and documentation, and only purchase from reputable sources.
It’s crucial to raise awareness of this issue and prevent more families from falling victim to this cruel scam. If you suspect that someone is selling sick or dying puppies, please report it to the authorities immediately.
(Photo by Judi Neumeyer on Unsplash)
