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Concerned about a Breeder

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  Xeph 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, I'm not a GSD person but I'm looking for some advice as all my experience has been with Siberian and Alaskan Huskies. My little sister found a free to good home GSD that was being retired from a breeding program and she was really excited because she loves GSD's and has always wanted one. Unfortunately I think that this breeder is less than reputable despite the supposedly stellar pedigree. This breeder would not let them off her front porch to see the rest of the property which was the first red flag for me ( I, unfortunately was at work and unable to go or I would have called this lady out on some of this stuff). Then when she brought the dog out my mom commented that the dog looked too skinny. The lady responded that this was the normal body type of the GSD. My first response when seeing the dog was also that the dog was too skinny. Now I do know what a working dog looks like and this dog was emaciated, not a thin working dog.

She mourned for her lost home which was understandable, but heartbreaking. Then she stopped eating. We were concerned about this so took her to the vet. Now we had only had this dog for maybe two days and the vet was horrified at her condition. She was emaciated and was having trouble with her hips. They took x-rays of the hips and they appeared fine but it was almost like the dog was drunk is the only way I could describe it. She just couldn't get her hips to respond or would fall over. The vet did some blood work and found that her sugar was very low and told us how to force feed her to help get that back up along with a regimen of sugar water. Now this dog also had both eyes infected and so we had to get her meds for that as well. Very traumatic for the poor pup.

She began improving, started being able to walk and put on weight. She began to play with my husky and started to act like she was going to bounce back and be part of the family. Then yesterday she took a sudden turn for the worse. She rapidly lost the weight we had put on her (like it just disappeared, I've never seen anything like it), began having seizures, was bleeding from the mouth, and became unresponsive to visual and audible cues. We rushed her to the vet first thing and there was nothing we could do to save her and so we had to let her go.

It was heartbreaking and absolutely horrifying. We get the general vibe that this lady sent this dog away to die so that she didn't have to report health problems with the dam. I'm just looking for advice on how to proceed here. We feel strongly that this dog was wronged and that there is something potentially wrong with this breeder, but are unsure of how to go about getting justice for this poor dog and hold the breeder accountable and to potentially alert the owners of the puppies that came from this dog that there may be some severe health problems with the puppies.

Any help/advice is appreciated. Thanks.

((I wasn't sure how much information on the breeder I could include so I left everything identifiable out. I would also like to note that this dog has an AKC pedigree and is supposedly from some really good bloodline? The breeder also does no work with these dogs aside from some basic training and gets a couple grand for each pup...which was another red flag to me as the breeders I'm used to are actively involved with working their dogs in some form or another. Also if this is in the wrong spot I apologize feel free to move it somewhere else if needed.))
 
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#2 ·
Wow, that is terrible. Clearly a dog was bred that shouldn't be, with clear medication issues and you got stuck with the medical bills. Feel free to share your story on FB where you will not be censored. One of the most noble things you can do is to help people avoid this breeder.
 
#4 ·
I'm working on sharing elsewhere as well. I don't want anyone to have to go through the heartbreak our family did, nor do I want any more dogs to suffer because of this breeder.

A few names from the pedigree are Larus Von Batu, Debbie Vom Kreifels, and Uri Vom Gubin.
 
#6 ·
This. I am so sorry for her. Thank you guys for doing all you could for her. I'm sorry that happened! But don't let what she went through be in vain. Please help spread the word about that breeder. That type of behavior is inexcusable and it makes my blood boil that people can do things like that. You're doing the right thing and your heart is in the right place. I would also second looking into the pedigree and putting all the info you can out there so people don't fall into the same trap and this breeder is shut down if through nothing else the simple fact that no one will do business with them.
 
#7 ·
Present the issue to animal control, file a report and see what you can do. Maybe they can investigate the property. There might be much more going on. Hope you took pictures for proof. Your vet can help in this probably. At least she died with dignity with people who loved her.
 
#8 ·
I am a former animal control officer and depending on the state/city you live in and what ordinances you have in your area, you may be fully within your right to report her for several violations, including animal cruelty resulting in the death of an animal, fraudulent sales (even if the dog was free), etc. Keep any and all communication you had with the woman, as well as all documentation from the veterinarian. At the very least you can make an anonymous report to your local ACO and they should be required to at least visit the property and must see the animals to make sure they are in good health and being taken care of properly. It does not matter if the dogs have AKC registration and/or good pedigrees or how much the breeder is selling the puppies for; a bad breeder is a a bad breeder and animal cruelty is animal cruelty.

As others have said, spread the word in as many allowable places as you can. If we don't speak up about things like this they will continue to happen and more of these poor dogs will suffer the same as this poor dog did. At least you did what you could for her and she knew a bit of love and kindness before she passed. That's probably more than whatever she knew at that breeder's house.
 
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