Tempted by little dog

Sheesh - an animal on a free adds page....you think it MIGHT be dodgy?

Have you not been paying attention? As long as people respond to these scenarios we are all perpetuating the agony of shoddy breeding and cruelty. Please step away from this. There are plenty of animals up and down the country in rescue centres of all sizes so please visit them and have a really good look. Take your time...and there will be one out there for you.

My friend has just acquired a puppy via a dog rescue charity and the RSPCA. The mother and many puppies were rescued and the breeder is now being prosecuted. The puppy has had all the necessary veterinary checks which cost quite a lot.
Be careful, the dog could have problems and it would be best to make some enquiries through the RSPCA first.

Not necessarily Lily there may be many reasons why it is outside.
Perhaps someone from a local Dogs Trust or RSPCA could go with you to see it? The dog deserves a good home.
Hope it all works out, let us know.

Oh the poor little thing. Please get in touch with the local dog shelter and let them know about this. They will hopefully take the dog into their care and re-home reponsibly from there. It's possible the current owners dont give a damn and will give the dog to any unscrupulous person who says they want it. (for reasons I can't bring myself to type)

Im saying poor little thing because its being given away for free and the current owners obviously don't care what happens to the dog. Not because its being kept outside. I had a dog once that wouldn't have thanked you for shutting him indoors, even in the snow!

Lily65 If this little dog is a puppy I would expect to see it with its parents or have the parents available for you to see,you seem clued up to the disadvantages of possible puppy farming with your comments re "outdoor shed type thing" if the seller allows you to go and visit prior to deciding check the puppy is clean and playful do not at any cost arrange to meet up anywhere to view the puppy.
On a differant note if it is a rehoming dog maybe he is used to living outside and is comfortable in the surrounding he has at present,ask for a vet report if you can.Good luck with your decision.

Totally dodgy. If you want to rescue please do it through A breed specific or other reputable dog charity. Never buy from the internet.

Lots of reputable breeders advertise online, you can't blame the internet because some people are disreputable. The only way to know for sure is to phone and chat to them and see how they seem. If they seem genuine go and have a look but be prepared to walk away if they seem dodgy or the dogs living conditions are filthy. Straw bedding in a kennel or an outhouse means nothing but the cleanliness does and so does the smell. Take someone with you and be prepared to say sorry the dog isn't what I'm looking for if necessary. The worrying aspect is if they are giving the dog away for free is that unscrupulous people will be willing to take the dog and either sell it on or use it as a bait dog which really doesn't bear thinking about, but people do give up dogs for free for a variety of reasons, they may just want a good home for it rather than make a profit. Not everyone will be willing to give the dog to the first person that comes along but some will, you'll only know that by talking to them.

If people can feel they can just pass on an unwanted puppy via the internet there will more of the same. This might not be a Puppy farming situation but it is a case of someone treating a live animal as simply something to be disposed of like an unwanted ornament.
Do not get involved. As long as people feel they can just pass it on then there will be people who feel they can obtain a pet and then just get rid if it does not work out.
If it is a Puppy farming situation you can take absolutely nothing for granted. Its a mass industry with every trick in the book from 'fake' mothers to fake documents. The internet is no place to obtain a live animal no matter how appealing the idea of being an animal's rescuer is....in fact they are counting on that very response by decent people.

I would be inclined to find your nearest animal shelter and get a dog from there. BTW I would not assume that because a dog is little it won't be a LOT of work. But you may already know that!!

Just to clarify, its not free. It says £200 and it is chipped. Thanks.

Absolutely dodgey. Quite likely to have one disease or another and more likely not vaccinated or chipped - whatever you’re told.

On the other hand. If its a nice looking dog and you’re really drawn to it and want a dog, why not contact a local rescue charity and see if there’s someone who’ll come with you to look at it. At least then you’ll get an honest opinion and the dog will likely be rescued if necessary.

Years ago we answered a three line ad in our local paper for a springer spaniel puppy. When we got there it was obviously a puppy farm and the pup was on his own - in a (clean) straw filled shed. We never saw the parents. Apparently he was a game keepers pup and surplus to requirements so had already been moved on once in his short life. But - his eyes were bright, his nose was wet, he loved us on sight and DD2 loved him. He was the best dog I’ve ever had! I still miss him.

Not free is a good sign!

Sorry, overlapped posts.

Imported/smuggled ? £200 for a dog in a shed ?

Rescues are not free either, for obvious reasons. Our local one charges £150. I suppose you could always give them a ring and find out the story and go with your instincts. Our dog is 9, and we got her from a website as a puppy. The owners had bred their two dogs, we saw both parents and visited their house. This dog is chipped so obviously has been registered somewhere, which must be a good sign.

Two of my Pugs came from online ads, they weren't pups one was 9 months and one was two, they were being sold on for genuine reasons, one's owner had died and the other one had a behavior issue the owners couldn't cope with. They were completely upfront about it. Buying an unwanted dog to give it a better life isn't a bad thing to do. Neither has had any health issues in the two years they've been here and they came with all their papers and bedding etc. There are still decent people in the world.

Lily if you really want a dog go to somewhere like the Dogs Trust, a really good rescue centre will take a dog back if for some reason things don’t work out. I would avoid a puppy from a free ads site.

So there is a price....£200!

So how in the world do you not see this as a Puppy Farm/or Illegal import victim. What rock have you been living under?
I am sorry but I am not normally insulting or nasty but this makes my blood boil.

We don't know what bread the dog is, it could be a mixed breed, the OP doesn't say. The dog I had pts recently at 13 came from an online ad and he was completely free. He was a mixed breed and he wasn't getting on with the resident dog , they kept fighting and the owners were scared their kids would get caught in the middle. I took him on and for 13 years he was a great dog, he needed training and he got it but apart from that he was a great dog. Rescues are full of dogs needing homes and some people would just rather know who their dog is going to.

I don't live under a rock. I have let my heart rule and looked at a picture of the dog. I have been foolish but I will not take it further. Poor little dog.

Afraid that life has changed in the recent years Flexiblefriend. I am sure your dog was as you say but nowadays evil people are making a lot of money from puppies.

Oh yeah cos I'm old and decrepit, My youngest Pug is two and a half and came from an online ad. Has life changed that much in the last 2 years, I don't think so. Puppy farms are businesses that want the biggest return for the smallest outlay. They don't sell dogs for £200 more likely £1200. The specialise in popular breeds, French Bulldogs are the current favourites. You won't find puppy farmers selling cross breeds unless they deem it a designer breed.

Now you know about this dog, you can't 'un-know' it. Will you worry about the dog and its circumstances? It could be fine or it may not. Can you phone the RSPCA about the advert? They may be aware anyway if there is something untoward but if not, you will have alerted them.
All could be fine, of course.