A woman is warning future dog owners to be extremely cautious when purchasing puppies online, after her cockapoo nearly died just days after coming home. Rachel Atkinson, 57, from Cheltenham, has owned dogs for more than 20 years, but still found herself falling for the sinister tricks of an illegal breeder.
She is one of thousands of Brits each year who are fooled by rogue crooks hiding behind the internet. Sharing her story as part of The Kennel Club's Be Puppywise campaign, Rachel hopes more people will be aware of the heartbreaking dangers of unscrupulous breeders.
Sign up to our TeamDogs newsletter for your weekly dose of dog news, pictures and stories.