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.
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Last summer, Rachel began looking online for a reputable breeder and found a well written advert with pictures, references that the puppies were home-reared and birth dates.
"I rang the number and a lady answered, she was fairly abrupt, not chatty, but not unfriendly. She was a little vague on details and emphasised her son was the breeder," Rachel explained.
"I rang back later to query details about the puppies parents, like vaccine certificates and veterinary health tests, she seemed slightly taken aback that I should ask."
Upon visiting, Rachel described the woman's home as "almost too clean" with a beautifully kept garden.
"A very thin and tired female cocker spaniel was wandering around, we were told it was the puppies' mother," she continued.
"I noticed the mother had flat nipples and did not seem particularly protective of her puppies, I wondered whether she was worn out from overbreeding, or perhaps not even the real mother…
"The lady was reluctant to give me her name, instead she continued to reiterate that her son was the breeder."
The five-week-old litter of puppies had been freshly bathed and were in a travelling crate rather than a whelping pen.
"Alarm bells should have been clanging in my ears, but I had fallen in love with a little chocolate male, Fynn," Rachel said.
"I would have walked away and reported them, but I couldn't, I was sucked in by puppy eyes...
"I paid the deposit of £150 to her son's bank account, and agreed I would collect the puppy when he was eight weeks old.
On collection day, Rachel returned to the house and couldn't spot any other dogs or the mother, but paid the remaining £1,000 despite being unhappy.
"As we drove away, within moments, there was a horrendous stench and puppy diarrhoea everywhere," Rachel said.
"We stopped and I cleaned him up and at home I bathed him. Before the end of the day, my little Fynn was extremely poorly, so I took him to my vet."
It was discovered Fynn had a parasite, Giardia, chlamydia and rectal Streptococcus, likely from the mother.
"It was heartbreaking to stand outside the vets and see the vet peel back the blanket Fynn was wrapped in and hear them say Fynn could die, just three days after bringing him home," Rachel recalled.
After many months of vet visits, medication and tender loving care, Fynn made a full recovery and is now 11 months old, but sadly other puppies from the same litter didn't make it.
Reflecting on her experience, Rachel added: "I felt dreadful when Fynn became ill, I felt stupid, I should have known better.
"I ask myself how I became 'sucked in' even though I had a gut feeling right from the beginning that something didn't quite add up."
Mark Beazley, chief executive of The Kennel Club, commented: "With the world of puppy breeding and buying getting more and more difficult to navigate, it's crucial that would-be owners know exactly what to look for when buying a puppy.
"Puppy buyers should be cautious of adverts using words that try to lure you in with promises of 'rare' or 'exotic' dogs, or a quick sale, as a good breeder, such as a Kennel Club Assured Breeder, will always ask questions about your suitability for dog ownership, and you will often need to be prepared to go on a waiting list.
"You should see the puppy interacting with its mum, where it was bred and reared in real life, so clever guises, marketing ploys or tactics to disguise a puppy's true background to simply make a huge profit, are exposed.
"For anyone thinking about getting a dog, please avoid this heartache and incredible suffering, and make sure you find a responsible breeder, who absolutely prioritises your dog's welfare above anything else."
Following this urgent warning, The Kennel Club is providing advice and practical resources for would-be owners to help them Be Puppywise.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
