If you decide to buy a puppy online, it pays to be cautious. You could encourage the mistreatment of dogs by buying one in those canine farms where various species are bred just to make a profit or you could have to deal with a scammer who doesn't even have one of dogs to mistreat. The best advice is to first consider adopting at the kennel in your area or at an animal shelter, but if this is not possible, the following steps will help you find a puppy online.
Steps
Step 1. Beware of scammers who exploit those looking for a puppy at bargain prices or those who cannot afford the standard prices of a purebred animal
Step 2. Be aware that scammers are posting online ads using stolen photos and claiming it is their puppies
They also create real websites with these stolen photos. Real breeders usually protect their photos with watermarks. Sometimes, scammers try to blur the watermarks or use the photo with the watermark. If you see a watermark with the name of a breeder, search for the breeder online and contact them directly. This way, you can be sure that it is the real breeder who is selling the puppy and not a scammer.
Step 3. Never send money via Western Union or MoneyGram to anyone under any circumstances
If something goes wrong, these services Not they will help you get your money back. Scammers use Paypal accounts to steal money by wire transfer from buyers, then close their Paypal account and vanish into thin air. As a result, also avoid transferring money via Paypal.
Step 4. If you decide to buy a puppy online, it is advisable to rely on a company dedicated to finding pets for sale that has the necessary permits
This company will check the breeder's background, check the puppy's health, ensure that the pedigree is regular, that vaccinations have been carried out, will help you communicate in another language and transport, if necessary. If the company is regular, it will have a proven track record of previous customers to talk to and, in all likelihood, a Facebook page where anyone can leave a comment.
Advice
- Ask to see the photos of the parents.
- Bear in mind that not all breeders' websites are a scam! Usually, the most popular breeders have their kennel's website.
- Some reputable breeders, especially in Europe, are partners of companies dedicated to finding companion animals for sale, whose purpose is to break down the language barrier between buyer and breeder, make sure the puppy is healthy and that he goes to live in a good family. It's like using an au pair agency instead of selecting or becoming an au pair on your own. If you rely on a company dedicated to finding pets for sale (with a proven track record), you will defend yourself against scams and avoid animal abuse.
- Check the breeder's website in depth; if the breeder publishes the pedigree of his dogs, shows pictures of his facility and also declares that anyone is welcome to visit it, in all probability he is not a scammer!
- If they accept credit cards, ask for their reference number and call the credit card company to verify that they are a regular company.
- In some cases, meeting in person is simply impossible, for example if you are buying a breed that is only available in a certain country far away from home. In these cases, talk to other pet owners and check the references before proceeding with the purchase and payment. Breeders and companies that have nothing to hide will have no problem providing you with references.
- Whether you want to buy a dog online is up to you.
- Look for watermarks on photos.
Warnings
- Do not send money through MoneyGram.
- Use common sense. Important: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.
- In some situations in life, the best choice you can make is to buy a puppy online. In this case, be sure not to buy it at a canine breeding where various species are bred just to make a profit. These farms specialize in the "production" of puppies in large quantities to sell them at low prices. They are not interested in the welfare of animals, what matters is simply to dispose of them as quickly as possible. A puppy from such a background is likely to get sick or develop behavioral problems.
- Do not send money through Western Union.
- How do you distinguish a canine farm where various species are bred just to get a profit from a company duly licensed to find pets for sale? If you see a large number of puppies of the same breed or a few different breeds, it is likely that they are a canine kennel. If, on the other hand, you see a few puppies of many different breeds, it is likely that they are a company that is regularly licensed to find pets for sale. Also, if you see photos of puppies with the same background, it is likely a canine breeding, while if the photos have different backgrounds, it means they were taken in different breeding. A company regularly licensed to find pets for sale will allow you to talk to previous customers, will have a Facebook page where anyone can write something, will follow strict and transparent procedures, will offer some sort of guarantee on the health of the animal and the puppies will have the pedigree and will have carried out all the planned vaccinations.
