WHEN
KERRY Shellard paid £400 for a Chinese Crested
Hairless puppy, it soon became apparent that shed
been sold a pup in every sense of the word by the unscrupulous
breeders, who claimed the dog to be from pedigree, show winning
lines. Unfortunately for the breeders, Kerry Shellard is no-ones
fool and her thorough investigations uncovered a web of deceit
which included prima face evidence of KC pedigrees being falsified
and possible links to Welsh Puppy Farms.
Kerry passed a comprehensive bundle of documentation to OUR
DOGS, including a large number of e-mails between her and
the breeder, veterinary assessments of the sickly puppy, County
Court proceedings and correspondence between Kerry, the Kennel
Club and the RSPCA. OUR DOGS is satisfied that Kerry Shellard
was deliberately misled and obstructed in her quest for the
truth about her puppys origins by the breeders. However,
as the case was settled out of court, we have withheld the
breeders names and instead refer to them as Mr X and
Mrs Y. Copies of the documentation have already been lodged
with the Kennel Club, pending any action they may wish to
take against the breeders for falsifying the pedigrees relating
to the puppy.
The story that emerges portrays clearly the lengths that some
unscrupulous breeders will go to make a sale. One can only
wonder how many other purchasers have been deceived in the
way Kerry Shellard was and how the reputation of responsible,
caring dog breeders has once again been tarnished by those
who simply do not care.
Stunning
In
March 2004, Kerry Shellard purchased what was described by
breeders Mr X and Mrs Y as A stunning, very friendly,
fully vaccinated 16 week-old Chinese Crested Hairless puppy.
Kerry paid £400 for the dog that she christened Gracie.
The breeders told her that the pups mother whom
we name Tulip as we have decided to withhold its
real name - had just won at Crufts. However, she became a
little suspicious when the breeders stated that they did not
give Kennel Club registration.
Kerry was horrified when she discovered that Gracie was in
such poor condition and ill health. "She was filthy,
covered in stale urine and needed to be bathed," says
Kerry.
"It became apparent that she was very poorly and I had
to take her to my vet. When he was examining her, he asked
me what he exact date of birth was, as he believed her to
be older than 16 weeks.
Making enquiries with the breeders, Kerry was told that they
had made a mistake with Gracies date of birth and stated
that she was 21 weeks old instead of 16, as her date of birth
was 28th October 2003. However, Kerrys vet stated that
Gracie was at least seven months old, as her canine teeth
were fully descended they typically break through at
six months of age and take a month to fully form.
Gracie was diagnosed with an ulcerated eye, due to an old,
untreated injury. This had led to an infection in both eyes,
coupled with a temperature of 103, a sore throat and generally
poor condition. Her ears were so overgrown and matted that
the vet could not see the dogs ear canals.
Treatment
"She
received 34 days of treatment and still hasnt been fully
discharged from my vets care," Kerry told OUR DOGS.
My vet had serious doubts that Gracie is a true pedigree
and advised me to request the pedigree papers from the breeders.
He also advised me to contact the Kennel Club and ask the
date of the last litter born to Gracies mother, Tulip."
Kerry was shocked when the KC informed her that the one and
only litter born to Tulip was born on December
30th 2003, which would make it impossible for Tulip to be
Gracies mother. When told that the breeders had declined
to provide pedigree papers, the KC told Kerry that the breeder
should have given her the pedigree papers irrespective of
whether she had registered Gracie or not. Kerry took this
information to the breeders who sent her a typed pedigree
that omitted any reference to Gracie being the pup in question,
but still insisting that Tulip was her mother.
"My vet said that the so-called pedigree was a worthless
scrap of paper," says Kerry. "I e-mailed Mrs Y and
told her this and said that I thought it was only fair she
pay my veterinary fees. Her reply was that I should return
Gracie to her, which I refused to do. When I pointed out the
discrepancy with her birth date, she simply ignored it and
would not reply. She just simply kept repeating, ad infinitum,
that they did not provide KC registration, which I clearly
stated was NOT what I was asking about. In fact, when I persisted,
Mr X and Mrs Y simply refused to answer any questions and
advised me that I was being abusive and blocked my e-mail
address!"
Kerry had continued to press for a promised receipt and sales
agreement from Mrs Y, and although this was promised in one
of Mrs Ys e-mails, to date, this has not been received.
"At this point Id had enough," Kerry told
OUR DOGS. "I claimed the costs of Gracies veterinary
treatment, including her vaccination, because my vet and I
could not trust the date given on her vaccination card. Due
to the discrepancy with the birth dates, it simply cannot
have been her vaccination certificate. I also claimed £390
of her £400 purchase price, as she was clearly a mongrel
or crossbreed at best, and certainly not worth £400.
That said, I would not and will not part with her. Gracie
has numerous problems, and despite the breeders stated
concern for her, it is clear that she was kept
in dirty conditions with injuries untreated.
Nervous
In
my opinion she has been emotionally scarred by being caged,
has had little human contact and lack of socialisation and
has been roughly treated and shouted at. She is a very nervous
little dog who will hide at the first opportunity and cowers
from everyone. She is, however, making good progress now that
I am giving her the love, patience, attention and care she
needs, and she is a much loved pet.
"I have owned dogs all my life and fostered dogs for
a local rescue group, so I am familiar with dogs that have
been ill-treated Gracie is certainly the most nervous
dog I have ever encountered. Her breeders have caused her
a lot of unnecessary stress and worry."
Kerry made a formal claim against the breeders in a County
Court for £486.80. The breeders settled out of court
in full. Kerry is under no illusions as to why they capitulated
so completely. "If it had come to court and a ruling
had been made, they would have been publicly exposed for their
activities," she says. "As it is, I have passed
full details of Gracies condition and the breeders
correspondence with me to both the RSPCA and the KC.
"The RSPCA has not responded to date. The Kennel Club
has simply told me that as the litter was not registered with
them, there is nothing they can do despite it being
patently clear that the breeders have falsified a pedigree
and have lied about Gracies date of birth. I shall continue
to pursue this point, however."
There is also evidence that the breeders have links to at
least one puppy farm in Wales. Kerrys own investigations
have revealed several adverts on the internet and in various
trade publications, linking Mr X and Mrs Y with such an establishment,
which may go some way to explaining Gracies true origins.
Again, this paperwork has been seen by OUR DOGS and remains
on file with the other documentation submitted to us by Kerry.
"Ill never give up on Gracie," concludes Kerry.
"She had an awful start in life, but shes got a
good home with me and she will receive all the treatment and
care she needs. But how many other Gracies have there been,
sold as pedigrees by the unscrupulous? How many other people
have been sold crossbreeds as pedigrees? How many other sickly
dogs have been passed along?
"How many other people have been sold a pup?"