8 week old Puppy is sick - what to do?

sophieschoice · 11 June 2011 at 2:01PM

No she didn't. She didn't intend to buy one (she intended to buy a puppy at some point, a small breed - but only went 'for a look'!) but fell in love with her.
She has seen all the paperwork, record of innoculations from vet etc., and is in no doubt that puppy was 8 weeks old on day she bought her.
Friend was amazed at how much paperwork, keeping of records etc., that breeders have to do. It's a well run business.
Friend went for a look, went into town to buy bed, feeding stuff, toys etc., and in the hour she was gone three of the other litter had been sold too. There is no fault or blame attached to the breeder I just wanted to know, from a legal viewpoint, who should pay the escalating clinic fees?

Fire_Fox · 11 June 2011 at 2:31PM

sophieschoice wrote: »

I thought a mongrel was more than one cross but I admit to not knowing about dogs? It's a brichon fris (?) cross.
It is registered in another version of the KC but I don't know which.
Yes puppy was large/old enough to leave. The others in the litter, 7 I think, left same day too.
There is absolutely no chance of puppy going back even if friends costs escalate to ten thousand pounds. Just not happening. She is totally in love with her.
Breeder is 100% legitimate, qualifications the lot.
Just to re-iterate, breeder is also upset and I am not questioning her at all. If she isn't able to insure pups due to insurance company restrictions then that is it. But I do feel that the costs of treatment should not be borne by my friend.

No she didn't. She didn't intend to buy one (she intended to buy a puppy at some point, a small breed - but only went 'for a look'!) but fell in love with her.
She has seen all the paperwork, record of innoculations from vet etc., and is in no doubt that puppy was 8 weeks old on day she bought her.
Friend was amazed at how much paperwork, keeping of records etc., that breeders have to do. It's a well run business.
Friend went for a look, went into town to buy bed, feeding stuff, toys etc., and in the hour she was gone three of the other litter had been sold too. There is no fault or blame attached to the breeder I just wanted to know, from a legal viewpoint, who should pay the escalating clinic fees?

If the infection was contracted at the breeders then morally I absolutely agree with you; but you are asking about the legal position. If this is a business transaction covered by the SoGA then the puppy is the same as any other purchase. Therein lies the problem because emotions are involved here, the fact that this is a living breathing creature should have been addressed in the contract.

As I said, in the eyes of the law it is not reasonable to expect the breeder to pay the full cost of diagnosis and 'repairs' which they have no say over. If the puppy is returned the breeder *may* choose to write the 'product' off, i.e. PTS.

suki1964 · 11 June 2011 at 2:52PM

sophieschoice wrote: »

I thought a mongrel was more than one cross but I admit to not knowing about dogs? It's a brichon fris (?) cross.
It is registered in another version of the KC but I don't know which.
Yes puppy was large/old enough to leave. The others in the litter, 7 I think, left same day too.
There is absolutely no chance of puppy going back even if friends costs escalate to ten thousand pounds. Just not happening. She is totally in love with her.
Breeder is 100% legitimate, qualifications the lot.
Just to re-iterate, breeder is also upset and I am not questioning her at all. If she isn't able to insure pups due to insurance company restrictions then that is it. But I do feel that the costs of treatment should not be borne by my friend.

Sorry to hear wee one is so poorly and I hope the wee mite makes a recovery

I'd just like to point out there is no "other" KC. What your "reputable" breeder has issued are meaningless bits of paper

If your friend had bought from a breeder who registered with the KC the pup would have been 8 weeks old and had come with 6 weeks pet plan insurance

rising_from_the_ashes · 11 June 2011 at 4:10PM

I too suspect something a bid odd here in how much of a breeder this breeder is - as Suki says, the only "proper" registration body is the KC and a "proper" breeder would specialise in a specific breed ie full BF not produce mongrels. You wouldn't be able to KC reg a cross-breed - what is it crossed with?

Also, bear in mind the original cost paid (again, not trying to be harsh but point out facts) - a colleague of mine has recently bought a full BF and paid £1000 for her.

I really hope the poor wee one recovers soon, however, I don't know that your friend has much recourse - IMHO, at least the breeder is talking to her (some would've just washed their hands, esp on a pup with a low purchase price) and is willing to pay part of the costs.

inspirespirit · 11 June 2011 at 4:27PM

Having just bred a litter of bulldogs, I do know she could have insured her pups before 8 weeks as one of mine went to it's new home a couple of days before it was 8 weeks. It is free for the breeder to insure the pups so there is NO excuse not to do it. I insured mine with Petplan and it was all set up before the pups were due to go, so that when the new owners arrived, they had paperwork ready and I just had to ring Petplan before the pup left the house and the insurance was put in place. Disgraceful that this so called breeder did not do this.
Also impossible for the dog to be registered with Kennel Club. Only pure bred dogs are registered.
Most breeders will take the pup back and refund in full up to 2 weeks after the pup has gone to it's new home. This can happen for many different reasons.
I doubt if there is much your friend can do legally, but morally the breeder should definitely have some of the responsibility.
If however, this woman isn't actually a breeder and just fancied having a litter of pups, then I doubt you will get much joy.

topsales · 11 June 2011 at 4:58PM

I bought a puppy from a breeder 3 years ago and she too was very ill after a couple of days - however the breeder had insured all the puppies with Petplan for the first 6 weeks after purchase so all I had to pay was the excess (£50)which the breeder refunded. So this puppy could have been insured by the breeder too - purchasers of puppies should insist on this.

peachyprice · 11 June 2011 at 5:00PM

sophieschoice wrote: »

No she didn't. She didn't intend to buy one (she intended to buy a puppy at some point, a small breed - but only went 'for a look'!) but fell in love with her.
She has seen all the paperwork, record of innoculations from vet etc., and is in no doubt that puppy was 8 weeks old on day she bought her.
Friend was amazed at how much paperwork, keeping of records etc., that breeders have to do. It's a well run business.
Friend went for a look, went into town to buy bed, feeding stuff, toys etc., and in the hour she was gone three of the other litter had been sold too. There is no fault or blame attached to the breeder I just wanted to know, from a legal viewpoint, who should pay the escalating clinic fees?

I'm sorry to say, but like other above to me this 'breeder' sounds suspicious.

There's nowhere else to be registered, and she certainly wouldn't get mongrel (which is what they are) pups registered with the KC.

Established breeders with a good reputation will not just sell pups to amyone who turn up to see them and let them take them home the same day. Pups are usually found owners much earlier and the new owners have to wait until the pup is ready before they can collect. The perspective owners are 'interviewed' almost so that the breeder is sure their pups are going to a suitable homes.

It is very very suspicious that none of the pups had pre-arranged homes to go to and that she let four pups go in the course of one afternoon.

Did your friend actually see the mother?

sophieschoice · 11 June 2011 at 5:01PM

Thank you all for your replies.
Friend wanted a cross breed, ironically so it would be stronger, rather than a pure bred.
Pup isn't KC registered but I think (will find out for sure) that one or both parents is/are.
The lady IS definitely a fully fledged registered breeder and breeds all types of dogs both pure and cross.
There is no question of pup, if she recovers, being returned.
Very interesting point inspirespirit regarding Petplan insurance. Because of the cost involved in purchasing new puppies I would have thought it eminently sensible to have some form of insurance/guarantee in place.
Am awaiting call from friend to see if pup is out of isolation and she can then visit her.

sophieschoice · 11 June 2011 at 5:03PM

peachyprice wrote: »

Did your friend actually see the mother?

Yes, saw mother and father.
I can only suppose (because I wasn't there) that the cross breeds don't entail the same kind of treatment/insurance/vetting etc., simply because they aren't pure bred and hence much cheaper.

peachyprice · 11 June 2011 at 5:05PM

I wonder if the pups were an accident. What is the cross?

The breeder I got my dog from also had insurance in place with Petpaln, I just had to change it into my own name when I took him home.

8 week old Puppy is sick - what to do?

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