Buyer Beware; do your research
It is coming up to Christmas and we know that many families are now looking for a puppy to join their family. Before you do, make sure you know the basics for things you should and shouldn’t do over this holiday period.
1. Is the advertisement is a scam?
There are many unscrupulous people who bet on people in a rush to buy over the Christmas period. They will ask you to send a deposit and travel funds and they will send you the puppy without giving you information on them, who they are or their business details. These are on the internet and in the paper and are nearly always scams, and if they’re not scams they’re probably unethical.
We hear that they use our name ‘Banksia Park Puppies’ (as recent as last week) and trick people into thinking that they are getting one of our puppies, when they actually get nothing at all. Do not waste your hard earned cash (especially at Christmas time) on something you are not sure of.
Make sure the person has a physical address you can meet them at, ask them for the microchip number of the puppy, ask for their breeder registration number, and never EVER exchange money with someone you cannot check the details of or go and visit yourself.
If you want a Banksia Park Puppy, the only way you can be certain is to get it from us. Every single one of the puppies from us or from our puppy consultants in Doncaster comes from us and comes with the Banksia Park health guarantees and programs.
2. Make sure you are only supporting ethical breeders
It is easy in the Christmas rush to just look online and buy a cheap puppy, or one you are not completely comfortable with in order to get the puppy in time for Christmas.
Please do not do this, take your time and research the breeder to make sure that they are breeding ethically. You could end up with a sick puppy or with no health guarantees at all if you buy a puppy from the wrong breeder – worse, you will be supporting breeders who are doing the wrong thing.
Another thing to consider is looking at a shelter; if you think that your family could have a shelter dog in your life it is a great idea to check there first.
If you want to have a puppy join your family here are some tips to ensure you are only supporting ethical breeders:
- VISITS – Can you visit the breeder? Make sure that the breeder allows visits and that you can not only see mum and dad and puppy and the conditions all of these live in. Do not purchase a puppy from anywhere which does not allow tours.
- GUARANTEES – Does the puppy have a health guarantee? Make sure you have asked questions and that there is a good health guarantee in place. Taking a puppy home is very fun and exciting, but in the future if this gorgeous happy puppy does get sick, you need to know where to turn and who is supporting you.
- REHOMING – Does the breeder have a rehoming program for the mums and dads? You should be able to see a functioning rehoming program where the mums and dads are placed with families or continue to live with the breeder.
- SOCIALISATION – Does the breeder have socialisation and enrichment programs for the puppies and the parents? The parents are important as well as the puppies, and these enrichment programs are very important for mental stability in the dog’s life.
- COMFORT – Do you feel uncomfortable about the purchase? Will the breeder not answer some questions or has made you feel strange about what guarantees they offer? Trust your gut and if you need to visit the breeder personally and it cannot happen in time for Christmas just wait until after Christmas – but make sure you are happy with the breeder even if that means driving out yourself to see the conditions.
3. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you to give!
A puppy is a great idea for Christmas – why? Because most people have the following 2 weeks off work and can help settle puppy into it’s new life at home. That is great and it’s a perfect time IF you were already considering a puppy. If you are trying to think of a Christmas present for a loved one and just on impulse think ‘a puppy!’ then it is not the right present. Do not buy a puppy as a present for someone else (unless of course they are in the same household as you and the puppy is under your care i.e. kids or a husband!). If the puppy is not under your direct care then do not buy it as a present. They are not presents, they are members of a family.
So even though Christmas is a fantastic time for puppies to join a family – it still needs to be the right thing for the person receiving it.
If you have thought about all of these things, researched your puppy and your breeder, asked lots of questions, and understand the commitment – well done! You are not only saving yourself many issues in the future but you are also only supporting ethical breeders. Good luck with your new puppy and enjoy the summer holiday fun that can be had with puppies!
