Dog purchase ends in heartache

Taz · 07-10-2004, 09:30 AM

This was on the front page of our local newspaper today.

By DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter and JENNIFER STEWART

Holly Murphy thought she was buying her children a puppy as a grading gift - what they got was a tough life lesson about death.

"This was a family who wanted to love a puppy ... I can't let this puppy die in vain," a tearful Ms. Murphy said.

When Ms. Murphy decided to buy a new Chihuahua for her family, she started her search on the Internet.

She found Snookumspets.com, an attractive site operated by a Charlottetown pet store, advertising itself as having the largest selection of puppies and kittens in Atlantic Canada.

They also advertise daily in this newspaper.

She paid $775.86 for a puppy and a bag of dog food, plus $35 for delivery.

Late in the evening of July 5, she and her children, along with a few other local families, met Bud Wheatley in a drug store parking lot to pick up their puppies.

Inside the delivery van was about 40 dog cages of various sizes, many containing small dogs, Ms. Murphy said.

She got her dog and signed a contract stating that she was receiving a healthy puppy.

She says Mr. Wheatley warned her that dogs sometimes contract kennel cough during transport.

That night, she slept with the tiny 2.6-pound puppy, which her children named Trooper, on her chest.

"He was so restless and kind of heaving. I couldn't get him to eat anything or try to drink anything."

That was the only night the puppy spent in the Murphys' home.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Murphy took Trooper to the vet.

The veterinarian told Ms. Murphy that the little Chihuahua was severely dehydrated and very ill.

Wednesday night, she took the puppy to the emergency animal hospital in Burnside where he received a total of three plasma transfusions.

"We were trying to buy him enough time so that his own immune system would kick in," Ms. Murphy said.

During the day, he was treated at Ms. Murphy's vet's clinic. At night, he went to the emergency animal clinic in Burnside.

Ms. Murphy and her children ferried the little dog back and forth until he died.

On Friday morning at 7 a.m., she picked Trooper up at the Burnside clinic and drove him to Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Clinic.

"I just knew he wasn't going to make it and then the vet called me around 9:30 a.m."

The vet wanted permission to put Trooper down - he was oozing fluid from his nose and was in pain.

"It was like he hung on long enough to see us this morning," she said, her voice breaking.

"We went into his treatment in hopes that we could save him," said Trooper's vet, Dr. Lesley Steele.

Forensic work is now being done by an independent veterinary clinic in the area to determine the exact cause of Trooper's death, Dr. Steele said.

However, because of the small dog's symptoms, Dr. Steele believes Trooper died from a virus, likely parvo or korona, both of which are highly contagious in canines.

She also suspects his condition may have been complicated by kennel cough, another highly contagious dog disease.

Ms. Murphy says she spoke with Mr. Weatley several times about Trooper's illness. He suggested she have the dog put down.

"At what point are you going to be practical and stop letting your emotions rule you?," she says he asked her.

She said at one point he offered to pay for the dog's care up to the sum she paid for him.

When reached Friday night, Mr. Wheatley said he wasn't willing to hand over any money without proof the puppy got sick at Snookums.

"We sold a healthy puppy, it became sick and we don't know why," he said.

"All the other puppies are doing fine," he added, referring to the other pets he delivered that evening.

When asked if he's had similar experiences with other puppies he's sold, Mr. Wheatley responded with a question of his own.

"How many puppies do you think we sell in a year?" he asked.

"Thousands. So obviously some of those puppies are going to get sick and some are going to die."

He said it was "unfortunate" that the puppy had to be put down but he still insists it wasn't his fault.

Trooper was the family's second Chihuahua. They also have 1 1/2year-old Mika, purchased from a local pet store.

Although Mika was also sick when Ms. Murphy bought her, the store paid for the dog's medicine and the puppy got better.

As of Friday, Ms. Murphy had paid about $1,000 in veterinarian bills for the Snookumspets puppy.

She'd like Mr. Wheatley to return the money she paid for Trooper and to pay the cost of his care.

Trooper's sad tale is of little surprise to Judith Gass, president of the Nova Scotia SPCA.

"Quite frankly, any time you buy from an organization that has a number of animals, there is a possibility that they can come down with parvo or any other virus," Ms. Gass said.

Pet stores and Internet pet retail businesses only add to the over-population of pets and support puppy mills and disreputable backyard breeders, she said.

She would rather people get their pets from shelters and rescue operations and pointed out that Nova Scotia has a Chihuahua rescue network.

People who want to buy a specific breed of puppy should find a reputable breeder, Ms. Gass said.

In Ms. Murphy's case, she vows Trooper was the last dog she'll ever buy from a pet store.

Meanwhile, the Better Business Bureau Web site reports that Mr. Wheatley's operation has a satisfactory record with them.

The head of The Chronicle Herald's advertising department says the paper does not endorse Mr. Wheatley's pet operation.

"We can't be expected to endorse or warrant every product that runs in our newspaper," Mike Foran said.

"We take all ads in good faith, but if a business is knowingly defrauding the public, we are not going to run their ads."

fireworksinjuly · 07-10-2004, 09:51 AM

Too many dogs go through this, Too many familys learn lose a loved one from it.

I admit I got very very lucky with Kino being healthy.

Lil'Paws · 07-10-2004, 09:57 AM

So, Sad..

Taz · 07-10-2004, 10:40 AM

I just checked out the website, and e-mailed them about where all these animals are coming from. Should be intersting to see what his reply is

Pugdawg1 · 07-10-2004, 12:57 PM

How a sad! If you get a response Taz - let us know what they say. I'm curious.

sheltiepups · 07-10-2004, 01:11 PM

aww so sad!

TinyAlbinoDancer · 07-10-2004, 07:43 PM

She got what she paid for. Had she been well informed, she wouldn't of bought a dog as a reward for children in the first place, nor would she of ever considered buying from a pet store.

I know what it's like paying for medical bills for a pet store puppy...

Global Paw · 07-10-2004, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyAlbinoDancer

She got what she paid for. Had she been well informed, she wouldn't of bought a dog as a reward for children in the first place, nor would she of ever considered buying from a pet store.

I know what it's like paying for medical bills for a pet store puppy...

Perhaps if someone would have taken the step out to help her....she would have made a good desicion...which is why this website is here in the first place.

I was banned from a local mall pet store because I talked several families out of making their puchase at the store. I must say that I feel more sympathy for the dogs still in the 'care' of this monster than the family he sold them to.

TinyAlbinoDancer · 07-10-2004, 08:54 PM

I definitely agree, Quincy. I wish all pet owners would take the time to utilize the internet, before and after buying a pet. It's been an invaluable resource for me with all my animals. There's just nowhere else to get enough opinions to make an educated, correct decision.

I can't say I feel much pity for the family either.

Global Paw · 07-10-2004, 09:07 PM

You think that meeting the seller in the back of a parking lot would raise some eyebrows...

Lilly'smom · 07-11-2004, 05:18 AM

Most people just don't know better. Buying a dog is like going to the mall and getting a new pair of shoes. Hopefully she has learned her lesson, and will educate herself before she buys another dog.
Even though it was a horrible thing, I am trying to see it positive.
It's was on the front-page of the local news paper. Hopefully she wasn't the only one learning from that experience.

Taz · 07-11-2004, 08:53 AM

I agree that 40 animals in a van would set off alarms for me, but many people are not as informed as the members of this site. They don't know the possible consequence of getting a pet from a place like this. Hopefully by this story being on the front page of the paper, more people will take the time to do their research.

Here is the response I got from Snookumspets today:

We deal with responsible breeders. Unfortunately we cannot reveal the name
of our breeders for competitive reasons only. If you have any questions or
concerns feel free to give us a call at our toll free number.
1-866-255-7385. Thanks.

Not the answer I was looking for, but I'm sure with this story being front page, the proper authorities will be investigating them. Maybe if more stories like this, as heart breaking as they are, were in the media, there would be more puppy mills shut down.

TinyAlbinoDancer · 07-11-2004, 02:30 PM

That was a very vague reply huh, Taz? "Responsible breeders" my foot... I hope authorities start investigating, as well.

pmason · 07-19-2004, 10:32 AM

Hi, I'm new here. I was searching for the Herald article after reading up on Snookums Pets today.

My friend bought a Miniature Schnauzer from Snookums a few months ago. She drove all the way out to P.E.I. to pick up this puppy. She said that it was violently shaking, and couldn't stand on it's legs. When she asked to see where the puppies were housed, they said that the building was being cleaned and nobody was allowed in. By the way, the dog is doing great now.

This has been on my conscience since she told me about it. I e-mailed Snookums under the premise that I was interested in buying a puppy, but wanted to see where they were kept so that I could be sure that I wasn't supporting a puppy mill. This is the response that I got...

"It is possible for you to come here to pick up you
puppy here we are open from 10-6 everyday including Sundays. Our address is
521, St. Peters Road, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. If you have
anymore question feel free to call our toll free number at 1-866-255-7385."

Except, I didn't ask if I could just pick the puppy up. I wanted to know if I could see where they are kept. My friend went to pick the puppy up, but wasn't allowed to see where they are kept. The web site has some pretty sad video and pictures of the puppies. I feel like I should report what I know to the SPCA, but I know they run on so little money that I don't want them to have to go on a wild-goose chase for something that might be wrong.

TinyAlbinoDancer · 07-19-2004, 02:04 PM

Would that be much of a drive for you? If you could visit under the premise of picking out a puppy, you'd (technically) have to see more than just one puppy. Take a camera or video camera to record what you see if they let you in, just make sure they don't see either.

That's the only way I can think of to spare the ASPCA a wild goose chase. If they refuse to allow you in the building, that's enough for the ASPCA to NEED to investigate the situation further.

07-10-2004, 09:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
Taz Join Date: May 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 611 Rep Power: 92	Dog purchase ends in heartache This was on the front page of our local newspaper today. By DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter and JENNIFER STEWART Holly Murphy thought she was buying her children a puppy as a grading gift - what they got was a tough life lesson about death. "This was a family who wanted to love a puppy ... I can't let this puppy die in vain," a tearful Ms. Murphy said. When Ms. Murphy decided to buy a new Chihuahua for her family, she started her search on the Internet. She found Snookumspets.com, an attractive site operated by a Charlottetown pet store, advertising itself as having the largest selection of puppies and kittens in Atlantic Canada. They also advertise daily in this newspaper. She paid $775.86 for a puppy and a bag of dog food, plus $35 for delivery. Late in the evening of July 5, she and her children, along with a few other local families, met Bud Wheatley in a drug store parking lot to pick up their puppies. Inside the delivery van was about 40 dog cages of various sizes, many containing small dogs, Ms. Murphy said. She got her dog and signed a contract stating that she was receiving a healthy puppy. She says Mr. Wheatley warned her that dogs sometimes contract kennel cough during transport. That night, she slept with the tiny 2.6-pound puppy, which her children named Trooper, on her chest. "He was so restless and kind of heaving. I couldn't get him to eat anything or try to drink anything." That was the only night the puppy spent in the Murphys' home. Late Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Murphy took Trooper to the vet. The veterinarian told Ms. Murphy that the little Chihuahua was severely dehydrated and very ill. Wednesday night, she took the puppy to the emergency animal hospital in Burnside where he received a total of three plasma transfusions. "We were trying to buy him enough time so that his own immune system would kick in," Ms. Murphy said. During the day, he was treated at Ms. Murphy's vet's clinic. At night, he went to the emergency animal clinic in Burnside. Ms. Murphy and her children ferried the little dog back and forth until he died. On Friday morning at 7 a.m., she picked Trooper up at the Burnside clinic and drove him to Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Clinic. "I just knew he wasn't going to make it and then the vet called me around 9:30 a.m." The vet wanted permission to put Trooper down - he was oozing fluid from his nose and was in pain. "It was like he hung on long enough to see us this morning," she said, her voice breaking. "We went into his treatment in hopes that we could save him," said Trooper's vet, Dr. Lesley Steele. Forensic work is now being done by an independent veterinary clinic in the area to determine the exact cause of Trooper's death, Dr. Steele said. However, because of the small dog's symptoms, Dr. Steele believes Trooper died from a virus, likely parvo or korona, both of which are highly contagious in canines. She also suspects his condition may have been complicated by kennel cough, another highly contagious dog disease. Ms. Murphy says she spoke with Mr. Weatley several times about Trooper's illness. He suggested she have the dog put down. "At what point are you going to be practical and stop letting your emotions rule you?," she says he asked her. She said at one point he offered to pay for the dog's care up to the sum she paid for him. When reached Friday night, Mr. Wheatley said he wasn't willing to hand over any money without proof the puppy got sick at Snookums. "We sold a healthy puppy, it became sick and we don't know why," he said. "All the other puppies are doing fine," he added, referring to the other pets he delivered that evening. When asked if he's had similar experiences with other puppies he's sold, Mr. Wheatley responded with a question of his own. "How many puppies do you think we sell in a year?" he asked. "Thousands. So obviously some of those puppies are going to get sick and some are going to die." He said it was "unfortunate" that the puppy had to be put down but he still insists it wasn't his fault. Trooper was the family's second Chihuahua. They also have 1 1/2year-old Mika, purchased from a local pet store. Although Mika was also sick when Ms. Murphy bought her, the store paid for the dog's medicine and the puppy got better. As of Friday, Ms. Murphy had paid about $1,000 in veterinarian bills for the Snookumspets puppy. She'd like Mr. Wheatley to return the money she paid for Trooper and to pay the cost of his care. Trooper's sad tale is of little surprise to Judith Gass, president of the Nova Scotia SPCA. "Quite frankly, any time you buy from an organization that has a number of animals, there is a possibility that they can come down with parvo or any other virus," Ms. Gass said. Pet stores and Internet pet retail businesses only add to the over-population of pets and support puppy mills and disreputable backyard breeders, she said. She would rather people get their pets from shelters and rescue operations and pointed out that Nova Scotia has a Chihuahua rescue network. People who want to buy a specific breed of puppy should find a reputable breeder, Ms. Gass said. In Ms. Murphy's case, she vows Trooper was the last dog she'll ever buy from a pet store. Meanwhile, the Better Business Bureau Web site reports that Mr. Wheatley's operation has a satisfactory record with them. The head of The Chronicle Herald's advertising department says the paper does not endorse Mr. Wheatley's pet operation. "We can't be expected to endorse or warrant every product that runs in our newspaper," Mike Foran said. "We take all ads in good faith, but if a business is knowingly defrauding the public, we are not going to run their ads."
	__________________ Money will buy a pretty good dog but it won't buy the wag of his tail. - Josh Billings

07-10-2004, 09:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
fireworksinjuly Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 2,585 Rep Power: 138	Too many dogs go through this, Too many familys learn lose a loved one from it. I admit I got very very lucky with Kino being healthy.
	__________________ To See Our Story and Help See That All Babies Be Born Healthy- http://www.Walkamerica.org/SophiaFairchild

07-10-2004, 09:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
Lil'Paws ~w/Dachshund~ Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: ~Western~NC~ Posts: 1,662 Rep Power: 114	So, Sad..
	__________________ ~ Dachshund means Love ~

07-10-2004, 10:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
Taz Join Date: May 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 611 Rep Power: 92	I just checked out the website, and e-mailed them about where all these animals are coming from. Should be intersting to see what his reply is
	__________________ Money will buy a pretty good dog but it won't buy the wag of his tail. - Josh Billings

07-10-2004, 12:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
Pugdawg1 Pug Mom Join Date: May 2004 Location: Elko, Nevada Posts: 2,418 Rep Power: 131	How a sad! If you get a response Taz - let us know what they say. I'm curious.
	__________________ www.PugSavers.com

07-10-2004, 01:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
sheltiepups Semper Fidelis - Marines Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: somewhere Posts: 2,438 Rep Power: 126	aww so sad!
	__________________ Breezy & her shelties Thank you Dawn, for a wonderful siggy :) 2cutepups

07-10-2004, 07:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,528 Rep Power: 161	She got what she paid for. Had she been well informed, she wouldn't of bought a dog as a reward for children in the first place, nor would she of ever considered buying from a pet store. I know what it's like paying for medical bills for a pet store puppy...
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

07-10-2004, 08:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,528 Rep Power: 161	I definitely agree, Quincy. I wish all pet owners would take the time to utilize the internet, before and after buying a pet. It's been an invaluable resource for me with all my animals. There's just nowhere else to get enough opinions to make an educated, correct decision. I can't say I feel much pity for the family either.
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

07-10-2004, 09:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
Global Paw Information Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 125	You think that meeting the seller in the back of a parking lot would raise some eyebrows...

07-11-2004, 05:18 AM	#11 (permalink)
Lilly'smom Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 99 Rep Power: 79	Most people just don't know better. Buying a dog is like going to the mall and getting a new pair of shoes. Hopefully she has learned her lesson, and will educate herself before she buys another dog. Even though it was a horrible thing, I am trying to see it positive. It's was on the front-page of the local news paper. Hopefully she wasn't the only one learning from that experience.
Lilly'smom Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 99 Rep Power: 79

07-11-2004, 08:53 AM	#12 (permalink)
Taz Join Date: May 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 611 Rep Power: 92	I agree that 40 animals in a van would set off alarms for me, but many people are not as informed as the members of this site. They don't know the possible consequence of getting a pet from a place like this. Hopefully by this story being on the front page of the paper, more people will take the time to do their research. Here is the response I got from Snookumspets today: We deal with responsible breeders. Unfortunately we cannot reveal the name of our breeders for competitive reasons only. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to give us a call at our toll free number. 1-866-255-7385. Thanks. Not the answer I was looking for, but I'm sure with this story being front page, the proper authorities will be investigating them. Maybe if more stories like this, as heart breaking as they are, were in the media, there would be more puppy mills shut down.
	__________________ Money will buy a pretty good dog but it won't buy the wag of his tail. - Josh Billings Last edited by Taz : 07-11-2004 at 09:22 AM.

07-11-2004, 02:30 PM	#13 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,528 Rep Power: 161	That was a very vague reply huh, Taz? "Responsible breeders" my foot... I hope authorities start investigating, as well.
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

07-19-2004, 10:32 AM	#14 (permalink)
pmason Silky Terrier Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 2 Rep Power: 76	Hi, I'm new here. I was searching for the Herald article after reading up on Snookums Pets today. My friend bought a Miniature Schnauzer from Snookums a few months ago. She drove all the way out to P.E.I. to pick up this puppy. She said that it was violently shaking, and couldn't stand on it's legs. When she asked to see where the puppies were housed, they said that the building was being cleaned and nobody was allowed in. By the way, the dog is doing great now. This has been on my conscience since she told me about it. I e-mailed Snookums under the premise that I was interested in buying a puppy, but wanted to see where they were kept so that I could be sure that I wasn't supporting a puppy mill. This is the response that I got... "It is possible for you to come here to pick up you puppy here we are open from 10-6 everyday including Sundays. Our address is 521, St. Peters Road, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. If you have anymore question feel free to call our toll free number at 1-866-255-7385." Except, I didn't ask if I could just pick the puppy up. I wanted to know if I could see where they are kept. My friend went to pick the puppy up, but wasn't allowed to see where they are kept. The web site has some pretty sad video and pictures of the puppies. I feel like I should report what I know to the SPCA, but I know they run on so little money that I don't want them to have to go on a wild-goose chase for something that might be wrong.

07-19-2004, 02:04 PM	#15 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,528 Rep Power: 161	Would that be much of a drive for you? If you could visit under the premise of picking out a puppy, you'd (technically) have to see more than just one puppy. Take a camera or video camera to record what you see if they let you in, just make sure they don't see either. That's the only way I can think of to spare the ASPCA a wild goose chase. If they refuse to allow you in the building, that's enough for the ASPCA to NEED to investigate the situation further.
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie Last edited by TinyAlbinoDancer : 07-19-2004 at 02:08 PM.

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