Menu
Login
My mother purchased a kitten from this breeder 9 years ago. The poor cat died of a massive heart attack at the age of four and a half. The vet said it was a genetic heart condition. My mother contacted the breeder who provided her condolences and a new kitten at a reduced price. The poor new kitten now four years old died yesterday 7/21/2011. Guess how? Genetic heart defect per the vet. I called the breeder. They are very sorry and they are now testing their cats. They do love their cats, but I do not think they are taking this serious enough.
I would still not purchase from them. Just a warning. Ask for proof of HCM testing(hydrocardiomyopathy)...please. For the sake of your new family member. 4 years old is way too short of a cat life!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
TO-DO LIST FOR THOSE HURT IN CONSEQUENCE OF A BREEDER AND THEIR BREEDING ETHICS (advice from an attorney)
PART I: WHAT DOCUMENTS IT HELPS TO HAVE (even if you don't have any, it is ok, proceed to part II & file complaints, read about subpoenas & how they uncover truth on breeder's part)
PART II: WHAT TO DO/WHERE TO FILE ORDERS (follow all steps; I ordered in ORDER you should FOLLOW).
----------
PART I:
- Best to have documentation/evidence. Best to check if you still have...
A) VET DIAGNOSES/EXPERT TESTIMONY (just contact the vet who diagnosed pet/put it down, they will gladly generate them)
B) VET BILLS/RECEIPTS (if not, just call vet clinic, they will regenerate them & the file)
C) if you do not immediately have A or B, search for the EMAIL CHAIN between breeder & you. Attach it & note the email provider (for subpoenas linking IP address to said breeder; also, email providers keep original databases of emails, so neither party can alter emails to their benefit).
D) if you do not have A, B, C, or D & have interacted with breeder via phone, just know you have phone logs permanently kept with cell phone companies, so don't lose hope.
E) the check/money order/etc METHOD OF PAYMENT DOCUMENTED
F) even photos of deceased pet when it was ill/put down helps to prove said pet did exist, etc. if you have papers, this can help prove as well.
^BASICALLY, it's better to have some sort of credibility/verification that you did own/purchase some sort of pet, which if you did, is extremely easy to conjure.
* BUT, even if you don't, you can STILL submit complaints to all the places below, and they can investigate it. A subpoena on anything (bills, bank accounts, email accounts, etc) will show the truth in all matters.
ENOUGH DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS have to come in, however, to help move this process along at certain places (not at the BBB, Sheriff's Department, or PETA, however-- they investigate EVERY INDIVIDUAL CLAIM).
----------
PART II: WHAT TO DO/WHERE TO FILE (critical instructions)
1. FILE A COMPLAINT with the BBB. must know breeder zipcode (97435) (best shot at getting money back & very important for affecting BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU standing. businesses with too negative of standings may be shutdown)
http://www.bbb.org/
* extremely important so the business is not in 100% standing with the BBB. if you do NOT file a complaint, it IS in 100% standing with the BBB. if wronged, it is important NOT to keep quiet about these things.
* The more that report their experiences/true instances, the better for building a case leading to inspection.
2. Contact the Drain, Oregon Sheriff's Department. They will transfer you to the Animal Control Unit. (disclose cat's cause of death, offer evidence/expert testimony from vets that put cat down/examined cat during its living duration, explain if disease arises from bad breeding/genetics and/or unsanitary conditions).
Phone Number: [protected]
Email: cityofdrain@centurytel.net
http://www.drainoregon.org/draincity.htm
* The more that report their experiences/true instances, the better for building a case leading to inspection.
3. Contact PETA & explain the problem(s), problems/breeding conditions for pets with health problems, often fatal.
NEGLECT AND NEGLIGENCE IS ALSO QUALIFIED/CLASSIFIED AS ANIMAL ABUSE IN THE STATE OF OREGON.
Phone Number: [protected], option 2
Email Forum: http://www.peta.org/about/contact-peta/email-form.aspx
* PETA does rapidly respond and contact you back. The more that report their experiences/true instances, the better for building a case leading to inspection.
4. Contact the Attorney General where the cat breeder lives, file a CONSUMER COMPLAINT (Drain, Oregon). (disclose amount owed & what happened).
Attorney General's website: www.doj.state.or.us
* The more that report their experiences/true instances, the better for building a case leading to inspection.
5. File a CFA PROTEST (free & very important)
http://ca-catbreeders.info/cfaprotest.html
6. To report SCAM/FRAUD: http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/reporting.php
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Internet-Fraud.shtml
http://fraudwatchers.org/
After losing our cat to this dreadful genetic heart condition, we had his little sister tested. Thankfully, she appears to not have inherited the condition. When I think of the horrible death that Madison had where he suffered a final stroke that caused him to be in severe pain until he could be put to sleep, I get just so angry. This cat was such a gentle soul. He allowed us to give him such horrible quantities of medicines and shots for literally years. My vet had warned us that at some point he might suffer a final stroke but unfortunately we were away on vacation when he actually died. The vet's assistant came in daily to give him his various medications and another of our cats led her to him because he was paralyzed and crying out in pain. How I wish I could have been with him at the end... We recently bought 2 baby Ragdolls from a highly recommended breeder in Pennsylvania. She does genetic screening on all of her cats and her kittens. What a difference in the way this other breeder handles her cats and kittens. Madison never grew beyond 11 pounds probably because of his heart problems. At 11 months old, our new kittens are 14 and 15 pounds each and as healthy as could be.
We bought our kitten from Long Island Ragdolls in May 2011. Our kitten's name was Finnegan and he had died at only 1 and a half years old of a genetic heart condition. Before he passed we paid for our kitten to stay all night in emergency care, echocardiogram, and for 2 medications. He had a severe stoke, was in serious pain, and had to be put to sleep. He was a present for my 20 year old daughter who always wanted a kitten of her own. It was very hard for the family because he was a kind and gentle cat who fit in with our family very well. The breeder never offered prior knowledge about this problem by acting as if this had never happened before, and claimed she has stopped breeding. Please do not purchase any kittens from this breeder in order to avoid this hardship.
I, too, bought two Ragdolls from Long Island Ragdolls. Madison died several weeks ago after surviving 5 and a half years with his genetic heart condition. He required up to 7 medications daily including a RX form of aspirin, Plavix, Prednisone and many other expensive and difficult to dispense drugs. He was not suffering, but the cost of the echocardiograms was incredible. When we went back to the breeder to complain about his heart condition, she also gave us a new kitten at a discounted cost. When we went to have her neutered, the vet was absolutely astonished to find that she had very serious gyn problems with many of her organs in the wrong places and what was supposed to be a routine operation became a very big deal. We still don't know if she has the heart defect or not, but I just pray that she doesn't. We were also offered a free kitten who had been returned because he had a known heart condition...
I totally support your complaint and can attest to it's truthfulness since our cat had the same condition.