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PuppyFind review: scam site! 52

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12:00 am EDT
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Beware of the many pet sellers and so called Kennels on this website. I have been researching this site, and the postings on it. I feel its safe to say that most of the kennels are puppy mills and puppy brokers. I have also found that this sellers can and do remove negative posting from a buyer.

Puppychase, Bulldog alley, BulldogsRus, in my opinion are puppy brokers. I bought a bulldog pup from Bulldogalley at the end of 2006. The pedigree and paperwork was suppose to have come with the pup. Seven months later i still don't have them, and the seller will not return any phone calls or emails. If you want a pup contact a club in your area and they can help you find a breeder.

Jul 15, 2015 2:04 pm EDT
PuppyFind customer support contacts
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10115 E Bell Rd Ste 107 PMB 195, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, US

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Hello Nancy Fritz,

This is PuppyFind.com Customer Support. I am sorry that you are not happy with the service we provide. PuppyFind.com is a bulletin board service and is meant to be a means to initiate the sale and so we do not get involved in the terms/completion of the sale. Every seller/breeder goes through an approval process but as stated in our Terms of Service policy, we are not able to offer any guarantees that the individuals listing on the site are reputable breeders. We do offer a feature called Buyers Tips located at the top of the website. Internet fraud is on the rise, so these tips are here to help protect you when buying online. To review the Buyer Tips click here: http://www.puppyfind.com/buyer_tips/. If you purchased a dog you also have the option to leave a review for the seller on their account. If you feel a seller is mistreating their animals you can report them to the local authorities and if there are police reports or news reports showing the seller has been charged with any type of animal cruelty/neglect then please forward them to support@puppyfind.com and appropriate action will be taken. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Support through the website and we will be happy to assist you the best we can.

PuppyFind.com Customer Support
support@puppyfind.com
Jul 15, 2015 2:49 pm EDT
PuppyFind customer support contacts
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10115 E Bell Rd Ste 107 PMB 195, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, US

File a complaint Write a review
This is PuppyFind.com Customer Support. I am sorry that you are not happy with the services the website provides. PuppyFind.com is a bulletin board service, like the classified ads in a newspaper, and is meant to be a means to initiate the sale and so we do not get involved in the terms/completion of the sale. We provide a space on the internet for people with a common interest to contact each other. Every seller/breeder goes through an approval process but as stated in our Terms of Service policy, we are not able to offer any guarantees that the individuals listing on the site are reputable breeders. We do offer a feature called Buyers Tips located at the top of the website. Internet fraud is on the rise, so these tips are here to help protect you when buying online. To review the Buyer Tips click here: http://www.puppyfind.com/buyer_tips/. Also, if you have purchased a dog from the seller you can leave a review on their account. If a seller has been cited or convicted of animal cruelty or neglect please forward the police reports or news articles documenting the citations and the appropriate action will be taken. You can forward these documents to support@puppyfind.com. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Support through the website and we will be happy to assist you the best we can.

PuppyFind.com Customer Support
support@puppyfind.com
Jun 21, 2019 12:43 pm EDT
PuppyFind customer support contacts
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Address

10115 E Bell Rd Ste 107 PMB 195, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, US

File a complaint Write a review
Hello,

PuppyFind.com does not knowingly allow puppy mills or brokers to advertise on the site. Every seller/breeder goes through an approval process but as stated in our Terms of Service policy, because we are a bulletin board service we are not able to offer any guarantees that the individuals listing on the site are reputable breeders.

If you feel someone has been proven to be a puppy mill we ask for you to provide documentation (such as police reports or other evidence of legal action showing that the breeder is operating outside of the law) so that the seller in question may be investigated thoroughly as allegations alone are not sufficient evidence to have an account removed. If allegations are substantiated with these documents, then we will have the account in question removed from our site.

​We do give sellers the option to dispute reviews they feel are invalid due to the abuse of the review system, such as breeders bashing other breeders, people using the system as a message board and other such fake reviews being posted, we have no other choice but to allow sellers to dispute what they feel are invalid reviews.

It is possible that a seller may dispute a review that could be considered valid, however, when this occurs PuppyFind.com staff will send out a request to the buyer for additional documentation. This could include vet reports, copies of text/email communication, etc. If supporting documentation is received from the buyer, the review could then be reinstated to the site so it is once again visible to the public.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at support@puppyfind.com.

PuppyFind.com Support
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52 comments
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VanessaGarcia_1
, US
Sep 25, 2019 12:04 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I paid $1850 for a female miniature bull terrier puppy and was supposed to receive it today 9/17/2019 and seller has not provided me with any flight confirmation or anything now seller is not answering my phone calls, messages, or emails

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lgray75
, US
Sep 15, 2019 5:03 am EDT

Someone is using my phone number in an ad to sell 2 Italian Greyhound puppies. Sellers name is Wilson. There is an email link listed as well that I'm assuming is being used to gather the pertinent info from the buyer to complete the sale.

Buyers please be aware this may be a scam.

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Wojnarowicz
, US
Jun 18, 2019 8:27 pm EDT

Would like to talk with anyone who has bought a chow chow puppy from Martha Elaine.
I live in Mass, she in Merced County CA

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Morkie lovebug
, US
Feb 10, 2019 4:27 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I bought a fabulous morkie puppy from puppyfind and everything worked out great. The breeder lived in Jamestown New York and their family met my family halfway, we lived in Binghamton. We paid for the puppy when we met. And our gorgeous little morkie puppy came with a health record and health guarantee. No problems at all.

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puppyfindscammed
, US
Oct 15, 2018 8:33 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Stay away from this site. They will delete your negative review, the site has not one negative review on it! Google puppyfind.com thousands of reviews all negative, same complaints as mine. Meanwhile you will have paid good money for a pet, with no papers and no way of ever finding the breeder.

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CindyI
Glen Burnie, US
Jul 15, 2015 1:55 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I purchased an alleged Morkie puppy from Missy Castor on Puppyfind.com. I met a man in York PA to pick up the puppy. I live in Maryland. He quickly handed over the puppy and took an envelope from me containing cash as demanded. In turn, I was to get certified health record of vaccines, receipt and guarantee. Three days after I received the puppy, he began violently throwing up and bloody stool. I took him to the vet and was told that he had parvo virus (a deadly disease). I contacted Missy Castor who denied this report, refused to honor the health guarantee and basically told me to go F*** myself. I spent over $5, 000 to save this puppy which thank god survived. He is now 8 months old and it turns out that he is not a Morkie at all (Maltese and Yorkie). He is a Dorkie (Daushand and York). We love him anyway. However, everything this woman did was fradulent. I contacted Puppyfind.com which was absolutely no help and only pointed to their disclaimers. This woman is alleged to live in Ohio. I will haunt her down and dispense justice on her. If anyone else has had any dealings with her I would like to from you. As for Puppyfind.com its like to the old saying: One bad apple soils the whole bunch. Stay away. email cli1960@hotmail.com

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Amber Z
Attleboro, US
Feb 22, 2015 8:53 pm EST

Terrible experience! I bought a Morkie puppy from a breeder in San Diego CA by the name of Eva Ohly on puppyind.com. I am from MA and although this has been a tough winter which made it tough to have my puppy shipped here...it basically took an arm and a leg to finally come up with a plan with the breeder. She was extremely unresponsive throughout the entire process. We had finally found a day where the temperatures were high enough to have my puppy shipped via airlines. That morning I had called, texted, emailed the breeder with no answer. I even got a very stange spanish message when I called, which only happened once but really freaked me out that I was being scammed since I already paid for the dog. Hours later she told me she had not put my puppy on the flight because something had come up. I was furious as weeks had already gone by since I bought the dog. When I did finally receive her (almost a month later after driving 6 hours to PA to pick her up), she came with no documents. I had zero records on her...no health certificate or shot record. Now, almost 2 months later, she is still dodging me and will not provide the vet's name who issued her health certificate. I truly I was scammed and although my puppy *seems* healthy, I have no information to provide my vet. Which likely means she will have to receive all new vaccinations. This has been the worst dog buying experience I've ever had. I am hoping and praying that my puppy is actually healthy, but sadly if she dropped dead tomorrow, I would not be surprised. The breeder has been so nasty over the past few weeks as I have been begging her to give me information and/or the vet's info so that I can have them re-issue her health certificate. She claims no other dog buyers have hassled her about records. I have had dogs in my family my whole life and the first thing we do is ask for official records. I have never dealt with a breeder like this and quite honestly, I do not believe she is a real breeder with the poor level of service and honesty. Be warned of this breeder if you are seeking a puppy from the San Diego area!

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Nancy Fritz
, US
Feb 10, 2015 6:34 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

PuppyFind.com is a site where bad breeders can still sell their sick dogs unchecked and get away with it. JLS Chihuahua World has documented complaints from AKC, also multiple complaints filed on ComplaintsBoard.com and she is still breeding and selling her sick dogs and breaking hearts of pet owners everywhere. Always do your research.

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kfas
Quincy, US
May 23, 2014 5:14 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I had the same thing happen to me. Stay away from Starlight Kennel in Missouri Amanda Auria . She took my money and kept the dog, if there really was a dog. I went on puppy find to se if she would do it again and sure enough she was advertising again. When I reported her I was told there is nothing they can do. They can refuse to let her advertise so no one else gets scammed

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Jesse 115
Las Vegas, US
Dec 07, 2013 11:48 pm EST

I bought a female Breedable dog from mastiff paws. And she never send me the akc papers. This dog cost me 3700. I guess I'll just keep her for a pet. This has caused major problems in our relationship. I almost was admitted to a hospital for stress. Carma is a ###. Iryna at mastiff paws. She's a scam. She has seven female seven males. Who has time to care and train for all those dogs. Be realistic.

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jsessio
St. Louis, US
Apr 07, 2013 1:17 pm EDT

Puppyfind removes customer complaints about the breeder at the breeders request. Therefore, it might look like a breeder has a 5 star rating, but in reality they could have many negative complaints against them. Puppyfind.com should allow customers to post (and keep posted!) ratings and comments about their experiences with a breeder. Removing comments is not ethical of Puppyfind because you really don't know who you are dealing with or how many people that have scammed in the past.

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Cypress Farm Kennel shipped me sick dogs
St. Augustine, US
Jun 05, 2012 3:18 pm EDT

This is a website for complaints. Here is the link to 4 separate complaints from 4 different people about Linda and Krystin Johansen selling sick puppies and their unethical business practices, as well as links to report them to the ASPCA, Internet Crimes Complaint Center, and the Better Business Bureau.

Linda Johansen &thefrenchbulldogmom& — Krystin Johansen &Cypress Farm Kennel&

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jacobsmommy
, US
May 03, 2012 8:01 pm EDT

"hi all, i just wanted to send a thank you to blake for posting about cypress farm. i hadn't heard of them until my friend was actually posting on this site in regards to a complaint about a local business near where we live. i had been looking for a boston terrier for a while but hadnt found the right puppy because i hadnt found a breeder i was comfortable with. i read your complaint and was shocked! how can a breeder do this to an innocent puppy buyer? i was shocked both because of the situation you were in and to find on cypress farms website that there were bts of color. i couldnt believe bostons came in blue so i started more research on the breed. if it wouldnt have been for your many posts on a multitude of online mediums i likely would have disregarded cypress as a reputable breeder to get a puppy from all together just by reading this page. maybe it was the sheer amount of times you went posting about cypress online that made me delve into them as breeders further? to myself viewing you posting this story anywhere possible gathering comments from all these random individuals in what seemed like an effort to mob and destroy them on some personal level peaked my interest even more. comments made by individuals were obviously made by those who have issue with cypress apart from this parvo thing for whatever reason or sometimes the contents even seemed like yourself agreeing with your original posts? it was because of these reasons i began an interest in cypress and decided to do further research on them. in my search for a reputable blue boston breeder i realized quickly just how far above other breeders of blue Bostons they go to to be sure their puppies are of the best quality and healthiest they can be before they go to their new homes. i was not able to find one other breeder that offered blue puppies for sale at cypress prices who's puppies were not only from health tested parents but also had the puppies juvenile hereditary cataract tested clear, baer hearing tested, and pre-patella tested along with being registered with akc. i decided to complete their puppy application and an hour later we were talking on the phone about my getting a pup. i was very pleased when before going into details about their available puppies for sale they asked if i had looked into adopting from a rescue first. i have never had a breeder try to help me rescue a dog before trying to sell me a dog. we talked for a couple hours that first day. i learned so much about the breed that i hadnt known before. i was very impressed with her diverse knowledge of the breed. i never did bring up the parvo, until she did. yep she did! she asked me if i had read their faqs page, which i had. she asked me if i had read about the events of jan 2011, which i had. she then went through the events over the next hour going over any questions i had about it. the phone conversation was incredibly educational and again, she went above what i expected. i was sold on them being the place i was going to buy my new boston puppy from when i was ready. i am happy to say that i asked to be added to their waiting list and after a wait that wasn't to long thank goodness my puppy was born. the next 8 weeks were horrible waiting to bring him home but they were made so much easier with the tons of updates that cypress farm kennel provided me with during that time. i received 14 video updates, including video of her home and where the dogs all live and play since i wasnt going to be able to go to their home to pick up my puppy. that was perhaps the most comforting. i received a ton of pictures in countless numbers there were always so many pics coming in. i felt like i got to watch my baby grow up from birth in person. it was great! i am very happy to say that i got my lovely blue baby the beginning of march and he is everything i could have ever asked for and now two of my friends are currently on cypress list awaiting their puppies but it sounds like its going to be awhile as the list is lengthy. i truly thank you blake for posting about your experience because if you wouldn't have, i would have never learned about cypress. i want to thank you additionally for posting about it through so many avenues because if it weren't for your persistence to tell everyone about your experience it would have never lit the fire under me to learn more about them and i wouldnt have my gorgeous jacob. thanks again blake! "

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CSRM
Scottsdale, US
Oct 05, 2011 12:22 am EDT

Greetings,

My name is Matt and I'm the Relationship Manager with Puppyfind.com. As you all know, Puppyfind.com is a website that provides space for people to advertise dogs that they have for sale. The site also provides space for people that want to purchase a dog from the members that do the advertising. According to the original complaint, and many replies posted to the complaint, Puppyfind.com has sadly been aligned with all sorts of less than desirable people, and has become known to some more for the negative, and not the positive.

While it is burdensome to know that the public image of Puppyfind.com is oftentimes connected to thieves, scam artists, and just plain bad breeders, it must be understood that Puppyfind.com does not agree with anything in which the aforementioned individuals partake. Puppyfind.com does not support scams. Puppyfind.com does not support puppy mills. Puppyfind.com does not support bad breeders.

Puppyfind.com works daily at keeping scammers off of our site and removing any scammers that have been found to make it to the website. Through advancing technology, a better understanding of how the scammers operate, and assistance from members that turn in scammers when they spot them, Puppyfind.com is taking steps to make our site as safe as possible while still providing uninterrupted service to all members who want to legitimately use the website.

I acknowledge that our website is not perfect. We have our flaws and we are aware of them. As we work on the flaws to make a better site, we appreciate the patience of all our members, and ask that if anyone out there has an issue with another member, be it over a scam situation, a review situation, or any other situation where it appears Puppyfind.com is lagging, please let us directly know.

Many readers may say, “I have complained, and nothing was done!” To that, I do apologize. If a legitimately bad situation has taken place between yourself and another member of Puppyfind.com and nothing was ever done about it, please let me know.

It must also be understood that in situations where Puppyfind.com has made attempts to assist members concerning scams or bad reviews, the reason a 'bad' member may still appear on the website is because we were not given proper documentation to properly deal with the situation. While this may sound like an excuse to some, it must be understood that we do our best to handle disputes in a fair and neutral manner, using only facts given to us to make our decision concerning matters between the two parties who have brought a dispute to our attention. When it is necessary for Puppyfind.com to mediate, we ask all participating parties to provide evidence and documentation for any sort of action to be taken on our part, if clear enough evidence does not already exist within the Puppyfind.com account in question. Sadly, improper documentation is sometimes provided or no documentation is provided at all, therefore leading to a slowdown in the mediation process. There have been many cases where one member points their finger at another and says “They did A, B, and C to me!” so we ask for the proof and it never arrives. Meanwhile, the accusing member tells their friends that we are not doing anything to help them. I mention a scenario like this because it has happened on more than one occasion.

Ultimately, I would like everyone to know that Puppyfind.com is not turning a blind eye to what's being said about our website, as we are desiring to assist any member that has a legitimate claim about anyone violating our Terms Of Service. It has also not been our intention to appear that we are turning a blind eye to what is happening on our website concerning scammers and the like. Puppyfind.com wants to be the best website it can be for those who desire to use our services, providing an open and safe place for all members. As we work on our review system, our scam fighting system, and our website in general, we appreciate the patience and support of all our members.

Thank you for your time,

Matt
Puppyfind.com Relationship Manager
http://www.Puppyfind.com

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newbreeder
Warren, US
Jul 07, 2011 9:44 pm EDT

I am a breeder who advertises on Puppyfind. I am not a puppy mill, I own the male and female I breed, they live in my home, have their own bedroom in my home and are very spoiled. I care about all my puppies and will not sell to just anyone. I also will not ship any puppies as all potential buyers must come to my home so I can meet them and they must answer quite a few questions before I will allow them to purchase, I have turned people down as I don't believe they were a good fit. So all breeders on puppyfind are not bad or puppy mills. AS much as there are bad breeders there are also buyers who blame the breeders but they themselves should have done more research before sending a person money for a puppy without seeing the puppy or knowing it's environment where it's coming from. Instead of blaming breeders, search for a puppy close to home where you can go see it's surroundings. Also on puppyfind you can see all listings for that breeder, if you see they are selling 4-5 different breeds of dogs, then yeah they probably are a puppymill. Just don't automatically accuse every breeders on the site to be bad, do your research, find one local, just don't go for the cheapest price, you may have to pay more for a local one in some cases but at least you can go see where they are coming from and what you are getting. Make sure they are vet checked before you get them, I give vet health certificates with each puppy and I give buyers a week after buying the puppy to take the puppy to their own vet so they have the opportunity to see if something is wrong

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akitamomm
Fruitland, US
Jun 10, 2011 1:07 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello everyone. I have successfully bought two beautiful puppies from puppyfind. Of course in the process of buying I ran into mor scammer than real people but thas withh every site. You can only blame yourself for being scammed. Wire money? No. Meet? No. Go to their home see the environment. I traveled four hundred miles to get the pups I wanted. As said before do your research don't be so gullible. Sorry but I definitely disagree. I have two great champion dogs. Than ks puppyfind

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Cypress Farm Kennel shipped me sick dogs
St. Augustine, US
Feb 16, 2011 10:19 pm EST

I bought 2 puppies from Cypress Farm Kennel, both with full blown parvovirus infection. The one that died was still used on the breeders website for over 3 wks. Krystin and Linda Johansen terminated all contact with myself and the other sick parvo puppy owner when we asked for a refund to help with the thousands of dollars of vet bills since the puppies were obviously very sick BEFORE they decided to just ship them anyway. My PuppyFind bad review was reposted after quality management reviewed my 20 pages of documentation that proved my review was "valid" after the seller, Cypress Farm, asked it be removed for being "invalid." These people are serious con artists, and should be shut down immediately. They have not responded to any of the BBB or other complaints filed with the appropriate agencies that I reported their blatant breach of contract, negligence, and unethical business practices to...

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sujeto
, US
Jan 28, 2011 7:05 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello, I used a breeder from this web site and ever again! It looked like a puppy mill she was kept outside and she also had kennel cough when I got her. Now, my dog has to have a MPL (Luxating Patella) surgery. This is a inherited condition, meaning she was born with this issue. I'm very saddened that there are people in this world that would breed dogs with underline issues. This surgery is going to cost $2, 800.00 and she has to have it taken care of before it presents other issues. I will do everything in my power to inform interested pet buyers about your operation before they choose one of your pets to become loving members of their family. I have a boxer and the breeders name is Timothy Sensening from Sinking Springs PA.. DO NOT BUY A PUPPY FROM THIS BREEDER!

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shawny57
Kailua-Kona, US
Jan 20, 2011 9:31 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I bought 2 toy poodles from a breeder in florida. she was awful. i found out one of the pups has PRa and she didn't even care. she promised me a partial refund at first and then stopped all comunication. i called pupyfind to find out about leaving a negative rating> They said since my subscription expired I would have to pay again to leave the comment.
Then i was just shopping for a border collie and I responded to a breeder. she wrote back how she already placed it with a guy who is leaving on a mission to Africa and I could just pay shipping. Oh my that is the most common story for scammers and they always write in wierd english. I am done with puppyfind also. thanks for warning everybody and giving us a chance to tell all this.

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Cavaliermommy
Warminster, US
Dec 14, 2010 9:37 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I purchased a puppy from Sitting Pretty Cavaliers on Puppyfind.com. When the puppy arrived he was severly ill with pneumonia. Months later, I found out this same dog was diagnosed with Syringomyelia which is a hereditary disease which causes paralysis in dogs within months of diagnosis. When all was said and done it cost me over $8, 000 in medical fees for the puppy which the breeder would not refund. When I placed a negative review of the breeder on Puppyfind I was informed that my review was being taken down and was being investigated and I was forced to send them evidence of my claim. I did so and was shortly informed that I did not have the right to place the negative review. What's even worse was that the day my bad review was removed 5 perfect reviews were then submitted. What makes this even more shady is the fact that Sitting Pretty Cavaliers has been using Puppyfind for years and not one review was posted until that day! Funny isn't it?

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jade24md
windsor mill, US
Nov 04, 2010 5:22 pm EDT

People please do your reasearch!. I personally would not have a pet sent by airplane. Like with any merchandise, I would want to see it first. Now I do order via the internet but what I order is not a living animal. We all are aware of the problems of puppy mills.

Several of the breeders, will have you thinking they are family oriented and really care for their pets. Some will even have you thinking that they are religious in nature. But in reality, it all comes down to the bottom dollar. It is a business that some unscrupulous people are earning a livihood from.

Several times I just view pets offered on PUPPYFIND. A good rule of measure is that when thinking of purchasing a puppy from this sight, click on the button that states " View all listings by that seller". If you see that the seller has multiple animals than you know that is a puppymill! A breeder with more 1 type of dog for which they have puppies should be suspect! Even if the breeeder only has 1 type of dog he is breeding, there should not be multiple batches of puppies from various [censor]es.

Please do your homework!

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C.F.
leander, US
May 08, 2010 11:18 am EDT

Yes Some puppies on Puppyfind are not good but that is not all of them. Usually if they are asking more than $600-$700 they are good breeders and not puppy mills. You just have to be careful and use your own judgement. There is nothing wrong with Puppyfind.com

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S.DW
Pembroke Pines, US
Feb 24, 2010 11:45 am EST

...And her page on Puppyfind.com is GONE!

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S.DW
Pembroke Pines, US
Feb 23, 2010 3:07 pm EST

UPDATE: I submitted the overwhelming amount of documentation to Puppyfind.com regarding Diane Vantwyver and the sick puppy she sold me that they allowed my NEGATIVE review to be posted! Puppyfind. com is notorious for caving in to "breeder's" demands that less than stellar review be shown. However, there was NO way for them to ignore the facts and up it went!

This small victory doesn't even begin to make-up for the loss of my puppy but, I promised him when he passed that I would continue to fight on his behalf and here we are...yet far from over! Many thanks to those who emailed me personally and to my attorney who has been invaluable to me in my quest to make some "breeders" accountable and responsible for their actions!

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S.DW
Pembroke Pines, US
Feb 16, 2010 7:18 pm EST

After adopting "rescue/shelter" dogs all of my life, my husband and I decided to purchase a mini-dachsund. We searched for a couple of days and came across Puppyfind.com and Ms. Diane Vantwyver aka The Good Shepherd Kennels. We asked her all of the questions we had been informed to ask before purchasing a puppy from the internet.

We even followed the advice given by other consumers (not of this breeder) and spoke to Ms. Vantwyver several times on the telephone before deciding on the puppy. We were assured that he would arrive with a veterinary certificate and vaccination records that were up to date. We also arranged to have the puppy transported via ground from MO to FL because we felt it would be less stressful for the little dog. We even asked for recent photos of the puppy so that we could make sure that the puppy we put a deposit on via Paypal would be the same puppy we would receive.

The day before he was to ship out, Ms. Vantwyver emailed to tell me that the puppy had a slight case of diarrhea but that she would be taking him to the vet the next day. I emailed her and stated, quite clearly, that if the vet found him to be "free from any communicable and/or deadly diseases" and gave him the go ahead to travel, we would resume his continued care once he arrived. This is something that most breeders require of new owners and it was something we had already arranged for.

I called Ms. Vantwyver the day the puppy was to ship out and she stated that veterinarian had given him a "fecal" and found him to be healthy and fit for travel. For two days we anticipated the arrival of our new family member. He had a room to himself, his own little bed, toys, blanket, etc.

He arrived on 2/2/2010 at about 8:30 p.m. We met the delivery service and the passenger handed me our new "baby." My husband signed the receipt and we drove the mile and a half back to our home. However, I quickly realized something was wrong. Our puppy was lethargic and not behaving the way an 8 week old puppy should. We got him home and he refused water, food and just about any interaction with us. We simply figured he was tired.

I placed him in his little bed and laid next to him for the night. Within the hour he was throwing up foamy saliva and having bouts of foul smelling diarrhea. Not wanting to risk his well-being, I rushed him to an Emergency Clinic. It was 4:00 a.m. in the morning. The diagnosis? Parvo, and advanced dehydration. I was beside myself! Anyone who knows anything about dogs knows that a diagnosis of Parvo is akin to a death knell!

I called Ms. Vantwyver sobbing. Both she and her husband began to question the diagnosis. The test was unreliable, Mr. Vantwyver told me. He was just stressed from the trip, Ms. Vantwyver said. We agreed to withhold any decision until the next day.

The bill was $190.00 for that night's treatment and I was advised that he had most likely been ill for sometime and that my vet should see him asap the very next day. I already had the first day's appointment so for the next several hours, I held him against my chest and prayed until the sun rose.

I was at my vet's 10 minutes before he opened. I was rushed in immediately and my vet began a series of tests. My new baby had advanced Parvo, an upper respiratory infection, dehydration, low white blood cell count and was in desperate need of medical attention. As my vet and I discussed treatment, a shot of liquid blood mixed with feces came out from the puppy's behind. It smelled of death and the vet gave him a 50/50 chance of survival.

I showed him the paperwork that I had received. The vet certificate did indeed state that he was fit for travel. It also stated that he had examined the animal and saw no visible signs of any deadly contagious/communicable diseases. He also referenced the shot records listed above on the same certificate. My vet looked at me and grimaced. There were no shot records on the certificate. The only "proof" of any vaccinations were listed on a make-shift form and handwritten with the dates and names of the vaccines. However, the columns where the stickers that accompany the vaccination vial's lot# and expiration dates were missing. In other words, I had nothing. There was no way I could verify that my puppy had received the shots. Who knows if he ever did.

The technician had to almost carry me out of the room. I was hysterical, crying and despondent! I had already fallen in love with our new family member and there was no way I was going to let him die or put him down while he still had a chance. He was hospitalized that second with iv fluid drip, anti-biotics, vitamins, glucose...you name it! I left the vet in tears. Not only was my new puppy desperately sick but, I had exposed my two 12 year-old rescue dogs to this deadly dog-killing disease.

I called Ms. Vantwyver who demanded to speak with my vet. I certainly didn't object and when she called me back 10 minutes later, she said she would reimburse me for the price of the dog. I explained to her that it was a good start however, that both veterinarians had assured me that there was no way he could have contracted Parvo during his two day trip and show such advanced symptoms as he had demonstrated.

For eight days our puppy fought to survive his diagnosis but in the end, he simply was too sick. He slipped into a coma and passed away. I then found out that after she had spoken to my vet the first time, she continued to call back but they refused to give her any information. I was told by the office staff that she became increasingly rude and crass.

Her response the next day? She chastized me for being impatient and told me she would no longer speI emailed Ms. Vantwyver (very nicely and politely) as my little one was stll fighting (and the vet bill had hit the $900.00 mark, ) and implored her to please give me some assistance so that I could afford to give our baby every chance we could. The way my husband and I saw it, it was the least we all could do for him. As long as he fought, we would make sure he could! ak with me. She even called me a nut and a liar.

However, she didn't address vital point. That she had sold me a very, very sick little dog. She didn't take responsibility at all past returning his sale price. This wasn't a chenille sweater that had a snag upon arrival. It was a life! It was a poor, defenseless puppy who suffered god knows what before he even arrived and then, fought like a champ to make it. He never lived to experience the loving home that awaited him. I will never forget his little eyes turned upward looking at me as I held him against my chest. Did he ask himself why this lady, who held him in her arms so lovingly, wasn't able to make him feel better? Does he know how much he meant to me?

The entire staff at my vet cried when he passed away. They had all taken turns holding him and hand feeding him while he was in their care. They doted on him so much that he had learned to respond to his new name! Vet techs came in on their days off to see him and after hours to make sure he was alright. Did he know how much everyone loved him?

That is to say, everyone except Ms. Diane Vantwyver! She didn't have to love him...but couldn't she at least have cared? She believes that Missouri's lax laws regarding these matters will protect her. They won't. My puppy lost his fight, but I will continue to fight for him!

I have documentation from two independent vets, vet technicians and emergency clinic doctors attesting to his condition immediately upon arrival. I have the incomplete shot records she sent along with him. She has nothing but a cold-heart and the misapprehension that I will let the matter fall by the wayside.

As a dog-lover, I will never cease to expose her for what she is. As an animal rights activist, I will continue to warn other buyers and as a citizen of this country, I will proceed against her via every legal means at my disposal!

Until then, please learn from my experience! Do not do business with this woman. It will only break your heart!

P.S. The USDA has a report online about Ms. Vantwyver a.k.a. The Good Shepherd Kennels from 2007. There were at least three violations concerning the conditions her puppies were being kept in - and the fact that they weren't "labeled" as to the litter they belonged to!

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lilc5
lic, US
Jan 11, 2010 9:57 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I found a breeder on Puppyfind.com that sells maltese tea cups.
11-20-09 I purchased a female maltese pup from a Paul and Cheryl Howard from Claremore, Oklahoma, website
http://www.pupeluv.com or http://okieteacups.com . I live in NYC. The puppy arrived sick with what I thought to be Kennel Cough as this is my second dog and am familiriar with the symptoms. She was also scratching one of her ears a lot and upon
inspection I found that the ear was filled with brown gunk compared to the
other ear which was completely clean. I notified the breeder immediately
that same afternoon when the dog arrived. Per the breeders contract I took
the puppy to the Vet the next day. The Vet found the dog to have kennel
cough, ear mites, hernia, medial patella luxation of her back leg. Breeders
contract does not cover costs associated with kennel cough (which is
understandable as most puppies catch it when they are little). However, his
contract did not cover the ear mites either and anything beyond that which
is congenital I would have to return the dog via american airlines paying
out of my own pocket (roughly another $300). I had the Vet provide medical
bills (to date it is now up to $500) in writing and also
his findings which I promply provided to the breeder the next day when I
took the pup for the check-up. In turn the breeder wanted me to ship the
sick puppy right away. Not only would I have put the dogs life in danger
because of her grave state but by law american airlines prohibits the
shipment of sick animals.
The breeder told me to just use the health certificate that the dog came
with and AA would never know the dog is sick as its valid for 30 days. His
contract does not provide refunds, only replacements so I would ship the dog
back and hope that he replaces the pup with one that is not sick or with
congenital problems. Breeder was in breach of contract as the dog is not
healthy as he promised. I flipped out telling him what morals as a breeder
does he have to even suggest putting a sick animal through such an ordeal
and only then he said well then wait till she gets better and then send her
back for a replacement. It took him 3 days to open the medical bills and
statement from the Vet that I emailed him and then started claiming that
American Airlines switched the puppies. He said the pup could not possibly
be what he sent me. 3rd day he also remembered to tell me that the dog he
sent me has a microchip. The contract I signed did not include a microchip
in the puppy. Nor did I pay extra for microchipping. He provided a chip
number and told me to run to the vet and scan my dog and if the chip is not
in the dog then its not the one he sent me. So like an idiot I ran to the
vet. The dog did not have a chip but the vet took the chip number down that
the breeder provided and contacted the manufacturer only to find out the
breeder gave me a false/fake chip number. I was promised an ACA registration
with the dog and did not get that either. I told him if the dog is
microchipped then where is the chip registration papers? He told me they
don't normally provide that documentation. Did not receive ACA registration
either which was part of what I was suppose to get per the contract. To date
I have not received any of the papers for my dog. BUYER BEWARE DONT BUY FROM THESE CROOKS!

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idahojules
Rigby, US
Dec 27, 2009 8:50 pm EST

As with ANY site, there are going to be scammers. I advertise almost exclusively on Puppyfind and certainly do NOT fall in the category of backyard breeder or scammer. Most of my puppies sell on Puppyfind. I have never received an "automated" email inquiring about any of my puppies!

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Kelly35
Sheboygan, US
Nov 11, 2009 7:15 pm EST

I put my German Shepherds on thinking the site was ligit. WRONG not a site that I want to be affiliated with. Bad all around. I do have to say that I did find one seller that was ligit besides me. It was the first time I had listed my puppies online and I pulled them after one week of automated answers. not one e-mail about my pups. I do belive it is a site for puppy mills to reach brokers to "unload" litters so that people are less likely to notice and as always buyer and seller BEWARE. Look for reputable breeders on Puppyfinder. I also think they were trying to confuse pepole who miss typed puppyfinder and people got sent to puppyfind.
Kelly T
beanmachine12001@yahoo.com

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bulldoglover
Alabaster, US
Jun 17, 2009 1:33 pm EDT

I totally agree about Puppychase Kennels. AKC is in the process of trying to "nail" Jason because he buys up all of these puppies from people and then resells them. He will buy these litters for $1500 a piece and then sell them for $3500, so BEWARE of him! AKC is concerned because he has all of these males/females but hardly none of the puppies he has on his property is the offspring of his adults...
Also if AKC is investigating him, and they pull his license, people that have bought puppies from him, their AKC papers will be null and void.

He is also not very nice to people and does not treat people very well. He is a puppy broker/mill. He has about 40 (I said FOURTY) dogs on his property and is now being forced to move due to "code infraction".
Good luck with that one!

There is absolutely NO WAY I would buy a $3500 dog from him when you can buy a GOOD quality AKC for $[protected]... Not only that, his poor people skills and reputations keeps me FAR FAR FAR AWAY from Puppychase Broker/Mill.

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marknorman79
Concordia, US
May 23, 2009 7:32 pm EDT

http://www.caps-web.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=169&Itemid=207&report_id=57

I bought a dog from these people. They were freaking weirdos. I think they are shut down now. Thank god !

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Sandy Hatch
Toledo, US
May 06, 2009 6:20 pm EDT

I went on Puppyfind to purchase a Newfoundland. i contacted a person by the name of Heidi Gray. She put me in touch with a "Rev. James Albert in Nigeria that said he had a 12 week old female newfound puppy by the name of "Nina" that he could not keep due to his busy work schedule and duties associated with his missonary work. The selling price was $300.00, I made arrangements to purchase the dog and have it shipped to my home. On subsequent emails, this "man of god" kept pleading for more and more money, the reasons stated was the dog needed a metal shipping crate, he needed to purchase insurance for $550.00, the dog was stuck in Mexico, & an additional $200.00 needed to be paid to the custom officials. All the time he was giving excuses for the need for additional money, he kept telling me that all extra money would be refunded to me upon reciept of the dog. i refused to send any more money, and have not heard from him since. Sandy Hatch

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Jane Smith
Sheridan, US
Apr 25, 2009 2:23 pm EDT

I am an advertiser on Puppyfind.com and I am not a scammer or dishonest breeder, nor to I qualify as a backyard breeder. My website and all my information are provided and I do not allow a purchase of a pet without having interviewed and surveyed the prospective parents and determined the type of registration to be allowed, if any purchase is allowed. I believe that every site has problems - including this one. It's technology but we are all humans.

For instance, THIS site allows ME as a generic posted of any type and with any motive for whatever reason, to respond and post anything I want here - this site has NO CLUE as to if I am being honest or dishonest.

If YOU made an error, it was due to your own lack of research before buying. Not the fault of the site.

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mdd
Kennewick, US
Apr 06, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

Well I don't sell or would ever sell one of my dogs on Puppy Find for one. Or even out of the newspaper ads. Their is a lot of people that are breeding dogs and have them advertised when they are not even born yet, saying litter due soon. No good breeder would sell puppies with them not even out of the birth canal, and telling people before they are born they will be show dogs. They even show a pictures of young pups and say it will be a tea cup, then you see their sire and dam and they are huge tea pots. Or the breed is not of Breed Type and they say they can be shown. Or selling one that they say is pure bred AKC, APRI or CKC and they are not of Breed Type also. I have been breeding and showing for many years and no one can say a dog will be show dog before born or even under 5 months of age. I raise and breed Chihuahuas and show. Don't let these backyard breeders try and sell you one for show intil you go to AKC or the Chihuahua Club of America and do some research on Breed Type and confirmation. Don't fall into being preyed on. Thank you.

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Daniel
, US
Mar 28, 2009 2:40 pm EDT

There are some valid complants about puppyfind, on the other hand it is just a tool for you to use. If you can thank for yourself then puppyfind, is great. If you don't use good sense or think for your self, then you should not complan to much about any dog breeder or "puppyfind" type website. Just use good common sense in any purchase.

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Stevie
Stow, US
Mar 23, 2009 8:53 pm EDT

The Boston Terrier that I have had for two week now came infected with Coccidia which a parasitic organism that attacks the intestine and can be life threatening. Coccidia comes from fecal contaminated ground. Obviously an unclean kennel/puppymill situation. Don't take a chance buying from someone you are not absolutely certain about. The best policy is not to buy if you can't see living conditions first hand. When I told the breeder of pups condition she had never heard of it before. PLEASE! If they had a legitimate vet the pup could have been treated and not bleeding from the rectum when I got him. I'm just hoping my vet can cure him and he doesn't end up dying. I really feel bad for the little guy. This was an expensive purchase and a lesson learned. Stay clear of puppyfind.

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Puppyfindfraud.com
21 Kilburn Court, US
Jan 09, 2009 11:58 am EST

They have their contact information hidden, but it is listed on the website puppyfindfraud.com They are horizontally and vertically participating in Restraint of Trade and other Federal statutes designed to prevent monopolies, scams, etc. You should check into a Class Action lawsuit, and there will be information about participating in one on the website www.puppyfindfraud.com withint the next 30 days.

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Sandy Schrock
,
Nov 05, 2008 1:43 pm EST

I am very proud of my advertising site...My Puppy Connection. http://www.mypuppyconnection.com. It has been a long, hard road and a labor of love. The development of My Puppy Connection came after I had an 'experience' with Puppyfind. Some blame Puppyfind themselves for not policing their own site...but I blame the advertisers just as much. Plain and simple, I don't let them advertise. If they slip by me, I urge users to let me know immediately and I will take care of it. I am not as widely known as Puppyfind yet, but I'm workin' on it. On the other hand, I don't charge as much as they do either. You don't have to wait for days where customer service is concerned either. Come check out the Site and don't hesitate to contact me for anything!

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larry thomason
,
Aug 25, 2008 10:35 am EDT

THERE ARE ALOT OF GOOD HONEST BREEDERS ON THIS SITE(ME BEING ONE OF THEM).
THERE'S ALSO ALOT OF DIS-HONEST BREEDERS ON THIS SITE AS WITH ANY SITE!
YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THE RESEARCH AND ALWAYS BE ON YOUR GUARD!
I NEVER SHIP MY PUPPIES AND PREFER YOU TO SEE, HOLD AND PLAY WITH PUPPY BEFORE ANY DEAL IS MADE.

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Joni
,
Aug 24, 2008 8:47 pm EDT

I have used PuppyFind with much success to purchase three of my Border Collie puppies. Sometimes when a kennel is just starting out, they have no other way to get the word out about themselves, so they advertise on this and other sites. I did my homework and found one kennel which I had to chance to visit. I found nothing wrong and the owner was more than willing to show me around and let me see all her dogs who were in excellent shape/health. A year later I contacted her for another puppy, but due to health issuses she had sold out. She referred me to another kennel, this kennel also had an ad on PuppyFind and they were very well known breeders. I visited them, (a three hour drive) and they had gorgeous dogs, champions, agility dogs, herding dogs and they too allowed me on every inch of their property. 8 months later I was back on PuppyFind to get a Sheltie puppy. Again, I did my research and found an excellent breeder, had my puppy shipped to me and I could not have been happier. A word of warning. If a ad only list a phone # or email, has hardly any pictures, or the pictures are of puppies in pens, or set up in backgrounds with sheets, blankets, etc and the pups looks scared and not at ease...run. If the person has a link to a website, has pictures of their dogs, pictures of their property, kennels, dogs playing, dogs and puppies out in grassy areas enjoying themselves, then that is more likely a better breeder. YOU cannot blame Puppy Find for selling the pups, they are only an outlet for many to advertise on. YOU need to do your home work, YOU need to make visits, ask for references, ask for vet phone #'s, ask for pictures, ask, ask and ask...once you feel comfortable then you decide. PuppyFind is not selling the pups, the people advertising them are. A newspaper prints ads every day for puppies for sale, but it is not the newspaper's fault if pups are in puppy mills or back yard breeders. It is your responsibility to do your home work and check things out. Good breeders do advertise on PuppyFind and it is ashamed that they are grouped in among the bad. Not all breeders are bad and PuppyFind cannot control who advertises. As for deleting a review. PuppyFind is right, the seller has the right to prevent himself from slander/liable and has the right to take down a bad review. BUT, if any breeder every tells you they never had a problem, RUN, that is a lie. ALL breeders have problems and the one who can admit it is an honest person. If your breeder tells you they don't test for genetic issues, "because they never had a problem", then what are they waiting for? A problem to occur before they do something about it.
Don't blame PuppyFind. Do your homework. That cute adorable puppy could also be a fake picture of a puppy in good health. Get recent pics, ask for mom and dad pics, ask and ask some more.
It is your responsibility to yourself and that new puppy.

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MWT Marlene
,
Jul 05, 2008 1:13 pm EDT

I breed Italian Greyhounds & I am a small in home breeder. I think puppy find is wonderful. In my add, I tell people I have references, also I ask buyers for references from Vet, co-workers, etc... I too must be careful NOT to let puppy mills get my pups!
Puppfind lets you look at all listings of a breeder. Some of the breeders have 3, 4, 5 up to 9 differant breeds of dog. I saw one that has 49 pups listed & calls them-selfs a small in home breeder! That is a bunch of poop! I am one of the good ones & I have met some wonderful people. Thank You puppyfind. MWT