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I originally put down a deposit for a puppy when I had a job, however after losing my job due to lay offs I requested to have that deposit refunded so I could buy groceries for myself and asked if I could come back and purchase a puppy at a time where I was financially stable. She did not refund the 200 dollars and told me she is "just trying to run a business". Breeding shouldn't just be business, and keeping 200 dollars from someone who needs to feed themselves is unethical.
No one should be insisting on holding a deposit and trying to force someone to buy a 1000 dollar dog when they don't have a job. Giving a puppy to someone who is unemployed is irresponsible. On top if that's, she seems to have no care where these puppies are going. She makes people choose puppies at the age of 1-2 days old. Puppies should go to a home that fits them best to avoid sheltered dogs at age 1-2 MONTHS
Johanna Trass of High Desert Aussies only cares about money, not the welfare or satisfaction of her animals or customers. She is unkind and greedy, and im sure she will keep my money even if I never see one of her puppies.
HDA produces hundreds of pups a year. I dont know if they are healthy or not, but what I do know is there is NO WAY they are getting the amount of human contact and socializing an aussie pup needs. They also do not certify they pups eyes before they go home. They also have a 10 month old dog they say is ofa excellent, there is no way that's possible. I put them in the glorified puppymill category. Very sad to see
It is really unfortunate that you had a sudden loss of income, but if you seem to have difficulties with your personal expenses then you should not have considered committing to a puppy in the first place. I have purchased from High Desert Aussies before and Johanna has been very helpful throughout the process. She has answered emails and calls promptly and provided advice on diet, training and other miscellaneous questions on Australian Shepherds. She even encouraged us to visit them as often as possible. One of the reasons why she wanted owners to choose their puppies within the first two days is because that is the only period where they could dock the tails. As such, if an owner did want an Aussie with a tail then a decision has to be made within the first 2 days. In any case, have you tried asking Johanna to place you in future litters? I am sure she would try to accommodate you.
First off, it really is unfortunate that you lost your job, and for that I am sorry. But your complaint about "unethical, rude, unkind, bad breeding practices" is way off base. Placing a deposit on a puppy is a financial commitment. There are very few circumstances in which a refund would be warranted and yours happened to not be one of them. As you mentioned, this is a business but that does not mean that they are in anyway close to what you have described in your so-called "complaint". As a parent of a dog that has been purchased from High Desert Aussies, my experience was nothing short of amazing. Johanna answered every question that I had about the breed and their facility before a deposit had even been placed. The process was seamless and Johanna was nothing short of kind, respectful, and helpful before, during, and after we picked up our puppy. She has been there to answer questions in regards to food recommendations, training suggestions, and any other questions that we had. Refusing to refund your deposit was not a ruse to coerce you into purchasing a puppy that you clearly could not afford. The deposit was not refundable, as I'm sure you were aware of prior to placing it. I had an amazing experience working with High Desert Aussies and I recommend them to each person that I come into contact who is interested in getting an Australian Shepherd. I hope that no one who is interested in this breeder is discouraged due to this complaint.