The complaint has been investigated and
resolved to the customer's satisfaction

Resolved My Precious Poms — Worst company possible

Myself and Martini too, were victims of Cheryl and Carrie Boettger. I must note, I did not buy the puppy from sellers' website listed above. I found her listing when doing a search for a black and white pom, which led me to the classified site TerrificPets.com on 7/7/08. Cheryl called me on the phone same evening after I sent her an email inquiring about the puppy that came up on the large pic on the site. There was no price listed for this one. She said the price was $1000.00 but initially she was asking $1200. My understanding after speaking with Cheryl was that it was up to me if I wanted to register her with akc after asking what apri was opposed to akc. Cheryl explained it was a cheaper and less entailed registry but never said the parents were not akc. I would not pay $1000.00 not knowing if she were purebred. I asked about the shipping and why some other breeders won't ship. She assured me the way she ships is perfectly safe. I asked for more photos of this puppy which Cheryl sent. I asked specifically if the color of the dog was showing true to color in the pics and she said it was. I also asked if the puppy would be ok while I worked as no one would be home with her for about 8 hrs beginning 4 days after I received her. She said she would be fine. I didn't want to use a crate so Cheryl said just get a puppy playpen. I paid by credit card for the puppy. Cheryl explained a personal crisis going on but thought she would ship the following week but no date was set. I had spoke with Cheryl on at least 2 other occassions via phone. I was told twice the week before the puppy was shipped that she was 12 wks old. One of which was when I spoke with Cheryl and she asked for the credit card info again so she could charge the shipping fee (7/20/08 posted to my credit card). I received an email on 7/11/08 from her or Carrie stating she would be arriving the following Wed. I sent an email stating that was not good and I could not get her until the following Sunday, 7/20/08 and that she should have checked with me before booking. On 7/15/08 I sent an email asking if a new date was set. The response I received said the date was booked and I was told it would be Monday, 7/21/08. I received a phone call Sunday, 7/20/08 from Cheryl telling me she weighed in @ 15oz. and she was a little leary of shipping her but she said she decided before she called me that she would be fine. When my daughter and I went to pick her up at the airport, we found a very scared and sickly looking puppy My daughter and I both expressed to the attendant in the Continental baggage office that she didn't look at all like the puppy I purchased. We figured it was due to the flight. We noticed her food and water didn't look touched as she would not have been able to reach it (it was attached to the front of the crate half way up. I tried to reach Cheryl or Carrie by phone as Cheryl asked when we got home to let them know how the puppy was but received the message that this caller was not accepting calls. I left a voice mail and Carrie called be back about 12:40am 7/22. I had many concerns, one of which, they sent me the wrong dog and that the puppy wouldn't eat. She told me to give her cottage cheese and she liked boiled hamburger. I also expressed my concerns that she had loose stools and dragged her but on the floor. She said her behind was probably irritated and to use vaseline. There was a container of puppy food in the crate that Cheryl said she ate but the puppy would not eat it. I was also told she ate Science diet hard food but as of Oct 2008, she still could not eat any hard food as they were all too large. I have also tried Eukenuba and Iams puppy hard food with no luck. Another phone call which Carrie returned, I explained the same concerns and told her the puppy can not sustain on these choices of food but I know she had to have food. Again, told the same thing with the comment she is a very picky eater. I was not told that previously to purchasing. When I found out the date the puppy would arrive, I made an appointment with my vet for the next day the puppy was to arrive. My vet found at least a grade II heart murmur and luxating patellas within minutes of examining the puppy. My vet said we will have to see how she is but should not have been sold without disclosing this info. In fact, she should not have been transported via plane. I emailed Cheryl and told her of the health issues and I requested their vet's info and spoke with Carrie on the phone but she couldn't talk as she was on the highway. I believe on 7/23 or 7/24 I called her back because she didn't return my call like she said she would. I gave her my vet's info. Cheryl's vet, Susan, and my vet, Jennifer Gilbert, Derby Small Clinic spoke. My vet said she believed Susan was sincere and that she stated 'we try to check all of them' and if she saw this puppy, she didn't hear a murmur or see any problems with the patellas. I was told by Cheryl their vet and my vet didn't think it was a big deal. Cheryl said that if need be, I was to return this puppy and they would send me another after they resold her as per her 2 yr health guarantee. I did not even see a health guarantee. Cheryl said in the first phone call that she works with the customer to find a solution. She did not tell me to go to her actual website to see the guarantee. Also, there was not well check up vet papers included. Just the airline required proof of no communicable diseases. This doesn't include genetic defects or anything else. I have called Continental and the only requirements they have to have is this paper, the dog has to be at least 8 wks and a size of crate requirement. In this email, I said I wanted my money back because they didn't send me the puppy in the picture and on top of that she is sick, but they would have to come and get her as she should not be shipped due to her health issues, and that I would not accept another puppy from them. They said they would not give me my money back as it is stated in the contract as such. I did not get the contract/guarantee until I got the puppy. It was attached to her crate. I tried to break this contract less than 48 hrs after receiving the puppy. This is when I decided I was going to try to report her to anyone that would listen as I didn't want this to happen again but I would rest on it for a while as I was not in the right frame of mind as I was angry that anyone could do this. I really do believe the wrong dog was sent, for whatever reason, intentionally or not. I don't believe their vet examined this dog. I understand that the coloring will change but in 2 wks she went from all grey to all cream and red/blonde. I spoke with other breeders and they said it could not happen so drastically in such a short amount of time As a matter of fact, she has not changed at all in coloring since I received her. The next problem was on 7/30/08. The puppy was listless when I came home from work at lunch time. She stood up then laid right back down and didn't look right. I took her to the emergency vet, Orchard Park, NY. I will condense, she was there for 2 1/2 days. Because the vet, Franca Difilippo, thought she had at least a grade IV heart murmur and in ill condition, she felt at least a 2 1/2 day stay was necessary as well as an echo. They put in iv's. Her blood sugar was low and on 7/31 and echo was done. I need to express the fact that I was diligent in making sure she ate. At no time did Cheryl or Carrie tell me I had to hand feed her, although I did. By the time I went back to work, Martini was eating fine. She had coccidia, which Cheryl said she was treated for. The findings are pulmonary stenosis moderate to severe. She is a candidate for a balloon angioplasty. I will not do this to her. She is too small and it is most probable a second angioplasty will be needed. If she doesn't have this procedure, symptoms (right heart failure, syncope) or sudden death are most probable within the first few yrs of life. I reported this information to Cheryl and the bottom line solution she offered per her emails is a replacement puppy AND she will let me keep the dog I already have. I offered the following: Refund for vet bills thus far and I will keep her; or 1/2 refund for dog and 1/2 of vet bills incurred as of that date and I will keep her; or Refund for vet & cost of dog and she can come and get her as she can not be shipped. I have since offered to eat the shipping, as I would have paid that anyway but I wanted vet bills, thus far and I would keep her. There is no way she can resell her. I do not trust to get another dog from this person, who now says she never told me she was the breeder. I have found proof she has been listed as a breeder and sometimes breeds with others to sell puppies. I keep telling her that I did not buy this dog from her website as she refers to in emails. I bought her from a classified site she posted so I really thought she was the breeder. Broker? Paperwork received attached to the crate also shows her age to be 12 weeks and weight of 3 lbs. Her other paperwork shows birthdate 5/18/08 and another date of 5/17/08 on the registry application (apri). So she was actually 8 wks the week before she shipped when Cheryl told me she was 12wks. Making her 9 wks when I received her. Also the phone number seller filled out is not even close. The area code is 728 and hers is 308. Continental says she was shipped from Denver CO. Cost for shipping is $195.45 and I was charged $225.00. I really think they shipped the wrong dog to me and someone else got the dog I was supposed to get. Also when Cheryl indicated the night before shipping that the puppy weighed 15 oz, 2 days later, after shipping and not eating and drinking very well, my vet weighed her in at 1 1/4 lbs. She would not have gained weight but rather lost or stayed the same.

I asked about the age discrepancy on a couple emails but Cheryl did not comment on that until one of the last email I sent specifically asking only about the age. She said it may have been a mistake she would have to ask her vet what age she had. I understand if it was an error but I really think they should have reimbursed me and just admit it instead of trying to cover it up as I feel happened. Since reading many negative reports and knowing she changed the name of her business, I believe she knowingly sells sick puppies. If you have info or want to pursue this matter, please do a search for the yorkie talk message board. You can get in touch with me through that site as I can not give you my email through this site. Thanks and I hope this helps anyone deciding on buying for Cheryl or not. She sells these pups from one of her hotels.