Online sale of dogs for Black Friday may fund puppy farms, charity warns

'It's really important to avoid buying from a puppy farm, or a poor environment,' charity spokesperson states

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The online sale of puppies on Black Friday and in the lead-up to Christmas could be funding puppy farms, a charity has warned.

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a century-old veterinary charity, issued a statement about the online sale of dogs, after a woman in Bristol reported feeling pressured into purchasing two eight-week-old puppies, both of whom required emergency medical treatment.

The charity said when purchasing puppies online, it is essential that prospective owners visit the animals in their homes to ensure they’re being raised in a safe environment.

Research conducted by the organisation in 2018 found that around one in four UK pet owners do no research prior to bringing a pet into their home.

“With more and more pets being advertised for sale online, it’s really important to avoid buying from a puppy farm, or a poor environment,” set Penny Morgan, a vet for the PDSA.

“You should always see them at their home, with their mother, before buying.

“Lots of puppy farm breeders use tricks, whether it’s offering to meet you halfway or telling you the pups’ mum is ‘having a break’ if you can’t see her.”

Morgan stated that if people find themselves in these types of situations, they should walk away and report the sellers on their websites that they are using to advertise themselves, to the RSPCA or to their local council.

Donna Egan, from Bristol, reported feeling pressured into buying two eight-week-old puppies called Pepsi and Tala.

Having spotted an advert for the puppies on Gumtree, Ms Egan had arranged to visit the puppies.

However, while en route to visit the dogs, she received a call from the seller saying that he would bring them to her family home instead.

After the seller arrived at her home, he placed the puppies into Ms Egan’s car, in which her children were already sitting.

“My children immediately wanted the pups but I could see that they were in a bad condition,” Ms Egan said.

“I really didn’t feel comfortable with the situation but decided I couldn’t stand to see the seller take the puppies away.

Ms Egan took the puppies to Bristol PDSA Pet Hospital, where they were treated for severe worms, fleas, lice and scaly patches on their skin.

“I would urge anyone thinking about getting a puppy to be careful so they don’t end up in the same situation as me,” Ms Egan advised.

On Gumtree, there is currently an advertisement for “adorable French Bulldogs” as part of a “Black Friday sale”.

The advertisement’s description states that the five female puppies are on sale for £1,200 each, having previously been priced at £2,000 each, while the male puppy has reduced in price from £1,200 to £1,000.

In a statement sent to The Independent, a Gumtree spokesperson said the terms “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” will no longer be included in the Pets category on the site.

“We take the welfare of all animals very seriously and work hard to ensure our platform is a safe place to find healthy pets in need of rehoming,” the spokesperson said.

“We are focused on educating our users on buying pets safely and responsibly, and deterring unscrupulous operators from misusing the platform.”

Advertisements that Gumtree deems as encouraging or indicating signs of animal cruelty will be blocked and deleted, the spokesperson added, and users are being encouraged to report any advertisements they believe are inappropriate.

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