I Bought a Puppy & it Was a Fucking Scam!
My wife and I haven't had a dog since February of 2002, when Ziggy, our Sharpei, passed away after a lengthy illness. Just recently, we decided it was time to get another dog. Besides, I work from home now, and having a full-time companion would be great for me.
At first, my wife put in a big push for a mini Golden Doodle. I was always more of a medium-sized dog kind of guy, and the thought of getting a mini-anything really wasn't very inspiring. Even after looking at photos of many mini Golden Doodles, I wasn't feelin' it. I wanted something bigger and a little more badass. I was never a big fan of poodles…
Then, while searching for a smaller, non-shedding, hypoallergenic pooch, I came across Basenjis. To me, they look a lot like Jack Russell's but a bit more exotic, which I found rather appealing. They checked all the boxes too. They're smaller, somewhat hypoallergenic, don't shed much, and are self-cleaning like cats. In addition, they don't bark; they yodel.
Basenjis are one of those pound-for-pound champions. They're chiseled dogs that are built like well-conditioned gymnasts. They may be small, 24-30 lbs, but they're so badass and unique that after seeing and reading about them, I only wanted a Basenji. The ones I found on the internet were listed for between $1,200 and $2,000 plus shipping if they couldn't be picked up.
I searched the internet, filling out several applications that were very specific as to who we were and what kind of home we would be bringing our puppy into.
Eventually, I came across "The Family Companions", a site that claimed to have been breeders of Basenjis and Havanese dogs for two decades. They did not have an online application process…
The Basenjis listed on their site were discounted from $1,500 down to $755, and shipping from New Jersey to Norton, MA, was only $190, which included plane fare and an experienced pet courier to pick up our puppy at the airport and deliver him to our doorstep. And each dog they sold came with a "comprehensive puppy care package" that included "a starter kit of food, toys, and other supplies as well as detailed information about care and training". Their healthy pup guarantee required us to bring our new puppy to the vet within 72 hours of receiving him. There was a testimonial page, and everyone seemed pleased with their dogs and the breeder. The pup also came with AKC papers in case we decided to breed him…
I searched the photos and fell in love with Buddy, an 11-week-old Basenji pup. My wife was originally upset that I had abandoned my search for a mini Golden Doodle, but once I showed her the photos and the video of Buddy the breeder sent me, she smiled and admitted he was cute…
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I spoke with the breeder online via text and email, but we never spoke by phone. Not even for a moment did I suspect there were scammers posing as breeders and selling dogs…
I went to their pay page and chose PayPal, and made the payment which totaled $973.35, not a lot for an AKC Basenji pup delivered to your doorstep…
The breeder texted me and wanted to ship Buddy immediately, but we were having a birthday party at our house for our 3-year-old grandson on Saturday, and we didn't want his first full day away from his mother and siblings to be filled with strangers. We wanted to spend some time alone with him first. We agreed to Monday, April 17th. The breeder texted, "Once the delivery guys pick up the puppy from our home on Monday, they will give the itinerary with the exact time of delivery."
My wife and I were very excited, and we cleaned the house and got it ready for our new Basenji. We called vets, and although a majority of them were not accepting new patients, one of our old vets was able to schedule an appointment within the 72-hour window. We went on PetSmart's website and ordered a metal crate, a corral, a bed, a harness, and a leash. We were ready…
I received a text from the breeder Monday morning, "Hello". Then she told me, "The delivery guys picked up the puppy a while ago. Please stay close to your phone as the courier may call for further details. Please don't hesitate to send me pics of you and Buddy when he arrives. Stay blessed. I'm heading to my doctor's appointment…" I should've known when she said, "Stay blessed," not to trust her. Things never go well for me after someone tells me that…
Then, at 1:42 p.m. I received a text from "Jerry Logan", who claimed to be a customer service rep from Ecologistics (shipping company), regarding Buddy. He said Buddy "missed the first flight but will be on the next flight." Then he texted, "Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 and the weather conditions, you will need to get a temperature crate for the shipping and delivery of your puppy. The previous owner brought the puppy in a cage crate, so you will need to get a temperature crate for the shipping of your puppy. The money for the crate is $1,750 dollars which are refunded back today once the puppy arrives."
When I responded, "That wasn't my arrangement," they sent me a generic pic of a tractor-trailer truck that contained a "Make Payment" link. I immediately declined to make a payment, albeit refundable, according to them, and when they asked me if I made the payment, I texted, "No, I am waiting to speak to the breeder. I have no way of knowing if this is a legit transaction."
Then, he sent me a pic of a skid full of puppy crates in a warehouse that said, "That's your puppy and other puppies already at the tarmac, ready for shipping."
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I responded, "No one told me I'd have to lay out $1,750. I paid in full for my dog and the shipping…"
He insisted my puppy couldn't be shipped in a normal cafe crate and that I needed to get an electronic temperature crate. I said the experienced breeder should have known that, and he responded, "She didn't know…"
I replied, "I didn't hire you, she did. Maybe you should reach out to her. I've been trying…"
Then he sent me a pic of an airport employee wearing a high-viz vest, pushing a cart with two animal crates through the airport with the text, "She is not responding to us… We can't keep the dog in the crate…" I responded, "Then we have a problem…"
Once I got his number and called him, he tried to scare me into believing that my puppy wouldn't be getting any food or water and that the breeder wasn't gonna pick him up; he was my dog now. Now suspecting the entire thing was a scam, I told him the dog wasn't mine until he crossed the threshold at my house…
He continued sending me what he referred to as "paper works", trying to get me to pay the $1,750 using my credit card. That's when I almost texted him, "Take your fake crate, your fake dog, and shove 'em up your fake ass!" but I took the high road and stopped responding, and so did he…
Then my meme team got involved… My son Dylan and my future daughter-in-law Lexi took a pic of Buddy and did a reverse image search on Google, and came up with identical pictures of 11-week-old Buddy on another site that was dated February 2022… That's when we knew it was a full-on scam…
Apparently, Buddy, AKA August, or whoever the fuck he is, is forever young. He remained 11 weeks old for at least a year and a half! Who knows how many times he was sold to unsuspecting, trusting pet lovers…
I immediately called PayPal and started a dispute. Fucking scammers SUCK!
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Since Basenjis only mate once a year (poor bastards), there aren't many puppies available. I found a legitimate breeder in New Hampshire who has one Basenji left, but only because he only has one testicle, which prevents him from being AKC approved. If the nut doesn't drop, she can't show or mate him, and I get first refusal. Fucking Yay!