What I object to is how people run to these peoples defence and say how terrible it must be for them etc. I will tell you something now, I understand why breeders offer people nothing now as these buyers definatery take kindness for weakness. They have caused unnessicary suffering to this animal and I hope they feel bad for the rest of their lives. I offered them everything and never shyed away from any responsibility. I think you need to check your facts as I have spoke with 2 solicitors who have qouted the sales of goods act to me and I am correct in what I said above. Nevertheless I have been honest, and willing to help from day one. There are some nice people in this world and I am one of them. I did not know this puppy was ill...neither did they until they had it some time. I am now being accused of knowing he was ill....when will it ever end?. Carry on campaigning against the byb and the puppyfarms who sell sick puppies (knowingly) and lay off people like me. I am one of the good guys.

Thank you so Much Honeybee and Hightail for all of your help. I have learnt the very,very hard way, I would have done everything I could to help the poor puppy, I can still see his little face. I am so angry and frustrated and we are still getting nasty emails, I don't know what more I could have done. I thought I had correctly vetted these people and he was getting a fantastic home that he so deserved. If he had been returned months ago, maybe I could have helped him and he would still be with us today. I will never forget him, or this experience for as long as I live. I had a similar experience years ago, but I was the buyer in the scenario an the breeder did not care. I have tried to offer what I would have expected in this situation. Sadly I do not think that this tragedy is the end of the whole sorry saga and it will continue to blight the next few months.

I'm still waiting for the proof to be sent. I am also aware that he has now been euthinised. I was only told after this had been done. There were options availale for him ie: operation to fix this problem, but proof was not sent and he was not returned to me so I could help him. I am disgusted that he did not get that chance. I have been waiting months to get an outcome or take him back and all this strain is proving too much for us as a family.

Also just checked the KC website and they state that there are currently no health tets required for accredited breeders of my breed. Through my investigations into this condition it affects many toy breeds eg maltese etc and is rife amongst yorkshire terriers, breeders of those toy dogs are offered testing at a discount rate, however my breed is not offered testing compulsory or otherwise. I feel I have acted properly and in a responsible fashion and I do not fall into the byb or puppy farm catagory. I should not be given the label of either of those as my door is always open to the puppies at any time. There is testing available, but how easy that is to get I o not know, it is not certainly something that is mentioned on any advertisments or breeders websites as being done and puppies being clear of.

The sales of goods act 1979 states that a commercial premises/breeder is responsible for providing an item/animal suitable for the purpose it was sold for. As a non commercial premises the law states that the item/animal must be the brand or breed that it was advertised as and therefore if anything other that arises from this is not the non commercial sellers fault/responsibility. Now the above is not a nice way to be or act and I have offered soloution after soloution, but to no avail, I have asked for proof and non has been given. It is a very frustrating situation.

I also didn't knw that the puppy was sick as they symptoms appeared after they had him for a month. If you see the info avalable on this supposed condition, it is not something that is always apparrent and I would not knowingly have sold a sick dog.

I said I couldnt afford to pay for the operation, but i did offer towards their vets bills. I offered to refund them the full amount paid if they brought him back. My vet then would have done the nessicary tests and given me the best advice available. We stil do not know if this is a liver shunt we are dealing with, they have been erattic with their communication to me. This has been going on for months.

Hi there Testing for liver shunts is not a test that is required. Both lines used for this breeding were free of this condition. So if this condition is proved to be a liver shunt, then the dog has been so unlucky. Puppies can have a test at around 6 weeks old, but it is such a grey area as to the accuracy of this testing. I have offered these people time and time again for them to bring the puppy back for a full refund, I have also offered help towards their bills, but they have refused to have him tested. I did not offer any insurance as it is not a breeders responsibility to do so. They did not take out any insurance of their own and only took him for vaccinations 1 month after having him. So their 4 weeks would have been up if they had taken any insurance from me. This was the only litter of puppies we have ever had from my pet dog and as I am not a commercial breeder I do not have to offer them anything. I was willing to help them if we worked together. I would not be in a position to help pay for an operation as this would be around £2k, I have offered all I can only to be threatened and treated badly. We do not know if this condition is congenital or aquired, or something entirely different, maybe picked up through non vaccination, all I know is that I bitterley regret selling to these people as they are not in a position to deal with this supposed condition nor have they ended his suffering.

Thanks, that was what I was thinking really, just let them get on with whatever they want to do. I thought I was doing the right thing as I wanted to be responsible, but you have said the same thing as my husband. I just went ahead doing what I would be happy with in their situation. I will leave it for now and see what happens. Thank you for our help and advice, as far as I am concerned I want nothing more to do with puppies/breeding etc, this has made the last year so tough.

They were more helpful that I thougt they would be. Am I doing the right thing now?

Thanks for your help. I will always stick by my promises and if they want to keep him the £100 still stands, upon receipt of proof. I will also offer to take him back again for what seems like the upteenth time and ignore any correspondance from the third party. I offered solution upon soloution to begin with and they have dragged this out for months and months. I am a good person and I will always try and help, the Consumer advice said that it was very strange that they haven't proved the condition and said that the dog should be more of a priority to them. I really hope that this all ends in a amicable way.

Hi Hightail I have just spoken with Consumer Direct and they said that I need to write to them again /(via email to the family member) saying my contract is with the person I sold it to and if they want to take further action they can, but I should deal with the person I sold it to and nobody else. I am to quote the sale of goods act and offer to take him back for a full refund and as they have not provided any proof of this condition I don't have to pay them any money towards vets bills as this was above and beyond my responsibilities. I never break promises though and the £100 is still there for them if proof is provided.

I offered £100 4 months ago, I also gave them the option to bring him back. I do not feel he is getting the best care and this has made his condition worse. They have chosen to take the condition on as they didn't return him in the beginning when their vet told them to. I have emails from them and a letter accepting my offer and then saying that they won't ask for anything else, but I haven't paid out as they didn't send the information I was promised. They told me that he had had the specific test and they could prove it, so far they haven't, for all I know the dog may not have finnished his course of vaccinations and may have picked something up? anything is possible. Whilst I really feel sorry for them if all they say is true, if they didn't have the funds to take on a dog or arrange proper insurance then my responsibility ends where I have offered to take him back. There are so many [problematic] out there who are trying to extract money from people before xmas. I am however more than willing to send them the £100 as promised, only if they send the proof. But now they have threatened further action I feel I cannot negotiate with them any more. I said I would send the money directlymto their vet, now they want the cash..!

Thanks for the link Hightail, I have been doing lost of research into the condition and the vet claims that it could be a protosystic shunt (hope I spelt that right) The condition could have been present from birth or aquired, only specific testing can prove and rule this out. There is testing available for puppies by sending off a sample of bile to a specialist, but it is not 100% accurate. They say that the vet has given them special food and tablets to 'keep the dog alive' but in my opinion he should have been brought back to me so that my vet could have ruled all these things out from the outset. I feel that if that had happened all those months ago then the outlook would be very different. I would have done my upmost for his wellbeing.

I was quite shocked as well as if they were my vets I wouldn't want people talking about me in that way. The receptionist phoned back last week and said that the proof is in what the vet has sent. But without speaking directly to anyone, just feel I am being mislead all the time, it is a very frustrating situation and it is getting me down. I wish that they would have brought him back months ago as if he doesn't have long left, then why hasn't he been put to sleep? surely if this is all true he is suffering. Once I have concrete evidence i my hand, I will send a letter for the owner to sign to say that I will not send any more money or any other solutions as I have done all I can.