Finding Love Through a Pet Online – Is It Really Possible?

Okay ladies, calm down and get your eyes back in your head. . . Now that I have your attention, this blog isn’t about a possible fly by night Casanova. Rather it’s about a love that dates back to prehistoric times; the love and bond between a human and a dog. Can we really find the right companion online with all the options available? How can you tell a scam from a legitimate breeder?

Lately I’ve wanted to add more pitter patter of little footsteps to my household since my daughter has reached her teen years. Our interactions consist of talk about her latest Korean craze, whether it is music or a drama series. Oh, and she does talk to me when she’s hungry or wants me to buy her something. That aside, it’s basically been our dog Jasmine and me moping around the house and relying on each other for companionship.

I did get lucky and find love online once with Jasmine. My daughter and I were looking for a dog after having to part with a Chihuahua with definite bladder and bowel issues. We tried adopting from a shelter and ended up with a border collie mix that not only liked to herd our cats, but after she started herding some children in our family she had to go. Finally we checked out the dogs on the Retriever Rescue of Colorado website (http://www.retrieverrescueofcolorado.com/new/) where it was love at first site with Jasmine, and the rest is history.

There are breeders that advertise online, and might appeal to some who want a pet with papers for show or breeding purposes. Also, some people want dogs specially trained for a task and there are breeders that specialize in that like Ashland Kennel in Georgia (http://www.ashlandkennel.com/) which breeds dogs for hunting. Unfortunately there are also scammers out there, just like in every online industry. The scammers can charge anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, to allegedly include vaccinations and papers with their pet for sale. Bottom line, they don’t have pets for sale and never ship the animal as promised.

Yahoo had a great article with tips on how to avoid fraud (http://voices.yahoo.com/5-tips-avoiding-online-pet-adoption-scams-1914538.html). Africa seems to be a hotbed for puppy fraud, among other types, and was featured on a television news feature

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24eer1IB6RA out of New York. In my research Cameroon, Africa kept coming up again and again (http://bythebacklanes.blogspot.com/2011/03/online-pet-adoption-scam.html) as a place to avoid sending funds for puppy purchases.

Bottom line, as with any purchase, it is caveat emptor – buyer beware. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Do research before purchasing a dog from an online breeder. I like adopting from local rescue agencies because the companies have been around, and most likely have placed these dogs in a foster home so know a bit about the animal’s personality. Local shelters are great resources, too, but don’t always know the dogs’ personalities as well as those agencies with foster homes. Most rescue agencies evaluate animals on socialization with adults, children, other dogs, and cats, as well as training levels.

Tomorrow I am meeting Magic at the park and I hope we’ll have a little magic of our own. Retriever Rescue of Colorado matched us with him and I’m hoping he’ll blend into our household and give Jasmine and I some additional companionship. Wish us luck!