Dogs Trust is warning people about the dangers of ‘dog-fishing’.
While internet searches for puppies for sale have gone up by 400%.
So 'dog-fishing' is buying one animal, and receiving a different pet when collecting.
Frank was advertised & sold as a puppy by a ‘doggy dealer’. He was in fact a terrified and shut down 2-year-old boy! Don’t get #DogFished by unscrupulous breeders who put profit before the welfare of the dogs they sell. Please consider adopting or visit https://t.co/bDpwIE0j5o 🐾
— Dogs Trust Ireland (@DogsTrust_IE) July 14, 2020
The Tale Of Frank The Two Year Old Puppy
A couple paid €1,300 for a three-month old dachshund called Frank.
However that was only to bring him a the vet and find out he was actually two-years old.
One in five people surveyed admitted to buying and picking up the pet on the same day.
Becky Bristow is Executive Director of Dogs Trust - she says what happened to Frank isn’t uncommon:
"Frank was supposedly a very young puppy that was advertised online."
"When the couple turned up to collect Frank, which ended up being in a car park."
"Various plans were made so they'd meet there."
"So they were told that Frank was actually six months old, he has been there for a while."
"They did buy Frank, and brought him to a vet - as you should."
"...and the vet said this dog is at least two years old."
"So we call that 'dog-fishing' and it's a bit like the dating phrase cat-fishing."
Photographs: Fran Veale
