Ely couple raises awareness of buying dogs online

Eddie, a miniature dachshund, was bought from a breeder online before he died of parvo days later

A couple whose dog died within seven days of buying it online said it felt like they were "victims of a crime".

Dan Callaghan and his wife bought Eddie, a miniature dachshund, from a dog breeder during lockdown, but he became ill with parvovirus.

The Ely couple want to raise awareness with The Kennel Club about the use of social media to purchase dogs.

Mr Callaghan said the breeder used "manipulation tactics" and he wanted to prevent it happening to other people.

He said his wife had "always wanted a miniature dachshund" and they looked online after failing to find one within a "three or four-hour radius" of their home.

"We looked at several litters, got in contact with them, everything seemed above board," he said.

"Because it was lockdown... we had to wait until the day we could pick him up to see him."

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Four days after picking Eddie up, he became unwell with parvo, a deadly disease for dogs, and died three days later.

"We were had by the people that sold us Eddie, and it left us with incredible sadness for Eddie, but also feeling like we'd been a victim of a crime."

Dan Callaghan has bought another dog since Eddie's death

The couple eventually got their money back, and in July 2020 bought a corgi called Rupert.

"He's just so full of energy and life. He got us through a lot of the time during Covid when we were isolated," Mr Callaghan said.

'Unscrupulous'

The Kennel Club chief executive, Mark Beazley, said pictures of puppies "grab attention" on social media, and there was "an appeal" to buying and selling them online.

Research by the organisation revealed 51% of puppy-buying decisions in East Anglia were influenced by social media.

Nearly one in four in the region that took part in the research said their main source of information when buying a puppy came from social media influencers or celebrities.

"Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can give unscrupulous breeders easy access to a mass market, where they can sell pups with little scrutiny," Mr Beazley said.

"It's down to the puppy buyer to make sure that they ask the right questions, see the puppy with their mum and in their home environment, and step back if things don't feel right.

"Failing to do so can lead to a world of heartache for puppy buyers and keeps rogue breeders in business, whilst puppies continue to suffer the consequences," he added.