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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in thinking my friend is being incredibly naive?

98 replies

ImNotYourGranny · 21/08/2019 12:02

My friend is very excited as she's getting her 2 new Westie pups this weekend. She's invited me over on Sunday to meet them. I love Westies and have 2 of my own.

She's just mentioned that they're coming from Spain. They were rescued after being dumped in bin. She has to pick them up from the airport on Saturday, having paid £300 for each of them. I looked like Shock this when she told me.

It's a scam isn't it. How the fuck is someone flying 2 puppies in for £600. When I emigrated here (not UK) it cost over £3000 to have mine flown over and that was 10 years ago, and doesn't include the cost of vaccinations, pet passport, vet inspection etc. Plus who dumps valuable pedigree puppies in a bin?

She's either going to get poorly, smuggled puppies or they'll be held up at customs and she'll have to pay more to get them through, only to then find out they don't exist.

She thinks I'm being ridiculous.

OP posts:
Witchofzog · 21/08/2019 12:04

Oh dear. This is not going to end well for your friend. Could she not get a pup from the UK?

SillyLittleBiscuit · 21/08/2019 12:06

A friend of mine recently rescued a puppy from Spain. It was driven over though and delivered to their door. Think the final cost was about 300.

QueenofallIsee · 21/08/2019 12:08

Christ, I can’t imagine that rescues from Spain will be shipped overseas but I have no idea what to suggest if she has already paid etc. Hope for the best for her I guess?

PookieDo · 21/08/2019 12:09

It depends if this is through a reputable charity of some kind

I have a friend who was part of a network who matched people to fly pets around the world, often the people were already taking the flight and would add the pet on to their ticket via the charity.

NuffingChora · 21/08/2019 12:10

She’s also extremely brave adopting two potentially traumatised sibling dogs... I’d advise telling her to google littermate syndrome and question why on earth whoever she’s rehoming from is allowing her to do it...? The words barge and pole spring to mind.

RozHuntleysStump · 21/08/2019 12:11

I can't understand why any dog is being imported. Don't we have enough dogs here to rescue etc?

Anyway, I agree, it sounds like a scam.

MrsKittyFane1 · 21/08/2019 12:11

I was wondering about this as I also have a friend who has rescue dogs from other countries.
Does anyone know how it works? Who pays? Who transports them?
Cynical me thinks that the (kennel /awful condition photos (empty- no dog in pic) might not be real.

Anotherusefulname · 21/08/2019 12:12

I think it depends how this has been arranged. Through a proper organisation then could be legit.
Through someone she found on Facebook/GumTree/whateverthatpetwebsiteiscalled, absolutely a scam and I hope she hasn't sent money in advance.

Windydaysuponus · 21/08/2019 12:12

My friend was quoted 5k for each ddog from Mexico!
Await your update with bated breath op...

Bookworm4 · 21/08/2019 12:12

Obviously there are a huge number of rescues bringing in foreign dogs, the cost seems about right. Is it from an actual rescue?

happycamper11 · 21/08/2019 12:13

I have a friend who ran a charity that does this in Cyprus, this is around the price adopters pay as its subsidised by the charity. Obviously I can't speak for this one but I do knew there are similar schemes in Spain and hers is obviously 100% legitimate

Bookworm4 · 21/08/2019 12:15

Also I think you’re the naive one thinking pedigrees don’t get dumped, look at any UK rescue. I work in rescue and we see everything; frenchies, spaniels, doodles, Spain has very poor animal welfare and the popular breeds do tend to be rehomed in the UK, either by road or flown over, they will be passported and health checked to be allowed in.

PuzzledObserver · 21/08/2019 12:17

Maybe she'll turn up at the airport and wait.... and wait.....

All you can do is wait and see, OP. Be prepared to either meet your friend's lovely new puppies, or support her when she discovers she's been had.

savethebeestoday · 21/08/2019 12:17

We bought our dog over from Gibraltar 8 years ago and it cost £500 for the flight, and then the passport and jabs (approx. £100).

Original poster
ImNotYourGranny · 21/08/2019 12:19

I hope for her sake that it is legit.

We're not in the UK. A Yorkie puppy here would set you back around £1.5 k each. We also don't really have rescues as they're not sentimental about animals. Unwanted animals are put straight to sleep.Sad

OP posts:
Sexnotgender · 21/08/2019 12:19

It’s not as expensive to rehome from overseas as you’d think.
One of my friends got a dog from a Greek rescue run by a British lady and I think it was about £300.

OrangeSwoosh · 21/08/2019 12:19

2 puppies in itself is a mistake for the vast majority of people, never mind 2 puppies that have missed the critical socialisation period (assuming they're being imported legally, they can't have a rabies vaccine until 4 months then need to wait another 21d to travel) of, let's face it, unknown parentage and history.

It's not difficult to illegally import dogs from Europe sadly. I'd be suspicious and be taking their passports straight to my vet to be checked (well, I wouldn't, because I wouldn't fall for an illegally imported puppy in the first place)

Sexnotgender · 21/08/2019 12:20

This is the rescue my friend used
www.healingpawsanimalrescue.com/information/about-the-cost/

LuluBellaBlue · 21/08/2019 12:22

In the UK there’s now loads of good reputable charities importing overseas rescue dogs into the uk.
So I’d be checking the establishment and people doing it.

Original poster
ImNotYourGranny · 21/08/2019 12:24

I don't know how she's found them.

OP posts:
YouDoYou18 · 21/08/2019 12:25

My PIL rescued their dog from somewhere in Europe and the final cost was £250... although she was picked up by the rescue and fully checked over and worked with for a few weeks before being brought to them...

inwood · 21/08/2019 12:27

This is going to be a disaster. If in fact there are even two pups. There are plenty of rescues but not generally for pedigree breeds. Id imagine shell end up with no pups or two pups of unknown heritage ad no idea of what she will end up with due to what they've been through.

Original poster
ImNotYourGranny · 21/08/2019 12:27

Maybe I've just become an old cynic then. (Or I'm secretly jealous)

OP posts:
KatharinaRosalie · 21/08/2019 12:31

I very much doubt they will be pedigree, unless they are from a puppy mill and with such health issues even the mill couldn't sell them.

vampirethriller · 21/08/2019 12:32

I have a friend who adopted a dog from Romania for about £300, it's not a pedigree though and had quite a few problems behaviour-wise.