Gumtree and puppy farms

[OutrageousFlavourLikeFreesias]

Can I just check - Gumtree puppies are definitely going to be farmed ones, aren't they?

I'm just checking because my MIL is looking for a new puppy, and she found one on Gumtree. I told her it would be farmed. She said it was a photo of a child holding it, the ad said it was home-bred, etc. I said it would be farmed and they would be lying. I think she took it on board.

Only now I feel as if I've crushed her dreams a bit (she's desperate for a new dog) and I'm doubting myself! But I did get this right, didn't I? No decent breeder would advertise on Gumtree, would they?

If I am wrong then I will (of course) call my MIL back and say so. I just don't want her to end up buying some poor, badly-bred, badly-treated little scrap and contribute to the misery of puppy-farming.

I agree with you - no reputable or responsible breeder would advertise pups on this sort of website.

More likely but not all. You've just got to be extra careful and be sure you're doing all the necessary checks and be prepared to walk away. We got our first pup from gumtree (she also advertised else where) but we visited lots of times, met mum and gran, were grilled by the breeder and still keep in touch with breeder and other litter mates.

Puppy farms or feckless owners who want to make a quick buck from their pet.
Very often the family pictures are a front for puppy farmers who set up houses specifically for selling puppies.

Almost undoubtedly puppy farmed. If she's desperate for a new dog, there are so many poor souls waiting in rescue for homes. One is huffling in the back of my neck right now :-)

(No, I don't advertise on there) Although the odds aren't good, there are some good breeders on websites of the like of Gumtree, Pets4Homes, etc., because they are the 'go to' for most people to find a puppy these days.

There is a school of thought that it is better for there to be some quality breeders on there, so demonstrate to people that there is a better way, by adverts that quote proper health testing results etc.

The most important thing about puppy enquiries is not where they come from, it's how they're handled and qualified.

There was a really good post here a while ago about what to look for in breeders. I wanted to get it pinned to the top of the doghouse but MN said no.

Anyway, the RSPCA guidance is pretty good: www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy/breeder

At best it will be a backyard breeder hoping to make a quick buck - but puppy farmers are devious bastards who will have a child pose with a puppy, lie through their teeth about being home bred and even use stunt bitches that pose as the puppy's mum while the real mum languishes in a hellhole. It's not a source of well or responsibly bred puppies. Avoid it like the plague.

Thanks everyone...the puppy she was looking at is a Yorkie / Poodle cross, so not even the minimal protection of KC registration. I'm hoping she will choose a rescue in the end. She keeps flitting between wanting a puppy and not being sure she has the energy for one.

Oh, and the advert made no reference at all to health checks of any sort of breeder credentials. It does, however, mention the cost colour of the father.

It doesn't feel right to me at all. I really hope she doesn't follow it up.

KC registration in itself is not protection against anything, nor a guarantee of anything. It simply means that the pup's ancestors are purebred and are or were also on the KC register and that the pup can compete in KC licensed competitions.

It's just a register. You pay to register each dog.

It should nominally protect against bitches having too many litters, or litters before or after a certain age as a welfare issue, since only those under the litter limit can be registered.

With the burgeoning market for 'designer cross breeds', however, there's nothing to stop a bitch actually giving birth to many more litters than are registered with the KC. One pure bred litter one season, one cross bred litter the next and so on. Or of course the KC registered bitch could have unlimited cross bred litters from her first season till she dies, but the wording 'from KC registered parents' gives a sense of respectability.

Instead, she could give Ethel who is a lovely yorkie the home she deserves and be sure not to be supporting puppy farms

Puppies are hard work so if she's not sure a slightly older (rescue) dog might be a better choice.

Can you link the gumtree advert OP? Gumtree is an advertising site used by anyone who needs to advertise. You have provided no evidence to suggest the dog advertised is from a puppy farm.

If you can provide a link it will only take a quick Internet check to find out if the advertiser runs a puppy farm

ILove could you please tell me how I find out if a gumtree add is from a puppy farm?

I don't want to go into too much detail on here but I'm concerned about something. Thank you!

Just google the name of the breeder or the telephone number. Google will give you anything associated with them