Breeder is a convicted sex offender

[breedershock]

I have been on a waiting list for a labrador for around a year - have paid a deposit and expecting to get a puppy later on this year. I have had dogs before (although not from this breeder) and consider myself fairly knowledgable about what to look for in an ethical breeder etc. However, I've just discovered that the man is a convicted sex offender, and also convicted of fraud! I havent actually spoken to him, only his wife who seemed to be very pleasant and knowledgable. I suppose they may well be excellent breeders and very good with their dogs but I'm shocked and to be honest dont want to be giving them any more of my money. Also a bit gutted that this will mean a much longer wait as will need to find a new breeder. Has anyone else been in this sort of situation?

I wouldn't be giving them any more of my money personally

I'd steer clear too.

Are you absolutely sure it's this man who was convicted, and not someone with the same name?

If so, I would steer clear.

yeah - it is the same man as the news report I read mentioned the street he lives on and this is the same as where the breeder is registered :(
I'm definitely not going to get a puppy from them now. I feel a bit bad that I've given them a deposit but I had no idea!

Pretty sure I know exactly who you mean. I was shocked too. As far as the dogs go, they are an excellent breeder. But no, I couldn’t proceed either once I realised.

I wouldn’t proceed and I would tell him why.

@Judashascomeintosomemoney oh really? based in Kent? I hope there isnt another one out there!!

No I wouldn't buy a pup from him. If his morals are so low that he has done something to get himself on the sex register, I doubt he deeply cares about his animals best interests. I may be being very judgemental but that's honestly how I feel.

[quote breedershock]@Judashascomeintosomemoney oh really? based in Kent? I hope there isnt another one out there!![/quote]
Yes, in Kent.

To be honest in context the fraud conviction would worry me more, given how prevalent puppy farming is. I'd worry a dishonest person would put their financial interests above any welfare concerns. But I can't see myself knowingly giving cash to a sex offender either!

You've dodged a bullet.

I'd worry a dishonest person would put their financial interests above any welfare concerns
Weirdly not in this case. The dogs are excellent. Couldn’t vouch for his business practices with regard to money though. I was so sure I’d found the right breeder (and again based on the dogs, no issues) but I happened to mention the name in the company of someone that recognised it and that’s how I found the back story out. I felt very uncomfortable and certainly glad I found out before and not after I’d gone ahead.

@Judashascomeintosomemoney out of interest, have you managed to find an alternate breeder instead?

[quote breedershock]@Judashascomeintosomemoney out of interest, have you managed to find an alternate breeder instead?[/quote]
No. I wasn’t actively looking for a breeder when I met this breeder. I met them in a scenario where I was involved in animal welfare in a different way (to puppy acquisition) and this breeder was highlighted as being everything you could want and seek for a good dog breeder, so, though I’d done LOTS of Labrador ‘rescuing’ I was suddenly encouraged to think a puppy might be something I wanted to do. After I discovered the background of this particular breeder I stopped thinking about getting a puppy and went back to rescuing. Sorry not trying to be mysterious but turned out, unbeknownst to me, this breeders background was closer to home than I realised: I stuck with what I knew after that. The only people I’d get involved with now are the couple of ‘breeders’ in the working dog community who wouldn’t sell out of the known contacts circle tbh.

This will get me lynched on MN but even sex offenders have to make a living! And murders and domestic violence offenders and peadophiles and every other type of person who has committed horrific and morally reprehensible crimes.

@pheasantsinlove fair enough, but I dont particularly want to contribute to them doing so or be knowingly involved with them in any way.
@Judashascomeintosomemoney fair enough, that makes sense. I was also considering a different breed from someone I've had dogs from before (but who is not likely to have any in the next year or so) - I may just go back to that plan after this experience!

If the dogs are excellent what difference does it make if the breeder is a convicted sex offender?

@pheasantsinlove

This will get me lynched on MN but even sex offenders have to make a living! And murders and domestic violence offenders and peadophiles and every other type of person who has committed horrific and morally reprehensible crimes.

Yes, which is why I don’t want to say too much. Any person found guilty of any crime should, in theory, be allowed to live a life after they have ‘served their sentence’. But, on the other hand, no one else, who doesn’t wish to, has to be part of facilitating that. This person’s name isn’t obviously associated with the breeder business name. And they slightly changed their name too. But, if, after getting involved with them you google the name, which is slightly unusual, all of of the issues related to them are in the public domain and so potential clients may be understandably put off from dealing with them in an, admittedly, unrelated business.

Such a horrible situation. Of course him being a sex offender isn’t going to affect the dogs, but I wouldn’t want to support a convicted sex offender. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable meeting him in person to meet/collect the dog.

@Kanaloa

Such a horrible situation. Of course him being a sex offender isn’t going to affect the dogs, but I wouldn’t want to support a convicted sex offender. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable meeting him in person to meet/collect the dog.

Exactly. And tbh, in person he’s odd. No doubt, no other way to describe it. When you don’t know anymore than that you just think, oh dog breeding anorak, probably harmless. Then, when you find out other stuff, yeah, totally odd uncomfortable feeling. You wouldn’t and couldn’t have known but the feeling is weird. Glad I did t get as far as meeting a puppy because then I’d have probably have taken my DDs with me, and , though I’d have been there, the feeling of that afterwards would not have been nice tbh. Even thinking about it isn’t nice and it didn’t even get that far.

@XelaM

If the dogs are excellent what difference does it make if the breeder is a convicted sex offender?

Also the poor puppy deserves a good home too.

But do see where the OP is coming from about it not sitting right morally.

I wouldn't want him having my name and address. But driving sex offenders to crime to survive, or homelessness because they can't earn a living is vastly more dangerous than them running a home business.

You might feel better not getting a dog from them but actually, this is not-very-worrying way to earn a living.

I agree with @pheasantsinlove. If he doesn’t work, he will claim benefits. How is that even remotely preferable?

This happened to me but I only found out a few days afterwards. I felt a bit sick about it as I’d took my child with me to choose the puppy and it tainted it for me. I threw out the toys the breeder had given us as I didn’t want anything from them in the house. I love my dog though and don’t regret getting him though had I known in advance I would have got one elsewhere.

I don’t think people realise how many sex offenders, convicted or otherwise, they come across during the course of their daily life.