Buying Pup On Gumtree

hey guys. first time using gumtree. i'm looking to purchase a rottweiler pup and have made contact with a few people. i'm pretty sure there's no way for me to meet up with them as i don't have a mode of transport. they've suggested i use one of the pet transport services online that can come pick the pup up, bring it to the airport, fly it out to where i am and deliver it. they all seem to only accept bank transfer. after looking online it seems everybody says that's a red flag and it usually doesn't end well. i've come across one bloke who said he uses paypal but i'm not sure if that's any better. seeing as transferring money is my only option i'm not sure what to do.

let's just say if i do end up transferring money, they decide to not send the pup, is there anything i can do about that? any legal action i can take?

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  • +30

    I'm not sure if you understand how backyard breeding works but you can easily google it to find out I guess. Gumtree is full of them and I would rather trust a proper rescue shelter as they are open about the issues a doggo would have instead of hiding them. I've know some people who have had tragic experiences so proceed at your own risk especially if they need transportation. You can perhaps use paypal and if they don't then just back away.

    • -3

      do you mind sharing what some of those experiences were?

      • 1) Bought a pup. Had some hind leg issues. The buyer contacted the seller. Seller offered exchange. Buyer asked what would be done with the pup with issues. He suggested putting him down. Buyer got squeamish and did not proceed with the exchange.

        2) Bought a pup. Seller sent a pup via air transport. The pup was too young to be taken away from the mother. Pup had low immunity and needed constant vet care, died eventually because of an unrelated accident. However the buyer reckons that if the pup was hardy or normal then it wouldn't have happened.

      • +1

        My experience was with a Cat: Visited the cat owner to see the cat. Owner was a smoker and the whole place stank. The cat I was looking at was very shaky on the legs, and seemed less fit than the others. I put down a deposit of $50, conscious that with 50% chances I would not see that money again. Later on was told the cat was sick ( confirmed by a video she sent me - when she was not high ) and then was told the cat did not make it. She would send the money, but never did. $50 lesson. On a positive note: 1 week later we visited another couple, and the cat was looking very healthy, We took him home the next day, and the vet confirmed he is healthy. He is growing into a big boy.

        • +11

          You probably should have contacted RSPCA or your council with the first lot

      • +9

        backyard breeders often are just trash people who just run an animal through a constant cycle of pregnancies.
        They have little regard for the mother, they sell pups without vax, vet checks (even though they say they have it all)
        They also are renowned for inbreeding animals that causes a raft of issues (here's a local story about junkies backyard breeding)
        https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/he-s-s…
        If you must get a specific breed, then use a registered breeder, but as said before, adopt don't shop.
        We adopted two rescues and love them to bits

  • +24

    why would you buy any animal (aside for consumption) with out meeting it first?

    • +22

      Because complaining about buying a car on line and the vendor doing a runner with the money, is just not sensational any more. In world of MAFS and burnt out chefs, you have to have a new angle to stir up the Flea bags

    • -1

      Personally, I prefer to 'meet n' eat'.

  • +21

    Take public transport or an Uber to a rescue shelter or a local dog rescue organisation (foster carer) and find a great dog that needs a home. I'm sure they can arrange transport and if it doesn't work out, in most cases you can return the dog and get a refund.

    • -3

      If you want a staffy that is.

      • You're saying there are only staffies in a shelter? Just go there and have a look.

  • +14

    Don't buy an animal on Gumtree unless you can meet it first and also the parents and living conditions.

    Try the RSPCA or other lost dogs homes, find your local 'Rottie Rescue' group on Facebook. Failing this, contact the Registered Breeders Association and ask them for advice.

  • +2

    Friend of a friend got into dog breeding so I've heard about dogs being flown around like that, either because someone bought from them or they want a new dog for breeding. Didn't seem to be much issue with it I think, animal transport is just a part of the breeding industry I guess

    Still, I don't get why anyone would go to that effort or expense for a particular dog that they haven't even met, or why anyone cares that much about breed. Just go around to shelters or look around locally and find a dog that seems cool.

    If you like dogs then any dog will be awesome, and you won't care what breed it is after the first day.

      • Donald Trump wants what he wants.

        Hitler wanted what he wanted.

        Pell wanted what he wanted.

        Wanting something is not of its own necessarily a good justification for anything, especially when other interests (in this case the dog's) are involved.

          • +16

            @acmang: No, but you might be a douchebag for wanting to pay someone who keeps bitches constantly pregnant in cages to bring a new dog into existence when there are already thousands begging to be picked up from death row.

          • +8

            @acmang:

            i'm hitler for wanting a rottweiler

            Just don't be a pell with your new dog, be a pal

          • +2

            @acmang: Hitler had German shepherds, and trump is said to have an aversion to pets, I'm not sure about Pell.
            But it doesn't matter because I can't make much sense of what thevofa is getting at.
            maybe they are trying to imply that buying a breed of dog is a bad idea due to puppy farmers and would make you as bad as pederasts and genocidal maniacs, but I think that is a very long bow to draw.
            or perhaps they are tying to say that you want to be a good person like the POTUS then better to not have a pet? nweiot sure.

            if you want a rottie then get a rottie, but probably best to have a look at them first or do a bunch of research on the breeder. probably are mixed breeds with some rottweiler genetics in it at the local shelter (if you live in a place with one).

            • -1

              @wordplay:

              But it doesn't matter because I can't make much sense of what thevofa is getting at.

              Read the last line of my comment.

            • -1

              @wordplay:

              I can't make much sense of what thevofa is getting at.

              Was thinking exactly that.

              Gandhi wanted he wanted.

              Mother Teresa wanted what she wanted.

              My dog wants what she wants.

      • +4

        Because a lot of people seem to fixated on getting some very particular breed, not realising it's like choosing a car based on colour. Of course breeds have certain traits and personalities, but those are shared across breeds and mixes.

        I didn't mean to get literally any dog, but one that you think is cool would be one that has the traits that you are after in a pet. Which is probably easier to see by interacting with the animal than basing completely off breed. Because you could end up with a crap rottweiler that doesn't meet your expectations.

      • +2

        If you want a possession or a status symbol, an animal shelter would see you coming…

      • +1

        Are you 5?

    • -4

      i like woman but i don't go pick one from homeless shelter

      okay this came out wrong

      i should be saying i like woman but not everyone of them, same goes the other way round

      • +8

        So where do you buy your women from?

        • +14

          Gumtree obviously.

      • Lucky for you, I think homeless “woman” generally have higher standards than that anyway.

  • +8

    Agree with everyone else. Rescue shelter or rspca. Stay clear of gumtree.

  • +11

    It could come back to bite you.

    • +1

      Who? The pup?

      Like others have said, do not buy an a puppy off Gumtree. Get a rescue dog.

        • Why not? BTW, I didn't neg you.

          • +2

            @[Deactivated]: Maybe they want a young pup than can grow up with her kid(if she has one)

            Can't know the what's it's been through. That said, my relative caught a using a food in a pet carrier from a car park. The cat was wild and absolute terrified of anyone, but now loves people.

            It was nice to see a feral cat become friendly, but sometime it seem like her feral side comes out every now and again

            • +1

              @ozhunter:

              my relative caught a using a food in a pet carrier from a car park.

              That's dedication to OzBargaining…

          • @[Deactivated]: Why not? OP is completely neg-worthy.

            • @HighAndDry: Why is he neg-worthy? For all I know, he could have had a bad experience with a rescue animal before which would be a valid reason not to want another one. Hence my question.

              We had a 3-legged rescue cat who was completely psycho and for the first couple of years would try to scratch my wife if she sat too close to me. We learned to love her and she learned to tolerate my wife :)

              • +2

                @[Deactivated]: A backyard breeder is going to be, in every aspect, worse than a rescue. It'd be a reasonable opinion to have if OP was thinking of buying from a kennel.

                What OP is suggesting is akin to: "I had a bad experience being paid by online transfer, so I'm going to ask for payment by way of an IOU note."

                • @HighAndDry: In other words, you've negged me ( if it was you) because I'm not as judgemental as you are? Hmmm…

        • +8

          Really naive. I own 3 dogs and the best one is the rescue. In fact he is awesome.

        • +3

          Best dog I ever had was a rescue, a rottie X kelpie. He was a once in a lifetime dog.

        • +2

          In my experience rescue dogs and cats are the nicest. They've had shit experiences and appreciate the love

  • +13

    Loads of scumbag backyard breeders on Gumtree, especially 'status' breeds like rotties. Most won't provide you with any assurance regarding conditions like hip dysplasia screen, you have no idea about the living conditions. Also, it's a dumb idea to buy a pup sight unseen.

    I hope this was a troll post.

      • +19

        The issue with purchasing off a backyard breeder is more around enabling and supporting a terrible part of the industry.

        • +3

          Also disease. I've seen countless heartbroken couples lose their puppy to parvo after buying it from a pet shop who clearly sources from unethical unregistered breeders who should be jailed for animal neglect.

      • +3

        You say that now…

      • +9

        You're literally adopting without seeing the pup or bitch. You have no idea about the genetics, so count on more than a 'few problems.' You also don't know if the pup has been abused or socialised, or if it's actually a rottie (plenty of bogus 'Frenchies' on gumtree).

        There's plenty of irresponsible breeding these days, like mating close relatives or even siblings, which is partly why we have so many breed-related problems. By walking away, you discourage that, not 'throwing away' a pup. And if you can't even pay to travel and visit the pup first, yeah, good luck affording a decade of pet ownership.

      • +4

        $20k later…

      • +3

        There are a few issues:

        1. Practically for you, if you're buying on Gumtree I'm going to guess you're not rolling in it, and dog medical issues are expensive.

        2. Principally, it's bad to encourage backyard breeders because they generally keep their dogs in bad conditions.

      • +1

        A few problems that can run into thousands in vet bills (not hard to go well beyond 10k) and you basically enabling the scumbags to continue this practice. maybe they are legit, but I would do some research, if they are a legitimate breeder they will be easy to locate online and reviews. Add in the possibility of losing your dough to a scammer (of which their are thousands on gumtree) and this really seems like a bad idea all around.

  • +5

    Always best to visit the owners first and to see the living conditions of the pups. Not only to make sure you get what you pay for and to make sure you get a healthy pup, but to make sure your money isnt given to animal abusers.

    If you cant find a dog from RSPCA or similar organisations, at least get a local one. Otherwise, if you really dgaf, then theres no reason for anyone to gaf if you get scammed.

  • +13

    I’ll reply properly when I’m home but you should go and visit the pup, make sure it is being bred in good conditions, make sure the mum is there.

    If you can’t get there, then Uber or hire a car or go with a friend /family member. If you can’t afford a Uber then I’d question whether you can afford a dog.

    I agree rescue dogs are great but puppies are good as well and getting a puppy as your first dog is a better idea.

    Check out http://www.rottweilerclubofvictoria.com

  • +14

    let's just say if i do end up transferring money, they decide to not send the pup, is there anything i can do about that? any legal action i can take?

    You'd take legal action against someone but can't be bothered to travel to the pet in the first place?

  • +11

    OP is 'stubbornly' new here. Why dont we just let OP buys the pup from gumtree?

    /Thread close.

  • +3

    Here OP - https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/puppies/rottweiler.asp

    As for me personally, I've bought a dog off gumtree before, back in 2008. He's practically an inbred but fairly hardy.

    Learning from that experience, I then bought two dogs from a breeder off dogzonline. Both healthy, beautiful and I had one flown in and the other delivered to me so in my case, it worked out.

  • +9

    I get the whole not wanting to adopt but supporting backyard breeders or pet farms is a whole different thing.

    You have to be truly twisted to adopt an animal to love but encourage its mother to suffer a living nightmare.

    Go through a kennel. They cost a bit more but you can check that it isn't inbred.

    • -4

      You have to be truly twisted to adopt an animal to love but encourage its mother to suffer a living nightmare.

      Not sure where you're getting at with this. When I was a kid our parents got us 2 kittens and 2 puppies. Both female, but some random male cat got them pregnant and those 2 had 9 kittens between them. We gave them all away.

      Same thing with puppies later on, there's was no way my parents we going to keep all the puppies; way too expensive. At least with them, they could sell for around $400 ea

      • +5

        Was desexing not available back then?

        • +13

          it was but i guess ozhunters parents really wanted kids.

          • +2

            @altomic: Harsh …but funny.

        • +2

          It was, but they put it off for too long, but a couple years later both cats and both dogs got desexed.

      • +6

        The difference is that in your scenario your parents weren’t intentionally forcing the pets to get pregnant again and again and again for profit. That’s what a large number of people are doing and using gumtree to sell them to uncaring cheapskates.

        • +3

          They were just plain irresponsible.

      • +2

        I hope you learned how to desex your pets later in life. If you did this in the ACT today you'd be up for tens of thousands in fines (not desexing animals over 6 months of age, breeding animals without a licence, not registering animals)

        • I wish this was Australia wide

  • +2

    Never use scumtree
    www.dogzonline.com.au

  • +11

    OP is too lazy to get a driver's licence, only interacts via Gumtree and can't be (profanity) travelling to meet, interact and see the living conditions of a pup. This will not end well.

  • +8

    just to ramp up this troll post-

    just spoke to OP, he is buying the puppy to fatten it up so he can eat it on Jesus's birthday.

    • +2

      Amen, brah….

      Oh wait what??

      • +2

        groups seeking to offend by comment-
        *animal welfare supporters
        *vegans
        *christians
        .
        .
        moral outrage level reached - DEFCON 1

        • Lets nuke em all whingers…

        • +1

          DEFCON 1? Maybe if he names it Mohammed.

  • +1

    Contact your local Rottweiller Club. They will tell you who the good breeders are, any issues like hips related to the breed, and you're sure to get a pedigreed dog with proper papers. You could be sold a pup (sorry) on Gumtree.

  • +2

    Is there a way to remove the "HIGHLIGHTED DISCUSSION TOPICS" from the bottom of the front page. This is getting quite ridiculous.

    It was OK when they were mildly amusing, but its just gone too far now.

    • +2

      basically, i think this is what OZB has turned into, i was confused why, but now it makes sense, this site attracts slack jawed trogladites who cant scrap 2 dollars together and make poor life and financial choices, it all makes sense, … they need to use this site to make ends meet but then just go an buy usless crap to save 13 cents cash back…. reminds me of south partk, 1 for $20 or 3 for $50 you dont know how to shop… lol YOLO!!!!

  • +4

    You want a rottie
    You don’t want to travel to see the living conditions
    You have no idea of the pup’s or parent’s living conditions (puppy farms etc)
    You have no proof of health or lineage

    Once you have this dog, how will you get it to the vet when something goes wrong, without a car? You can’t take dogs on public transport in most states (VIC allows it but only if crated).

    If you are going to insist on getting this dog, adopt it. RSPCA’s dogs available for adoption are dominated by rottie and rottie crossbreeds.

    At the end of the day, based on your attitude, I wouldn’t be surprised if this poor dog ends up back at RSPCA…

    • -1

      i dont drive, my bro used to untill he moved interstate, i had to take the lab to the vet a few times,.. i managed with a mate and then uber.. had to convince them he was a guide dog ;-)

      • +1

        The only way you could get your dog to the vet was by lying to an Uber driver and hoping they fell for your lie? Not sure that's a reliable method..

        • -1

          it was not the ONLY way, seams to be your inference, it was a way, and was convenient too.

  • +13

    im not sure you should be taking on the responsibility of a dog a this stage.

  • Like everyone here says, don't buy from gumtree. I almost bought a dog there but backed out because it was too good to be true. A lot of peoples' dogs there are from pounds/shelters or just backyard bred. There's not much of a difference but getting them directly from pounds/shelters are way better because the animals are desexed and vaccinated, no backyard breeders will do that. There's also people who are just looking to get rid of their dogs. The vast majority of people who are trying to do this are doing it because they are irresponsible owners who realize how much work goes into owning a pet, and their pet has awful habits picked up from lack of proper training.

    If you get a backyard bred Rottie it will most likely have hip dysplasia. The cost for treatment (not to mention having to have their hips x-rayed prior) is more than it costs to get a well bred dog from dogzonline. Don't be greedy, support good practices.

  • How much for postage?

    • +1

      Should try to find one from ebay+ - save on postage!

  • +1

    I got my dog from DogzOnline under older dogs. Any dog older than puppy age goes there. You can literally buy a young dog from a registered breeder with complete papers for far less price.

    https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/mature/rottweiler.asp

    Cheaper pets attract expensive after care and vets bills.

  • +3

    Many yrs ago I found a breeder via online advert but actually went to see conditions and parents. Both parents had papers of pure breed but the dog I was getting was a mix of 2 breeds and not being sold with any papers. Everything was fine, all pups and parents in good condition. Took home our new 6wk old Aust Silky/Jack Russell and 17yrs later (as of Oct 2017) she went into the great unknown. So I think I did really well with that one.
    Not long after we got our pup, my husbands parents found a pure Silky breeder near us (they lived 800kms away) and had us go check out the breeder and the dogs. All was great and they had the chosen pup flown to them a few wks later. Always pays to check out the breeder and conditions of the parents and the pups.

    As of 26 May 2017 new laws came into effect in Qld regarding the selling or giving away of dogs.

    "Anyone who breeds a dog (including professional or occasional breeders, ‘mum and dad’ breeders, ‘accidental’ breeders and
    people who give away dogs or puppies) must register as a dog breeder within 28 days of a litter being born, unless they qualify
    for an exemption. A dog breeder is a person who has a female dog with a litter.
    A person must have a supply number to advertise, sell or give their dogs or puppies to another person."

    Pet shops must included the breeder registration of all dogs the get to sell. Just to give away a pet that you did not breed, you must register for exemption.

    Hopefully this has helped to stop or reduce the 'backyard' breeders that don't care about the dogs just the money they make from them.

    • It's a great move on the surface, but I worry it will encourage accidental breeders to act even less responsibly.

      It seems to me that a large proportion of accidental large, short haired dog pups end up in rescues already - I'm not sure what will happen when the owner faces penalties for not doing the paperwork.

  • +12

    I work as a vet, so I'm probably in a good position to answer this.

    Hip dyspladia is a big problem in rotties. It starts at about 6 months of age, and they either need major surgery or a lifetime of pain relief.

    It's heavily genetic, and responsible registered breeders will get a hip score done on the parents to make sure it's not passed on.

    I still see it, and it's almost exclusively in gumtree dogs.

    I worked at the RSPCA for a few years a while back, and every surrendered rottie had it. These are usually dogs that were bought online.

    While working at the shelter, we raided a puppy farm. It was horrendous. Please don't support these people.

    • I’d like a Dog, is contacting a Vet a good way of finding a healthy dog? I’m assuming you’d be aware of litters through patients?

    • +1

      OP doesn’t care. He/she wants what he/she wants 🙄🙄🙄

  • +2

    get a rescue, they need homes. I have a rescue and I love him so much, he was a few months to being put down before we got him, best decision I've ever made

  • +3

    OP is a douche.

  • +11

    OZbargain should put restrictions on forum posts. The OP only signed up 23hours ago. Make you wait at least 7 days, and 10 comments or something along those lines

    • Agree 200%.

      Should be like Reddit sale where you cant post until you reach a certain Karma/Post.

      Need to avoid some newcomers(aka retards) from posting about having no car insurance and asking for help when they should be seeking professional advice.

  • +6

    Wouldn’t getting transport be a more pressing concern than getting a Rottweiler?

    • You'd think so, but stop being logical, this is the Internet.

      Maybe OP is of really small stature and plans on getting a really big rottie to ride around? Makes about as much sense as this thread.

  • +1

    If looking for specific breed please go for registered breeders.. even go interstate if you have to.

    I'll also go look at rescue dogs.. you will be surprised how many pure breds are abandoned.

    Back yard breeders from gumtree normally charge for a lower price but the price you pay after you get your pup is way higher…

    Back yard breeding normally didn't care if they are breeding their dog with a sibling or parent and have very limited poor conditions for pups, these pups normally comes with genetic or environmental sickness that takes a lot to cure.

    Registered breeders you can assure your pup is from good parents who the breeders have checked on, grew up in good places for breeding (normally large estates in the outskirts or farms) and are checked regularly with vets before bringing them to you.

    Please don't promote backyard breeding by paying them to do it.

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