At Treaty Vets we witness first hand the high volume of stray animals in Ireland that are desperate for loving forever homes. We always advise clients who are thinking of buying a puppy or dog to check the local dog pounds and animal sanctuaries first. We firmly believe that rescue pets make great pets, and between our staff members we own 34 rescue pets in total, some with horrifying pasts and histories, who have all turned into fantastic and loving family pets!
If you are thinking of buying a puppy here are some helpful tips before you make the decision:
- If you are buying a purebred dog, ask the Irish Kennel Club for a list of responsible registered breeders
- Be wary of classified ads online or in newspapers, especially those from breeders with multiple breeds for sale.
- Never buy a dog without seeing the premises where the mother and puppies are kept. Always ask to see the mother and if possible the father. Responsible breeders keep the mother and puppies well cared for so they should have nothing to hide
- Don’t agree to meet at car parks, pubs etc or if they offer to deliver the pup to your home as this is a common way for puppy farmers to avoid you seeing the conditions the pups have been bred in.
- Kennel club registered puppies must have kennel club papers, vaccination charts and MUST be microchipped and registered on the IKC microchip database by law. A good breeder will want their dogs registered so be wary of breeders who offer to give you the dog without their papers for a cheaper price
- You should be provided with veterinary papers and vaccinations and flea & worming information from the puppy’s vet.
If you have any other questions or need advice about re-homing or buying a puppy, have a chat with one of nurses
