Owning a puppy is a great joy, but it can also be a lot of work. Puppies need to be loved, but they also need to be trained. People who own puppies need to be prepared to teach them to sit, stay calm, and how to communicate their needs. Unfortunately, not everyone is up to the task. People who are overwhelmed by the demands of having a dog often just get rid of it, leaving others to hopefully pick up the pieces. That’s exactly what happened to a Jack Russell terrier who had the bad luck of being with a couple who dumped him during a police stop.
16. Heartless
Image: get surrey
400;”>This heartless couple was driving with a six-week-old puppy in the car when they were stopped by police. The police officer didn’t know it yet, but the couple had gotten the dog just hours before. Despite warnings not to buy an animal online, many people take the bait.
15. Shady
Image: gumtree
The police in Surrey, the United Kingdom, had stopped the couple in the wee hours of the morning. Immediately, the couple started talking. They had a story about buying the Jack Russell terrier on a website called Gumtree. The website is an online ad space similar to Craigslist, and the top site in the U.k.
14. Jack Russell
Image: baxter boo
The sale of Buddy definitely raised red flags. At just six-weeks-old, the puppy was far too young to be taken from his mother. The absolute earliest a dog should leave their parents is eight weeks. Buddy hadn’t even had the chance to develop the social skills he needed.
13. Little Buddy
Image: battersea dogs and cats home
The couple may have even dumped the puppy if they had not been stopped by police. The officers quickly took on the dog and gave him a name. The cute Jack Russell was deemed “Little Buddy.” The officers knew just what to do to give him a better chance at a forever home.
12. Saved
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The officers transported their new friend to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in Windsor, Berkshire. Buddy didn’t know it yet, but that was the best thing that could have happened to him. Battersea has been around since 1860, helping every dog and cat they can. The shelter takes in over 7,000 animals a year!
11. Battersea Old Windsor
Image: get west
Sean Welland is the rehoming and welfare manager at Battersea Old Windsor. He said it is all too common for dogs to be bought online and then dumped. “While it is shocking that Buddy had been sold on so young, it’s sadly not uncommon for dogs to be bought online and then swiftly discarded by their owners when they change their minds.”
10. Puppies Are lots of Work
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Weiland explained how bad it is to get a puppy online. “Buying animals online is just as easy as ordering a new pair of shoes or jeans from an internet store. Too many people get a puppy and then decide it’s just too much work. It’s the animal rescuers, such as Battersea, that are left to pick up the pieces.”
9. Gumtree Reacts
Gumtree is aware that people are using its platform to sell puppies and the company does not appreciate it. “We’re glad to hear Buddy was eventually able to find a forever home but it’s disheartening, nevertheless, to hear of these sorts of cases. At Gumtree, we take the welfare of animals seriously and work hard to ensure our site is a safe place to rehome pets.”
8. Increase in Sales
Image: battersea dogs and cats home
The number of dogs being sold online and then abused or abandoned has risen steeply in the last couple of years. Battersea said that there has been a 16% increase in the number of dogs coming to the shelter who had been sold online. But what was Little Buddy’s fate?
7. Forever Home
Image: battersea dogs and cats home
Fortunately for Buddy, he was on his way home to a new place in just a matter of days. He was such a playful and happy presence that everyone in the shelter was charmed by him. Now rather than being with shady characters, he has a family who adores him and understands puppies.
6. The British Virgin Islands
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The British police have a great relationship with the animal rescue community. PFC John Harvey fell in love with a dog while on vacation in the British Virgin Islands. The dog had lost its owners in a hurricane and he was malnourished and shaken.
5. New Home
Image: express. Co. Uk
Harvey refused to give up on the dog, promising him he could come to the U.K. The dog spent 10 days in quarantine in Washington before being released. Virgin Atlantic flew the dog home to the U.K. Harvey praised the Humane Society for doing everything they could to get the dog fit to travel.
4. Taking Action
Image: change. Org
As for Gumtree, it is taking action against people who use the site to improperly buy and sell pets. “We also do not allow ‘wanted’ ads in our Pets category, as there are plenty of pets to choose from on the site and in sanctuaries across the country. We delete any ads we believe are encouraging or indicate signs of animal cruelty.” There are petitions online by animal fans who want to stop the practice of putting animals on Gumtree.
3. A Christmas Story
Image: daily mirror
Battersea has come to the rescue of dogs many times before. A three-legged dog which starred on Paul O’Grady’s ITV Christmas Day show touched a nerve with the public after his homeless owner could no longer care for him. Battersea took in the poor dog, who lived at the shelter for 79 days.
2. Saffie
Image: daily mirror
The dog, who was named Saffie, had hundreds of applicants after he was featured on the TV show. The eight-year-old dog was adopted by a security guard and his wife. The guard said the minute his wife saw the TV show, they knew they had to bring the dog home.
1. Adopt Don’t Shop
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Battersea has three centers and cares for around 200 cats and 270 dogs at any given time. There are many other animals now up for adoption. People interested in adoption can visit the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. The Queen even is a patron of the facility.