What would you do?

I've read quite a few threads here about puppy farms, bad breeders, rescues etc etc... and all the arguments which result from these issues... but now I have a hypothetical question (a situation I have come across twice in my lifetime, and I'm 40 now, and its not an issue I'm dealing with at the moment so it really is hypothetical...)

What would you do if you are a doggy person, have always had dogs, love dogs and want the best for all dogs... and therefore have always taken the utmost care in selecting the breeder of your dogs... no puppy farms, no BYB'ers, full health and genetics checks etc. etc.

But.... then you come across a puppy in dire need... it's very young to be away from it's mum (around 5 weeks), you have no idea as to who the parents are or where it comes from, the person selling it seems rather nasty and the price asked is quite substantial... but: you have loads of experience with dogs and their training, you are financially secure enough to deal with any vet bills, and there is plenty of space in your home and life for another dog... what do you do?

a) walk away because you do not want that nasty man to make money out of his nasty business?
b) pay the money and give the pup a great life for the next 10 to 15 years?

what would you do?

Before we got into dog breeding and showing.. This happened to us.
There was a man up the road selling mongels at 4 weeks, he owned both mum and dad, and was 'bored' of the puppies!
Mum had been invovled in rescue for as long as i could remember so i was around it all my life, We only brought from what we would class decent breeders! Yet when we heard of the pups we went straight around there and brought the whole litter (3 in the litter)..No i dont agree with paying him although he only charged £60 for all 3and after the bitch had recovered from having her pups that money went to spaying her (GREAT)..after hearing that from the man, we have had no other contact with them..Sadly now two of pups from the litter passed with spine problems both at the age of 5..The other from the litter is in a wonderful pet home and doing so well..But in our eyes all 3 pups stood a better chance of surving in our home than in the home of some one that just wanted a cute small pet! ..(we didnt charge for rehoming the pups once they were sorted we kept one, and the other two went to seperate friends)..

we breed and show now we also health test and our dogs are our passion put before everything else..we are still involved in rescue..


If that situation came up again then YES we would help!

Its a no brainer for me - i'd buy the dog !

I'd go for option b.

I'd buy the dog...It's not the puppy/dogs fault at the end of the day I can't see any dog/puppy being mis-treated.

I have in the past bought a dog that I knew wasn't being treated right, looked after the dog and then rehomed it myself to a good home

I'd buy the dog

I'd also buy the dog...

I have done this in the past with other animals when I just couldn't stomach leaving it in cruel hands, not knowing what would happen to it...

Buy it, well Rescue it really! and pay the asking price for it..

I would buy the dog too - wouldn't be able to sleep or live with myself if I didn't. I would just look on it as being the same as going to a rescue centre.

However I would never go anywhere near a suspected puppy farm or the like, not because I am burying my head in the sand but because every time someone puts money into these people's hands they are unwittingly perpetuating the vile trade.

Yes, perhaps buying this hypothetical dog is doing the same thing, but to have the creature there in front of you........

I would report to the SSPCA
I wouldnt buy the pup but I would offer to take it off his hands
Sounds like a puppy farmer and although I would hate the thought of the poor wee puppy suffering if I paid a large amount of money for it then I would be encouraging the man that he could continue making lots of money from poor puppies