|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
January 1, 2002Dog's ailment costly lesson- Woman says $800 tab for surgery showed value of knowing breederBy PATRICK SULLIVANRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - The owner of a West Highlands White Terrier who bought her dog 14 months ago from a woman who now faces animal cruelty charges says she learned a lesson about how to buy a dog. Kay Jerome had to pay $800 last summer for an operation for her dog Misty, which she bought just prior to Thanksgiving from a downstate woman. That woman, Janet Louise Bidwell, 61, of Spring Lake in Ottawa County, pleaded guilty two weeks ago to misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty and running a kennel without a license. A judge gave her one month to remove 50 of the 170 dogs at her home. This fall, Bidwell refused to take a registered letter from Jerome, whose dog developed a disease that a veterinarian determined was most likely caused by breeding practices, Jerome said. When Jerome's dog developed Legg-Perthes disease, a disease that affects the femur just above the leg, the veterinarian told her that her breeder should be responsible for the cost of the operation to fix the dog's leg. Misty has recovered, but Jerome said that in the future she would try to learn more about a dog breeder before buying a dog. People looking for a dog should learn to distinguish between reputable breeders and people who run puppy mills, said Barbara Brown, a breeder of French bull dogs at Bokhara Pet Care Centers in Traverse City. Brown said many people are willing to shop around for the cheapest dogs. That can be an expensive mistake, she said, because those dogs are more likely to have health problems and their breeders are less likely to take responsibility. "If you're dealing with a reputable breeder, they will always be there for you for the life of this puppy," Brown said. "They're not going to disappear." Jerome said now she realizes that she missed some warning signs when she was dealing with Bidwell. Bidwell would not let her meet Misty's parents. Also, Jerome said she was given a contract when she bought the dog that stated that Bidwell was not responsible for the cost of veterinary care. If the dog was defective, Jerome could exchange it, she said. But after several months living with Misty, Jerome said she was unwilling to consider exchanging her dog. Brown said people should watch out for several things when buying a dog: - Dog breeders should belong to the breed club for the kind of dog they offer. She also believes that only dogs worthy of being shown at dog shows should be bred in order to protect the health of a breed. - Dog breeders should be happy to give references of people they have sold dogs to in the past. - People should also expect to be questioned when they are buying a dog. "They have to remember when they go to a breeder, this breeder is going to ask them questions that they may not want to answer," she said. Bidwell, who maintains that she has not been cruel to her dogs, could not be reached for comment on this story. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
|
