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PUPPY FARM EXPOSED

ILL | the puppy Inside Out purchased

Inside Out Extra uncovers the misery behind the puppy farming trade, and asks why council officials did not act sooner to stop a puppy farm near Farnham.

There are a number of disreputable dog breeders out there who are in the business just for the money.

The Inside Out Extra team decided the only way to check the true health of puppies being sold by one breeder, at Keepers Cottage Stud near Farnham, was to buy one.

So, they sent an undercover vet, posing as a buyer, to investigate complaints.

Infestation

Vet John Hawkridge bought a 13-week-old white German Shepherd bitch for £440. He then gave her a thorough examination and carried out a series of tests.

The results were shocking. The puppy turned out to have a gut infection, mange and an infestation of fleas, ear mites and worms.

John was appalled at what he found. He says, "It's the sort of thing I saw quite frequently 30 years ago and I really thought these sorts of places no longer existed."

Breeder

Keepers Cottage is run by John Lowe who lied to John, telling him that tests had been carried out on the puppy's parents to check for serious hereditary problems.

Vet John Hawkridge and Chris Packham: shocked

Inside Out has discovered that no such tests were ever conducted.

Mr Lowe is well known to Surrey Trading Standards department which has a long list of complaints from people who have bought puppies from his kennels.

Many of those puppies have fallen ill within days of being bought, and some have since died.

Dreams dashed

Ian Birch, from Petworth, West Sussex, will never forget the day he bought a West Highland white puppy from Mr Lowe as a birthday present for his 12 year old daughter, Vicky.

The dog fell ill within two days and had to be put down.

A few days later the family's eight-year-old German Shepherd, Khan, became ill too and also had to be put to sleep. Mr Birch's four children were heartbroken.

Twelve-year-old Vicky wrote a letter to Mr Lowe. She wrote;

"The West Highland puppy my Dad bought me for my birthday made my dreams come true. I loved him from the moment I saw him because he was so cute, sweet, and loveable.

"My dream became sorrow when he became ill... it has broken my heart to lose him and I want to thank you for breaking my heart. I'm wondering if you have children would you let their hearts be broken like mine is?"

Mr Lowe did not reply to Vicky's letter or others written by her father.

John Lowe: selling pups from behind a metal grid

Ian Birch is still furious and warns other people not to go near Mr Lowe.

His advice is, "Stay away from him and don't give him the pleasure of taking your money as that's all he wants... He's not concerned about the animals."

Huge vet bills

Others who have bought from Keepers Cottage Stud feel the same way.

Jillian Macdonald, of Woodley, near Reading, bought a female German Shepherd from Mr Lowe which turned out to have parvo virus - a killer disease.

Her dog survived but not before she had passed the disease to the family's Golden Labrador, costing them £2,500 in vet bills.

Miss MacDonald won a court judgement against Mr Lowe. So how does she feel about him?

"I really hate him and he shouldn't be allowed to get away with this any longer. People need to speak up to stop him," she says.

Public complaints

Following Inside Out's investigation, Waverley Borough Council decided not to renew Mr Lowe's licence, but why did it take them so long to act, when their own inspecting vet had written two secret reports alleging cruelty at the kennels?

In August 2003, he said the RSPCA should be consulted "at the highest level".

Again in January 2004, he said it was cruel to have dogs chained up in all weathers, and one guard dog he saw had "raw sores" all over its body.

The inspecting vet said that the only lucky ones were the pups that got sold, and who then stood the chance of a decent life.

Waverley Borough Council said it cannot comment because it doesn't want to prejudice an appeal.

Declined comment

Phillip Underwood: Now visiting regularly

Although Mr Lowe spoke to Inside Out on the telephone, he did not want to be interviewed. Instead, he agreed that we could speak to his vet, Phillip Underwood.

Mr Underwood, says that until our investigation, he had not been to the kennels for three years. He is now visiting fortnightly, and said he is introducing systems to ensure conditions, which he admits were bad, do improve.

Mr Lowe's licence expires on Thursday March 25, 2004. A preliminary appeal is due to be heard on April 1, 2004.

Growing strong

The puppy which Inside Out purchased (pictured at the top of this page), has gone to a new home and is on a fast track course to learn the social skills which she missed out on, when she grew up with Mr Lowe.

Buying advice

The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) suggest the following basic points should be considered before buying any dog:

• Remember that this is a lifelong commitment - ask yourself if you are prepared for this responsibility
  
• Dogs need time and attention - if you work long hours, a dog is probably not the pet for you
  
• Dogs need space - think whether your home is big enough
  
• Dog food and vet bills are a regular cost - consider whether you can afford this
  
• When choosing a puppy, a healthy pup will also be inquisitive, alert and playful with a glossy coat
  
• It is better to wait for the ideal canine partner rather than to choose impulsively, so you may have to save up or be on a waiting list
  

To avoid purchasing a problem pup, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) give the following advice:

• Never buy from an unlicensed breeding establishment
• If unsure, ask to see the breeder's licence
  
• Avoid adverts offering lots of different breeds for sale
• Insist on seeing the puppy with its mother where it was raised
• Never buy a pup sold straight from a car boot or at an open-air event like a market

The Kennel Club add:

• Always buy from reputable breeders - contact the Kennel Club for breeder details (see weblinks section below)
• Never buy if you feel sorry for a puppy - they can invariably be ill
  
• If you suspect ill-treatment on behalf of a breeder, report the breeder to the local authority or RSPCA
  
• Assess the state of the house where the dog is raised