Be AWARE!

So since my last post on Instagram regarding scam dog/cat sellers and breeders, I've been getting a lot of questions on where or how to find a good puppy or cat in Kuwait. I would recommend adopting from shelters or rescue groups (click here) as they usually have such great animals waiting for a forever home.
As I was doing research online I found a guide by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Australia) and it is so simple and straight to the point so I decided to share it with you all. ( I know it says puppy buyer but the same thing applies to buying a cat or any other animal).

RSPCA Smart Puppy Buyer's Guide:


Follow our Smart Puppy Buyer’s Guide and
you’ll be on the right track to taking home a
healthy, well-adjusted puppy and helping to
prevent the sale of puppies from puppy mills
or irresponsible breeders.


Healthy puppies come from breeders who:
1. Plan ahead and aim to find good homes for every puppy
they breed
2. Provide a high standard of care and living conditions for
all their dogs
3. Are genuinely concerned about the welfare of their dogs
4. Are open to questions and provide a complete history
of the puppy
5. Make sure that you will suit the puppy and the puppy
will suit you
6. Breed to produce happy, healthy pets, free from known
genetic disorders
7. Provide ongoing support and information to new owners
8. Provide a guarantee
9. Provide references on request
10. Meet all their legal requirements


Finding a good breeder means asking these
important questions:
1. Did the breeder plan ahead for this litter?
A responsible dog breeder plans each pregnancy and knows
that there is enough demand for their puppies to ensure they
will all go to good homes.
Ask the breeder if this pregnancy was planned, how many
litters the mother has already had (six should be the maximum
over her whole life), and what they will do with any unsold
puppies (a good breeder will hang on to them until the right
home can be found).

2. Are you impressed with the standard of
care and living conditions of the dogs?
It’s really important that you visit the puppy in the place where
it was born and meet its mum (and dad too, if he’s around).
• Check whether the place is clean and there is enough space
for the puppies and adult dogs to move around and exercise
and there are things for the pups to chew on and play with.
• Ask what the puppies are fed and how often. A good
breeder will provide information on how to feed your
puppy before you take it home.
• Ask about health checks, worming and vaccinations and
what documents will come home with your puppy. A good
breeder will make sure all puppies have a full veterinary
health check and are microchipped, vaccinated and treated
for worms and fleas before they are sold, and will provide
you with records of these treatments.
• Watch how the puppies and the adult dogs in the home
behave – are they friendly with people and other dogs?
A good breeder will make sure the puppies and breeding
dogs are friendly and well-socialised.


If the breeder is reluctant for you to visit, or wants you to
meet the puppy in another place, find another breeder. Puppy
farms will often use a house as a ‘shop front’ so you don’t get
to see the poor conditions they breed dogs in. Don’t buy a
puppy from a pet shop or through an internet or newspaper
advertisement without being able to visit its home, as you can’t
check out the conditions in which the puppy was bred or know
where it came from.


{PUPPY FARMS}
A puppy farm (also known as a puppy factory
or puppy mill) is defined as: an intensive
dog breeding facility that is operated under
inadequate conditions that fail to meet the dogs’
behavioural, social and/or physiological needs.
Puppy farms are usually large-scale commercial
operations, but inadequate conditions may also
exist in small volume breeding establishments
which may or may not be run for profit.


3. Is the breeder genuinely concerned about
the welfare of their dogs?
Good breeders want the best for all their animals, from new
puppies to retired breeding dogs. They take steps to ensure this
by providing detailed advice to new owners about how to care
for their puppy, and don’t have old breeding dogs put down
because they’re no longer productive.
• Ask the breeder what happens to their retired breeding
animals – are they kept or rehomed?
• If the breed you’ve chosen was traditionally docked, what is
the breeder’s view on tail docking? (Routine tail docking of
puppies is no longer legal in Australia.)
• If you are not intending to breed from your puppy, the
breeder should provide advice on desexing (unless your
puppy has been desexed already).
You should be provided with information on diet, socialisation, 
registration and identification requirements, and any 
medications or vaccinations given or required in the future.


4. Is the breeder open to questions and do they
provide a complete history of the puppy?
Good breeders want to make sure you are well-informed
about your new puppy and will provide information on the
background, size, breed and temperament of his parents.
They are willing to answer questions and allow inspection
of records and paperwork such as registration documents
and veterinary records. A breeder who refuses to answer
reasonable questions probably has something to hide.

5. Does the breeder make sure you will suit
the puppy and the puppy will suit you?
A new puppy is a long-term commitment,
so both you and the breeder need to be
certain you are making the right decision.
A good breeder will ask you questions to
make sure this is the right puppy for you
and that you’re able to care for it properly.
For example, they might ask:
• if you have children or other animals
in the household
• where your puppy will be sleeping, and
• how often it will be left on its own.
They should also tell you what to expect from the breed, such
as how suitable it is for families and how much space and
exercise is needed. If you’re at all uncomfortable with what
you are told, you might want to consider another breed.


6. Is your puppy bred to be a pet and free
from known inherited disorders?
Different breeds are predisposed to different inherited disorders
or diseases. Some of these aren’t apparent until later in a dog’s
life but can have devastating consequences. Some breeds also
have exaggerated features that can cause problems, like a
squashed-in face, which makes it hard to breathe, or very short
legs, which can lead to spinal problems.
A good breeder will be aware of, and screen for, any known
disorders or anatomical problems specific to the breed and will
exclude dogs with problems from breeding. They will be able to
show you copies of veterinary reports and screening tests to
confirm this. They should also breed to minimise any exaggerated
physical traits specific to the breed that are known to have an
adverse impact on the health and welfare of the dog.
• Find out what inherited diseases occur in your chosen breed
(an internet search for inherited diseases and the breed name
will help you) and ask the breeder what steps they have
taken to prevent them.
• One proven way to minimise the risk of inherited problems
is to avoid breeding closely related animals. If you are buying
a purebred dog, you should check your puppy’s pedigree to
make sure there are no close relative matings, such as brother-
sister or grandfather-granddaughter matings.
• Ask the breeder what they think are the most important
characteristics in their puppies. A good breeder will put
health, welfare and temperament above appearance. Some
breeders put success in the show ring above all else, but
breed prizes such as ‘best in show’ don’t mean that a dog’s 
puppies will be good family pets as show dogs are judged
on their appearance, not their behaviour.

7. Does the breeder offer to provide ongoing support and information after purchase?
A good breeder will provide full contact details and encourage
you to get in touch if you need more information on the care
of your new puppy.

8. Does the breeder provide a guarantee?
What if you take the puppy home and it has a health problem,
or doesn’t get on with your children or pet cat and you can’t
cope? A good breeder will offer to take back unwanted animals
within a specified time period after sale. They should also offer
to accept animals returned as a result of problems arising from
an inherited disorder at any time after sale.


9. Does the breeder provide references
to back up what they have told you?
You’ve asked a lot of questions, but you’d like to be absolutely
sure that the breeder is genuine. A good breeder will
readily provide references on request, including testimonials
from previous or existing owners, letters from the vet, and
documents indicating membership of a
breed association, canine council or
companion animal club.

10.  Is the breeder meeting all legal
requirements?
Requirements for dog breeders vary from state to state, but it’s
a good idea to call your local council and ask whether breeders
have to be registered with them and if there is a code of
practice or guidelines that they should be following. If the
answer’s yes, you can ask the breeder for their registration
details and what guidelines they follow.


{REGISTERED BREEDERS}
Pedigree or purebred dog breeders are often
referred to as ‘registered breeders’ when they
are members of a breed club or association that
operates a stud book or register. The term may
also be used to refer to someone who is registered
with their local council as a breeder (also called a
‘recognised’ breeder).
While breed associations do have rules and
guidelines for their members, being ‘registered’ 
does not necessarily mean a breeder is responsible
or meets good animal welfare standards. To make
sure your breeder is a good breeder, you need
to ask the right questions before you buy. That’s
why we’ve written this guide.


If your breeder meets our
Smart Puppy Buyer’s Guide,
Congratulations!
Thanks to their excellent care and
breeding practices, your puppy
has had a great start in life – the
rest is up to you. Before you
take your puppy home, check
out our information on puppy
training and make sure you
talk to your local vet
about desexing!


{WHY DESEXING IS SO IMPORTANT}
Desexing isn’t just about preventing unwanted
pregnancies, it can actually make your dog healthier
and happier.
Desexed dogs:
• are better protected from certain illnesses
and diseases
• are generally less aggressive towards other dogs
• tend to be more affectionate
• are less inclined to roam or mark their territory
• are less inclined to display mating behaviours
such as mounting
Some research shows desexed dogs actually
live longer.
The RSPCA practises early age desexing from the
age of eight weeks when the surgery is simple and
recovery is rapid. If your puppy was not desexed
prior to sale, they must be desexed before they are
able to produce any unintended litters of puppies.
There is absolutely no benefit in letting females have
one litter before they are desexed.
Talk to your vet about desexing, microchipping and
vaccinations. They’re all important parts of being
a responsible dog owner and will ensure your new
best friend stays healthy and happy.


OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
• RSPCA Knowledgebase www.kb.rspca.org.au
• RSPCA Pet Insurance
www.rspcapetinsurance.org.au 
• World of Animal Welfare www.woaw.org.au






With all this in mind, it is important to know that puppies or kittens that fit these standards are NOT CHEAP! It takes a lot of money for a breeder to keep his dogs or cats up to such high quality standards. It is better to spend 500KD on  pet that you know is healthy and fit to be a part of your family than 500KD (or as I'm finding out on Instagram 800+ KD) on puppies or kittens that are clearly poorly-bred, unhealthy and with no records of any type (no, vaccine records aren't enough).

I'll leave you with pictures of Puppymills, where most petshop pets come from.