Our Dog Zoey

Beware of Newspaper Ads!

While visiting my daughter in Johannesburg, I answered an advertisement in the Star newspaper which read, "Pups - all breeds - delivery."

I spoke to a "Sally" & requested a female, miniature, long haired dachshund. Sally said the pup would be coming from a litter in Cape Town. (no papers) We agreed on R1650, which included transport & inoculation. To confirm booking, I had to deposit half the amount into the Absa account of K C vd Merwe: a/c 9114930265. A "Natalie" phoned me from Cape Town (or so she said) & arranged to send the dog on Sun 8th May. I was concerned that the dog was so young. She informed that the dog's mother had milk fever & the pups were weaned. She gave me a British Airways flight number and an arrival time of 3pm. I was told to deposit the balance of the money into another Absa a/c - N. vd Merwe a/c 9127499179. She had added a further R100 to my negotiated price. I phoned Port Elizabeth airport to confirm the arrival time & was told there was no such flight.

My husband phoned Natalie & was told Cape Town airport would not receive the puppy as it was too small. She said she would drive to Kimberley & put it on an Express Air flight.

When the puppy arrived, it was not a miniature long-haired dachshund.  I took it to a vet who said it was a crossbreed. He estimated the puppy's age at 10 or 11 weeks. He inoculated the puppy as no vet papers were attached to the crate as discussed with Natalie.  I took the puppy to Port Alfred SPCA who described it as a "township brak." A 2nd vet confirmed the opinion of the first. I had paid R1750 for this puppy.

I asked the police what I could do. The station commander wasn't optimistic but told me to get a valuation of the dog, & he would take it from there. The two vets & SPCA valued it very generously at R300. I laid a charge against Sally vd Merwe. A police inspector took me seriously & phoned Sally vd Merwe. The woman was so rude to her & used such foul language that she lost patience. She told her she was issuing a warrant for her arrest & she was driving to Benoni to fetch her. It would appear that Sally took fright & after a 6 month battle, I was refunded R1200 by her.

I told Carte Blanche about it who aired this scam. I know that in the interest of animals I should have taken the matter farther, but I felt threatened by these unscrupulous people. They now have 400 police dockets against them.

I never considered giving Zoey back to them. She is queen of my heart!

A verse from the Bible I can relate to Zoey is: