San Diego Family Bought a Puppy from a Private Seller and It Died 4 Hours after Purchase

A family in San Diego is devastated after losing their puppy four hours after it was purchased, and new State law is partly responsible for it.

A dog is man's best friend, and Enjoji Spaulding, a San Diego mum, bought one for her children that spent only four hours with them.

Spaulding told "10 News" reporter, Jennifer Kastner, that she wanted to buy a Golden Retriever puppy for her three children but could not afford the ones sold by breeders because the least price is about $2, 500.

Not willing to give up, the mother-of-three searched for one until she came across a website for buying and selling used products — Recycler — and found a Golden Retriever puppy for $900.

Spaulding in the company of her mum, Kate Pardini, met the seller at a parking lot where she paid cash after examining the puppy's vaccination record and the bill for its last physical exam.

The women noted that the puppy looked happy and loved, and the San Diego resident went from the parking lot to her son's school to surprise him. She said that he was thrilled to have a dog at last, and they took it home.

On getting to their home, the little boy and his sister played with the Retriever, and then tragedy struck. Parvovirus suddenly took hold of the dog, causing his bowels to bleed, and immediately, the Spauldings' rushed it to a veterinary clinic.

At the clinic, the vet doctor informed them that the puppy had been sick for so long, and they had to put it down. Spaulding and her children were devastated, she told Kastner that it was at this point she realized the documents of the sale were fake.

All the efforts of the mum-of-three to track down the seller didn't pan out, and she filed a police report of the scam.Scott DiLorenzo, a veterinary doctor, told Kastner that there's an uptick in cases like these since a new State law banning pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits unless they are rescues or came from an animal shelter, came into effect.

The law was intended to stop harmful breeding like those found in puppy mills; however, it has denied pet lovers access to the breeds they want, which has made them susceptible to un-vetted and fraudulent websites.

Another San Diego resident, Lisa Hexom, had a similar ordeal. She bought a Cockapoo dog for $600 from Craigslist and has spent about $3, 000 treating it at the vet.

The American Kennel Club is willing to help pet lovers buy the breeds they want from vetted breeders, and individuals are advised to contact them.