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#1
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Beware this Backyard Breeder in Calgary
Weepurrs is a backyard breeder (kitten mill) in Calgary run by Phyllis
Mikesell. Her house is filthy and reeks of cat urine. (My first mistake - I should have turned around the minute I smelled/saw the place.) The kitten she sold me for $600 is the most adorable little guy in the world and my family has fallen in love with him. He is five months old. Unfortunately, we have since learned that he has several health problems including Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), which will kill him. Phyllis offers a "one year health guarantee" but has not returned any of my phone calls or emails. The vet doubts that I will ever get my money back and I will be forced to have him eunathized when his illness gets very bad. Please be careful when you invest your money and your heart in an animal. Just because the breeder seems reputable because they are listed on several web sites and is a member of organizations like CFA and TICA doesn't necessarily mean they are reputable. Check it out for yourself - insist on seeing the area where the cats live, as well as the parents of the kitten you are buying. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. And if you become aware of a kitten mill like this, raise hell. Someone needs to protect those cats and prevent people like Phyllis from exploiting them. |
#2
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And why aren't you reporting this person to the local SPCA, rescue groups or
law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing the animal cruelty laws in your area? I would think with such deplorable conditions you'd be reporting it to them. Yes, backyard breeders need to be stopped but they need to be reported first. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com wrote in message oups.com... Weepurrs is a backyard breeder (kitten mill) in Calgary run by Phyllis Mikesell. Her house is filthy and reeks of cat urine. (My first mistake - I should have turned around the minute I smelled/saw the place.) The kitten she sold me for $600 is the most adorable little guy in the world and my family has fallen in love with him. He is five months old. Unfortunately, we have since learned that he has several health problems including Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), which will kill him. Phyllis offers a "one year health guarantee" but has not returned any of my phone calls or emails. The vet doubts that I will ever get my money back and I will be forced to have him eunathized when his illness gets very bad. Please be careful when you invest your money and your heart in an animal. Just because the breeder seems reputable because they are listed on several web sites and is a member of organizations like CFA and TICA doesn't necessarily mean they are reputable. Check it out for yourself - insist on seeing the area where the cats live, as well as the parents of the kitten you are buying. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. And if you become aware of a kitten mill like this, raise hell. Someone needs to protect those cats and prevent people like Phyllis from exploiting them. |
#3
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I have reported her to the SPCA - they have had several complaints
about this woman but every time they go there the place is spotless, so they will not go again. She is very clever, although I can't imagine all this being worth it. Couldn't she make a much better living raising healthy cats and not being so dishonest? I also called several breeders associations in the area, and they have ALL heard of her. But they WILL NOT intervene in a dispute between a breeder and a buyer - I am in the process now of filing a formal complaints with TICA. One organization told me that she used to cross-breed Ragdolls with Himalayans, and then selling the Himalayans as purebreds. It just disgusts me that nobody is willing to DO anything when everyone knows what she is up to! My next move is to post an ad in the local paper where she advertises her kittens, telling people to check with the local breeders before they buy a cat from her. |
#4
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I don't think you have too many options here. If you publically state that
she is being dishonest then she could sue you for slander. How did you discover that her place is spotless from the SPCA? If they found no wrongdoing then the only option is to write to a newspaper or something. Maybe they can do a story about this person. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com wrote in message ups.com... I have reported her to the SPCA - they have had several complaints about this woman but every time they go there the place is spotless, so they will not go again. She is very clever, although I can't imagine all this being worth it. Couldn't she make a much better living raising healthy cats and not being so dishonest? I also called several breeders associations in the area, and they have ALL heard of her. But they WILL NOT intervene in a dispute between a breeder and a buyer - I am in the process now of filing a formal complaints with TICA. One organization told me that she used to cross-breed Ragdolls with Himalayans, and then selling the Himalayans as purebreds. It just disgusts me that nobody is willing to DO anything when everyone knows what she is up to! My next move is to post an ad in the local paper where she advertises her kittens, telling people to check with the local breeders before they buy a cat from her. |
#5
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I think if I word the ad carefully I can get away with it. Something
like; "Before buying from Weepurrs cattery, please check with your local breeder first." I'm sure the newspaper would advise me. |
#6
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The SPCA told me that they had been there before and that the place was
always perfect, but admit that something is obviously wrong there if so many people are complaining. I can't for the life of me figure out how she gets rid of the smell. I was thinking about campaigning her neighbours - maybe if enough of them complain she would get her business licence revoked. |
#7
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I have to wonder why you didn't adopt a cat from a local shelter? So many
need good homes and buy purchasing from a breeder you merely add to the overpopulation problem not to mention deny a cat that needs it a good and loving home. BTW, even if you were to defame this person in an ad you could still get sued. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com wrote in message oups.com... I think if I word the ad carefully I can get away with it. Something like; "Before buying from Weepurrs cattery, please check with your local breeder first." I'm sure the newspaper would advise me. |
#8
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And the purpose of campaigning the neighbors would achieve what exactly? In
some ways you would be partly to blame for keeping her in business by purchasing a cat from her. If you truly wanted a cat you could have gotten one from the shelter that needed a home and also save a life. $600 is a lot of money and many animal shelters that rescue cats could have used it. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com wrote in message oups.com... The SPCA told me that they had been there before and that the place was always perfect, but admit that something is obviously wrong there if so many people are complaining. I can't for the life of me figure out how she gets rid of the smell. I was thinking about campaigning her neighbours - maybe if enough of them complain she would get her business licence revoked. |
#9
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1. let her sue you the publicity would not help her.
2. Arrange a sting operation with the SPCA (i assume this an equivalent of the RSPCA (Royal society for the protection of cruetly to animals) http://www.rspca.org.uk 3. It's a good job this did'nt happen to me i would be in lockdonw by now 4. campain outside her house or leaflet the nearest telephone poles/streetlamps "Cat Protector" wrote in message news:NcYDd.9428$2_4.808@okepread06... I have to wonder why you didn't adopt a cat from a local shelter? So many need good homes and buy purchasing from a breeder you merely add to the overpopulation problem not to mention deny a cat that needs it a good and loving home. BTW, even if you were to defame this person in an ad you could still get sued. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com wrote in message oups.com... I think if I word the ad carefully I can get away with it. Something like; "Before buying from Weepurrs cattery, please check with your local breeder first." I'm sure the newspaper would advise me. |
#10
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I think the best way to handle her is legally and carefully... she is
very clever but I know I have already scared the crap out of her. She is not answering her phone, and I made several enquiries about her cats via email (disguised as someone else, of course) and she has not responded. So for now, she is not selling cats, which is good! I am currently filing a formal complaint with TICA which will hopefully strip her of her license to sell purebreds. (Not that that would stop her, but it's a step in the right direction.) As I told her (in one of the million emails I sent her) I will not rest until she is shut down. I will keep after her until she has no more cats. She will never know if it's me (or someone on my behalf) asking about a cat, and she will spend the rest of her life living in fear. Hopefully she just gives up the cat business. My cat is doing fine right now - his corona titre came in very high but there is a chance he will survive. I hope so, because he is the sweetest, most loveable little guy in the world. (Just very spoiled right now!) |
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