Hi, my name is Gina, I'm a writer/journalist in the Netherlands and I registered in here to thank you for showing so much common sense. I don't have a Yorkie of my own, but my neighbor had and has, last year her Yorkie Praline (teacup) died at the age of 6, after a second seizure. I had plucked her out of a vessel full of rainwater once, the neighbor was out to work and Praline somehow managed to climb onto something but then fell into the vessel. If I hadn't heard her cry with her teensie voice, she would probably have drowned from fatigue. She spent some time at our place, we have 2 midsize rescue dogs I rescued myself in 2006 (greyhound/galgo/Belgian shepherd mix and more) who were very patient with the temporary tiny guest.
Since then Praline and I have bonded as friends. And a couple of months later, when the neighbor found a nest of 4 young kittens, barely 1 week young, I helped out and hand fed and washed those critters, and adopted the white one. Praline's been around those cats as a friend too, and more animals were brought into my neighbor's home because her son loves animals so much. I think all of that was too much for Praline at a certain point. One day, my neighbor was looking for Praline, nowhere to be found. The next day, she already had another one from yet another acquaintance who could no longer take care of the dog. Praline also got to my neighbor's via via when she was 2. I don't know why, but I wanted to urge my neighbor to go look in the laundry room behind the washer, because it's warm and safe there. Maybe Praline would be there. I never managed to tell my neighbor, but the next day she came running telling they had found Praline... exactly where I thought she might have been.
So now my neighbor had two Yorkie's, the second was male and a tiny baby, she named him Pikatchu.
I went to visit, I wanted to see Praline myself, the vet had said she had probably suffered a seizure and thought she was very frail, could not say if Praline would make it. There she was, on the couch surrounded by some soft pillows. Looking real ill yes, not really responding, limbs also just hanging. But when I petted Praline on her little head, she opened her eyes and I could feel a spark, she was smiling at me, so I held her in my hands and I remember thinking, how can anyone have such a tiny dog in a house where children (age 5) often come to play, and how fragile she is, but there is still life, I could feel the warmth. So I just sat there stroking her little body and hoping for her to get well again.
The next morning, my neighbor, who had already given up on even finding Praline since she quickly got a replacement, came running telling Praline was up and about and herself again. A few hours later, I could see for myself, she was out in the garden and yes, nothing strange in her movements or anything.
I think about two months later, she did die, and I felt sorry for her, because I knew for a fact she knew Pikatchu was there as a replacement and it must have had an impact on her. She was tiny, but a very gentle and sweet soul.
Anyway, this is my only experience from up close with a Yorkie, and the next story I have IS related to these Korean breeders and USA brokers.
We're keeping tabs on them in Facebook. This emerged about 2 weeks ago, when Viktor Larkhill, founder of a worldwide INTERNET community of animal welfare workers, rescue workers and animal friends in general, posted a blog protesting against the ridiculous business of teacup puppies who were imported from South Korea and found new owners for prices ranging up from 3,500 $ (saw a long coated white mini Pom or Maltese for 6,500$ the other day.....) and the whole entourage surrounding this.......
Dozens of pictures of those tiny creatures with big eyes, fluffy coats and always those fingers there for measurement, real disgusting and sickening, especially if you're involved in animal rescue on a 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week basis depending on a community of 35,500 people around the globe contributing 5 dollars or 10 dollars or whatever they can spare to help get a dog out of a miserable condition, to a vet and then to a foster home after which adoption as a final loving home.
Those are often not the most prettiest dogs. Often dogs who were heavily abused, maltreated, intentionally harmed and left to perish. Not just dogs, also cats! If you have a Facebook account, just check for Let's Adopt! Global and watch the pictures, in YouTube you can find a channel with various clips, Letsadopt...
Our actions were first aimed at Mimi in Houston, who runs Royal Teacup Puppies, but then we found Ms Puppy Connection from Ashley and Justin Anderson, and their website
Teacup Puppies : Maltese, Yorkie, Chihuahua's Designer Puppies For Sale and a pile of complaints on the internet.
I contacted one of her former customers and she told me her story, it is available on the internet, it's about her Yorkie named Gracie who only lived to be 19 days old after she was purchased from Ashley Anderson.
We created a weblog
Ban Teacup Puppy Traders and there you can find Gracie's story under Customer Complaint. The owner can't get into details due to the fact they are still waiting for the case to get to court. She was however very moved and happy more people have caught up on the scamming actions of Ashley Anderson and hopes we will be able to learn more, like WHERE and HOW are those Korean puppies born and bred?
It is true, that she does indeed sell healthy pups. Some of her customers get all angry at us for objecting to the breeding and selling of teacup dogs, but they clearly have no idea or even sense for the bigger picture.
Ashley buys those dogs from Korean websites, for 1200 USD. She then re-sells for 4000 USD. She's also very hostile towards anyone else trying to sell teacup sized pups, we have found some of her rants on other teacup pup facebook shopping walls, because that is what they are, nothing more or less than shopping walls.
I have already placed a link on our weblog to Yorkie Talk in which this particular issue is being discussed, and I would like to thank YOU all for showing so much common sense when it comes to this business. Not only is it very sad to realize that each day thousands of dogs and cats are waiting in shelters for a good home, and their only trip will be one to the gas chamber... for animal rescue workers like Viktor Larkhill and the Let's Adopt! Global community this is a very bitter pill... and those teacup sized dogs, or designer breeds as they are also called, it's just business, for the love of MONEY, and nor for the love of animals.
It simply isn't right. There are various articles to be found on the subject, but not nearly enough to convince buyers to NOT buy these dogs, even if some of them live healthy or without issues, most of the people I have spoken, also closer to home here in the Netherlands and Belgium, there have always been issues "at the start" and that is not how it should be, right?
Why women crave to have such tiny "babies" to pamper all their lives, is another issue. Marketing clips on YouTube show the teensie pups in pink cradles and as living dolls, actually. A dog is a dog, even if it is a small sized dog. It may sit on your lap, sleep on your couch and in bed, it is a dog, it is not a human baby and it should not be dressed in pet designer outfits that look pretty when parading and showing them around.
It's so wrong compared to the thousands of dogs and cats in shelters, among which plenty of teacup dogs can be found, who perhaps turned out a little bit bigger or a little bit
too high maintenance to handle.
Here's a link to an article from 2008 already, about
teacup dogs.
It's 2011 now, going on 2012.
And look how those Korean breeders and brokers are finding markets and customers.. litters monthly available... that can only be puppy mill.....
Thank you for your time, and hoping you will help to inform and educate people about why this teacup dog business is wrong, on so many accounts.
Kind regards,
Gina