Bad Breeder in Red Bluff, California - Page 1

I want to let everyone know about my experiences with Henry Reighnard of Redbluff California. I bought an AKC GSD who was diagnosed with parvo virus 3 days after I took her home. He claimed to have given her all her shots. He refuses to talk with me further and a lawsuit is in process. I would encourage everyone to look elsewhere. My intention here is to get this information onto the internet. If I could save one person the emotional and financial heartache of parvo I would be happy.

We have the same problem in Canton, Texas where breeders go to sell pups and there are a lot of breeders from all over Usa come and a lot of the pups cost people mega bucks a week later from Parvo...Its a known fact, dont buy a pup in Canto at the First Monday Market.....

Unfortunately Parvo has an incubation period of as little as 24 hours, and the virus is very aggressive, affecting even vaccinated adults on occasion. Vaccinations against Parvo are by no means failsafe, especially in young pups. Vaccinations always take several days to take effect, meaning the pup needs several days to build the antibodies against the virus it was vaccinated for. So lets say you got your pup the same day or one or two days after its first shots, then it has not yet built up any titers and is therefore still very vulnerable to Parvo. Puppy shots given very early in the puppy's life, while the pup is still under the influence of the antibodies it got from mom, often do not provide the necessary protection either. Ideally pups should be around 7 weeks for their first shots, then the pup needs several days to built titers from the vaccine and should have a basic protection by the time it goes to its new home at 8 weeks. However, pups need a series of shots to complete the basic immunization program and they should not be dragged all over the place until all puppy shots are finished. If the new home had parvo before (ie previous owner/tenant, or previous dog), the new pup will very likely become sick (keep that in mind in case you plan to get another pup). The virus is very persistent and can survive in the soil for a very long time. Some regions have a pronounced Parvo problem, putting young pups at increased risk. A call to the local veterinary authority should answer if Parvo is a problem in the area. In such a case, puppy owners need to take extra precautions. I do know from past puppy placements that some areas of CA used to have a fairly persistent parvo problem. I am sorry to hear about your predicament, but this may not be the breeders fault. If shots were given, there has to be a record of it. That is easy to prove. Even if the breeder does the vaccinations himself, he has to have receipts of the vaccines he purchased. However, improper shipping (heat), handling and storage (not refrigerated), or going past the due date can also render a vaccine useless. That too can be checked. Also, vaccines given to a pup that is not in perfect health often do not take. A vet would do a proper exam before administering the vaccine (is actually required to do so) to make sure everything is done right. If the vaccinations were done at a vets office, there will be a record of that too. Unfortunately even vets do not inform their puppy owners properly of the local risks and the risks of taken not fully vaccinated puppies places. Its a catch 22 - you want to socialize and show off your pup, but you need to be extra careful about not putting it at risk.

Agreed. Parvo is an insidious virus that will affect puppies very quickly, even if they have started their immunizations. That is why NO puppy should ever be taken or exposed to a high-risk area until all of the Parvo vaccinations are complete. Even upon completion of the vaccinations there is still an inherent risk, as not every puppy's body will accept the vaccination 100%. Only time will determine this through the use of a titer. Not knowing all of the details; it is hard to make a definite statement about this sad situation. If the breeder (or his/her veterinarian) can produce the immunization records-complete with the labels from the bottles, then it is very difficult to find the breeder at fault. Sometimes life is not fair. But if this documentation cannot be produced, then that is an entirely different matter. Bob-O

What's the kennel name? I don't understand why some breeders won't stand behind their pups. I know that some breeders have contracts, but there not usually worth the paper they are written on. So, whats a person to do? I know an "importer" that wouldn't stand behind a pup that had a genetic defect. I need my sleep, therefore I could never scam anyone. I think breeders and importers best beware. We are fighting back!!!

DH, not trying to change the subject, but I was told that the virus is mutating and becoming stronger. Is this true and is it similar to a flu virus that affects humans?

If this buyer is being ignored by the breeder, it's wrong. Been there, done that and it's not much fun to try to get support from the breeder of your beloved dog as it lies dying or dead. I was ignored too and it hurt a lot. A little empathy in such a situation can go a long way. Some breeders/brokers talk a good job promising this and that until the check clears. Then you are on your own. TMartin, I feel for you, believe me. I nursed my first GSD for over 7 years to keep him alive and when cancer finally took his short life his breeder never even returned any of my calls either until late one night years later after a long day of adult beverage consumption. Now I do everything I can within the limits of the law to prevent another from buying a GSD from him.

Agreed, Blitzen. A breeder must stay in communication, even if it is not in his/her favour to do so. A breeder produces a living thing that has a heartbeat. Perhaps not a scintient being, but a being nevertheless. A puppy is not a potted plant or a used car. For most (including myself), to show no empathy is interpreted as an admission of inherent guilt until proven otherwise. It is a shame for Tmartin to have to use the threat of our legal system to gain some satisfaction in this matter, as this could have been avoided. This is a reminder to all of us who produce puppies to maintain some level of a personal relationship with the buyers of our puppies. Bob-O

Bob-O, after 5 years I am still heartsick from losing that dog and getting no support whatsoever from his breeder. This was not a junkyard dog, good pedigree, breeder with a lot of standing in the GSD community, an AKC judge and former officer in the GSDCA. I knew him for over 25 years or thought I did.

spook101, Our dog doc was in school when parvo first became prevalent. He said it's a mutation from a cat virus and they are starting to see mutations within inself. He's very nervous about the whole thing as that was one area he specialized in. That's also the reason he is nervous about the "bird flu".