Gabriele is OBSESSED with Maine Coons, and I mean, we understand. Their long, majestic-looking fur, their deep, penetrating eyes, their calm, affectionate nature…what’s not to love?
A dream come true
Gabriele searched online for the perfect kitten to add to her family. She stumbled upon an ad for two kittens being sold in Taufkirchen, south of Munich and not too far from her home. It seemed like the ideal match. She went to pick up the beautiful, fluffy kittens and brought them home.
At first, Gabriele is in 7th heaven. She finally owns two magnificent Maine Coon cats. But very soon, she realises something is terribly wrong with her beloved felines. They are not eating!
Gabriele rushes her kittens to the vet, hoping to be able to help them. But once at the vet, she is given the horrible news: it might already be too late, for her kittens are very sick.
The vet also tells her they are particularly weak due to their young age – they are much younger than 12 weeks and as such, should not have been separated from their mother already.
Horrified by the information she hears, Gabriele tries to get in touch with the breeder who sold her the cats – in vain. It’s as if the breeder simply disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace behind. Gabriele begins to realise this person is not a reputable breeder, and she begins to wonder if the kittens she was sold are even purebred Maine Coon cats.
The internet trap
Like Gabriele, thousands of people decide to buy their pets online: perhaps because they are easier to find, there is more choice, they are generally cheaper, and sometimes being sold closer to home. This goes for all sorts of animals, whether they be cats, dogs, rabbits, horses or tortoises, to name a few!
However, purchasing an animal online is extremely discouraged. While the description of the animal may be correct, ANYONE can be selling the animal. You have no guarantee that this person microchipped, vaccinated, or wormed the animal before putting it up for sale.
Additionally, many people selling animals online will advertise them as purebreds. However, unless you can meet your pet’s parents or verify his papers, you have no guarantee that your animal is actually a true pedigree. In reality, it might just be a mixed-breed lookalike.
In any case, you have no idea whether the animal you’re getting is healthy, and that’s the terrifying part.
Wamiz advises you to ALWAYS buy a pet from a reputable breeder or adopt a pet from a shelter. Stay off those online ads!
