Sugar N' Spice Chihuahua's Dawn Dalyce, Love4Life Rescue's Claudia Smith, Central Valley Companion Sells chihuahuas with physical defects without telling the buyer about them. Doesn't provide the dog's shot records, Modesto California

   I feel so sorry this happened to your pet. Sounds like "Claudia Smith" is in fact Claudia Soto who is known for selling sick puppies, puppies with no shots etc. Dawn USE to be a good breeder I'm not sure what happend to her. She is no better than Claudia now as she post Claudia's dogs on her site knowing that the Sotos breed just to breed and not for quality or confirmation. The Sotos don't even show any of their dogs and now that they are "leasing" dogs from Dawn they have some good ones that can go in the ring but it's all about breeding. I purchased two dogs from Dawn, one ened up having to have patella surgery on both knees and the other one despite having her for nearly two years she is still very scared of anyone despite giving her all the love in the world. This dog was bred until she couldn't be bred anymore, never given any human attention, teeth were NEVER cleaned and here two years later we are still trying to make her feel comfortable in our home. Buyers really beware, these animals come to us for forever homes, and even though we had issues with one needed surgey and the other one being scared as heck of everyone we still love them and do our best to make their lives better. I'm glad they are with me and not where they were, who knows they would've continued to be bred and not taken care of.

Devil's Advocate...you're right, it is a big circle...

Ready for 6 degrees of separation?
I find it hard to believe that there are other people, that know each other, and adopt out animals with these same exact names. So my guess is...it's bigger than any of you probably thought when you were taking care of your sick puppy...

Claudia and Dave Soto get dogs from Dawn Dalyce
Dawn Daylce previous provided a dog to Claudia Smith
Claudia Smith now works with the group P.E.T.S.
I adopted a dog from P.E.T.S. he was malnourished along with having giardia, coccidia, worms, ear mites, kennel cough and being un-neutered....

P.E.T.S. has a reputation for adopting out dogs that have not be neutered/spayed, are sick and malvourished, not providing shot/vet records and keeping neuter/spay rebates that should be repaid.

If you'd like, check out my blog savinganimalsfrompets.blogspot.com and read more stories from people who adopted sick and hurt animals from these people

Is the Claudia from this rescue related to the Soto's, of chihuahua dream, whom appear to be VERY closely related (friends, associates, mentor type relationship, family that's not blood it seems?)? And there's a Karen in there somewhere too. If you read the reports here on ROR (this one, the Soto's, and sugar n spice), you can kinda follow this big old circle all the way around. Fascinating. *just my opinions*

Guess what, rescues and shelters don't generally have to play by the same rules as anyone else whom recieves money for animals. You seem to be working on the assumption that they knew and didn't tell you. What would make you think that? And there is always the possibility of it only becoming apparent while in your home. Do you allow her on the furniture? Were her activities limited during the week you were waiting? As you were made aware, it is extremely common (not just in chihuahuas), so it would therefor be more reasonable to expect it in some form. Your vet seems pretty familiar (based on the facts that he knew it was common, and there was no mention of surgery on the other pet), but I am still wondering about the grade, and what he thought about weight control, limited excercise when slipped, ect, as opposed to surgery. It can also occasionally be caused by trauma, and this IS a rescued pet. I can't for the life of me figure out where the breeder was supposed to enter into any of this, as you clearly have no association with her. It is rare indeed to get an actual history on a rescued pet INCLUDING vaccination records. Why would you expect those? And as far as 'outliving her usefullness' .... This is a common practice for those whom strive to improve their breed. It has nothing to do with usefullness. It has to do with the ability to continue to breed and care for your animals properly. I would think that a breeder whom got rid of a dog for 'outliving it's usefullness' would not spay do to age and health, and would not spay due to health problems, but would CONTINUE to breed the dog anyways. Sorry to vent, I am just really confused by all your reasoning here. *just my opinions*

You are blaming the wrong person.

First. You did NOT buy a dog from Sugar NSpice Chihuahuas, but from a rescue, that got the dog from another rescue. There is no way to know if it is truely even a Sugar NSpice Chihuahua.


Second. Having bred a dog, who has a mild enough case of patella luxation, not when you first got her SINCE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE A LIMP THEN, but developed later can't be held against the breeder. As you say Patella Luxation is common, as the patella ligaments lay across a very shallow groove in ALL toy dogs, not only Chihuahuas. And they are easy to injure, and once stretched, often will slip out of the groove, causing no pain, but occassional hopping or limping till slips back in.

Patella luxation can be crippling grade 3 or 4 due to genetics at only age 8 or 9 months old, this will cause complete turning of legs and hips and is very crippling, and very obvious at an early age.

OR MILD PL can be caused by letting little toy dogs jump on and off of furniture , or by getting their leg stepped on by a bigger dog. Rescues are famous for putting little dogs and big dogs together in the same pen. Or it can be caused even by being juggled by a child who pulls on a leg accidently. That is usually only grade 1 or 2 patella luxation which causes mild occassional limps, but most vets will tell you, causes no pain and does NOT require surgery. Only greedy vets tell you they have to operate right away on mild PL. Second opinions from better vets, often say, just don't let the toy dog jump, and it will be fine.

How do we know you didn't take a little dog home, let someone set it up on a couch, and turn their back, and let it jump down and injure it's knee,...and now you are just looking for someone else to blame?

Third. This is the first time that I have heard about your problem. Did you know that Sugar NSpice sold that dog as a puppy to another breeder, and it wasn't even raised at my house?

If it is indeed the same dog? Then it went to a rescue when that man retired. Did you comprehend that the shot record you got, may not have even been a match to the dog you go? Then to another rescue, because the first rescuer was in cancer treatments , and then to you? ( I tracked down the story)

Do you think that if you buy a dog from a rescue that you have a Limited Lifetime Guarantee as if you bought it from a Breeder? Wrong. Rescues collect adoption fees, to help pay for the neuters and food and advertising. You are making a charitable donation which is a write off. Rescue dogs are rarely perfect , and are adopted AS IS. Adoption fees are not refundable.

Fourth. If you want to buy a perfect puppy , with a limited lifetime guarantee, and that will pass a vet health check. Then buy a puppy for $ 1000 - 3000 from a BREEDER.

When you pay $ 250. adoption fee from a rescue, you're supposed to be a good person, doing a good deed. How did the rescuers miss seeing that you were not that type of person? Sounds like you were the type of person trying to get something perfect for next to nothing, then are outraged when you find out it isn't perfect.

Oh, and lets not forget that you are also the type of person who goes around SLANDERING the breeder who did not sell you a dog !! When you don't even know for SURE that the breeder even bred that dog. Since you got it 3 or 4 hands down , from a rescue. Don't think that I am not going to find out who you are, and where you live. I've already put in a call to my attorney. You do know that internet slander is actionable, right?

I suggest that you go to a salvage yard, and get a old car, that's been thru a couple of owners, and a salvage yard, and then complain to the manufacturer and try to get it fixed under warrantee ! Maybe that would work better for you. I'm sure that you would think you are ENTITLED to a new car !!!! GROW UP.

IF ...and I truely mean IF, this dog is a SugarNSpice Chihuahua, I will be happy to take her back, since I ALWAYS am willing to take dogs back for their lifetime if they are abandoned or mistreated. And I will send her to get any surgery done that she needs to get her knee fixed, if she needs it, and doesn't just have a slight old age limp, just like I do. However this does NOT mean that I am going to refund to you, money that was not paid to me. And if you bring me a dog that was NOT bred by me (believe me I can tell the difference between my quality and others) then the dog will go back home with you, or to a rescue again.

Dawn www.sns chihuahuas.com