My wife and I bought "Mookie" a 5 year-old female chihuahua from a pet "rescue" called, "Love 4 Life Rescue" run at the time by Claudia Smith for $250.00. She was formerly used as a breeder, but had outlived her usefulness, so they spayed her and put her up for adoption. The dog was bred by Dawn Dalyce of Sugar N' Spice Chihuahua's. We picked up the dog however from Lori, who she identified as a friend of hers and who she was going to go in the pet rescue business with, who owns Central Valley Companion Rescue in Modesto.
When we picked up the dog from Lori, we were told that Claudia Smith of Love 4 Life Rescue was unavailable to meet us and that she did not have Mookie's shot records, but Claudia Smith would send them thru the mail immediately. Lori assured us for Claudia, that Mookie was current on her shots. It took us calling Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life a number of times, but she finally sent us an expired shot record that was 2 or three years-old.
We ended up taking Mookie to our vet and getting her shots after waiting a week or so, because we have another chihuahua, and we are responsible. As soon as we got Mookie home, we noticed that she limped, and did not want to put weight on her left rear leg. Hoping that it was just temporary, we waited about a week, but when it didn't get any better, we had the vet look at her leg while we were in getting her the shots that Lori at Central Valley Companion Rescue and Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life Rescue had claimed that she'd already had. (Again, they never provided us with a current shot record.)
The doctor, Dr. Elliott, DVM, at Mueller Pet Clinic in Sacramento saw Mookie. He told us that she has a fluxating patella. It is common among chihuahuas. In fact, we were told to look for that on our other chihuahua. Sometimes she will favor a leg briefly, but then gets better. So we knew it was a common problem. Dr. Elliott said that Mookie was no doubt born with the problem, and that it was getting progressively worse. He gave us a written estimate of $1,300.-$2,000. for surgery to repair the problem. He said that we didn't HAVE to get it right away, but that it will only continue to get worse.
She continued to not put weight on the leg, so we contacted Lori at Central Valley Companion Rescue and Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life and asked that we get our $250.00 back to go toward the operation, since they did not disclose the problem, and it was going to cost us so much money. Additionally, we had to spend $180. for the check-up and the shots that they claimed, but never proved that she'd had.
However, I wasn't concerned so much about that as I was the estimate of $1,300.-$2,000. for the surgery. Lori said that she gave the $250.00 to Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life already, but that she too felt that it was only right that we get our money back. I spoke to Claudia Smith and she refused to give us our money back. She tried to claim that she never saw anything wrong with the dog. She was obviously more concerned about her money, than she was the dog. The vet told us that this was definitely not something new, that she'd had it no doubt for some time. Dawn Dalyce the breeder that bred Mookie from Sugar N' Spice Chihuahua's was supposed to be contacted by Claudia Smith who "rescued" Mookie and see about giving us our money back. She has never contacted us.
My problem is two-fold, first, the breeder, Dawn Dalyce of Sugar N' Spice chihuahua's is breeding dogs and not taking proper care of them. She then pawns them off on Claudia Smith of Love 4 Life Rescue, who sells them for $250.00 and does not reveal when the dogs have serious physical defects that are going to cost the buyer a significant amount of money. We will get the surgery for Mookie, if we have to take out a loan! We care about our "babies", it's too bad that Dawn Dalyce of Sugar N' Spice Chihuahuas and Claudia Smith of Love 4 Life Rescue don't care about the dogs that they breed and sell.
I have considered small claims court action, and may still go to court to sue these neglegent people. I also think that the Stanislaus and Merced County Animal Control and SPCA should be made aware of these people. So buyer beware of dogs that come from Sugar N' Spice Chihuahua's and/or from Claudia Smith and the Love 4 Life Rescue.
Steve
West Sacramento, California
U.S.A.
When we picked up the dog from Lori, we were told that Claudia Smith of Love 4 Life Rescue was unavailable to meet us and that she did not have Mookie's shot records, but Claudia Smith would send them thru the mail immediately. Lori assured us for Claudia, that Mookie was current on her shots. It took us calling Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life a number of times, but she finally sent us an expired shot record that was 2 or three years-old.
We ended up taking Mookie to our vet and getting her shots after waiting a week or so, because we have another chihuahua, and we are responsible. As soon as we got Mookie home, we noticed that she limped, and did not want to put weight on her left rear leg. Hoping that it was just temporary, we waited about a week, but when it didn't get any better, we had the vet look at her leg while we were in getting her the shots that Lori at Central Valley Companion Rescue and Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life Rescue had claimed that she'd already had. (Again, they never provided us with a current shot record.)
The doctor, Dr. Elliott, DVM, at Mueller Pet Clinic in Sacramento saw Mookie. He told us that she has a fluxating patella. It is common among chihuahuas. In fact, we were told to look for that on our other chihuahua. Sometimes she will favor a leg briefly, but then gets better. So we knew it was a common problem. Dr. Elliott said that Mookie was no doubt born with the problem, and that it was getting progressively worse. He gave us a written estimate of $1,300.-$2,000. for surgery to repair the problem. He said that we didn't HAVE to get it right away, but that it will only continue to get worse.
She continued to not put weight on the leg, so we contacted Lori at Central Valley Companion Rescue and Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life and asked that we get our $250.00 back to go toward the operation, since they did not disclose the problem, and it was going to cost us so much money. Additionally, we had to spend $180. for the check-up and the shots that they claimed, but never proved that she'd had.
However, I wasn't concerned so much about that as I was the estimate of $1,300.-$2,000. for the surgery. Lori said that she gave the $250.00 to Claudia Smith at Love 4 Life already, but that she too felt that it was only right that we get our money back. I spoke to Claudia Smith and she refused to give us our money back. She tried to claim that she never saw anything wrong with the dog. She was obviously more concerned about her money, than she was the dog. The vet told us that this was definitely not something new, that she'd had it no doubt for some time. Dawn Dalyce the breeder that bred Mookie from Sugar N' Spice Chihuahua's was supposed to be contacted by Claudia Smith who "rescued" Mookie and see about giving us our money back. She has never contacted us.
My problem is two-fold, first, the breeder, Dawn Dalyce of Sugar N' Spice chihuahua's is breeding dogs and not taking proper care of them. She then pawns them off on Claudia Smith of Love 4 Life Rescue, who sells them for $250.00 and does not reveal when the dogs have serious physical defects that are going to cost the buyer a significant amount of money. We will get the surgery for Mookie, if we have to take out a loan! We care about our "babies", it's too bad that Dawn Dalyce of Sugar N' Spice Chihuahuas and Claudia Smith of Love 4 Life Rescue don't care about the dogs that they breed and sell.
I have considered small claims court action, and may still go to court to sue these neglegent people. I also think that the Stanislaus and Merced County Animal Control and SPCA should be made aware of these people. So buyer beware of dogs that come from Sugar N' Spice Chihuahua's and/or from Claudia Smith and the Love 4 Life Rescue.
Steve
West Sacramento, California
U.S.A.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 06/24/2008 04:02 PM and is a permanent record located here:http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Sugar-N-Spice-Chihuahuas-Dawn-Dalyce-Love4Life-Rescues-Claudia-Smith-Central-Valley-Companion/Modesto-California/Sugar-N-Spice-Chihuahuas-Dawn-Dalyce-Love4Life-Rescues-Claudia-Smith-Central-Valley-C-343796. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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ReplyDeleteSugar N Spice Chihuahua's Dawn Dalyce, Love4Life Rescue's Claudia Smith, Central Valley Companion
snschihuahuas.com
Modesto, California
U.S.A.
Phone: 209-668-0474
Web:
Category: Animal Abuse