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Advice on buying a pet

Advice on buying a pet

How to avoid buying an animal that has been illegally trafficked and is potentially unhealthy and close to death

Sur

Friday, 5 January 2018, 11:00

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Be sure that you want to have a pet

When getting a pet you must research what it actually means to be the owner. The animal will need lots of attention and they require a lot of care.

Research shops

Buy your pet from a shop which has been authorised to sell animals and offers a legitimate guarantee and sufficient information about the animal.

Ask about the pet's background

Ask for information about where the animal comes from. Ask the seller to see the medical records of the pet to see if it has a microchip and to see if the pet fits the description on the document.

Check for vaccinations

Find out, or at least ask the seller to tell you, what vaccinations the pet requires, which ones they already have and where they were vaccinated. At the same time, check that this information corresponds with the information on the papers that the seller has given to you. If brought in from another country, the animals should have been inspected by a vet in the country of the animal's origin 24 hours before travelling.

Look at the place and date of birth

Look at the date of birth recorded in the pet's passport or travel documents to know whether the animal has been imported from another country. Remember that a puppy younger than three months old should not travel.

Check that the animal has been quarantined

Ask for information in the store about the quarantine period that the pet had to complete from the moment it came into the country until it was sold. This period is meant to ensure than the animal does not fall ill in the early days of adoption

Be wary about the Internet

Before buying a pet online, check that you will definitely receive all of the documents and guarantees of a healthy dog. If the price seems too low, this should give you an indication of whether this is a legitimate breeder or not.

Report any issues

Any concern that you have when going to pick up a pet should be immediately reported to a police station or to an official municipal consumers' advice office.

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