The hidden heartache of buying ‘cute’ dogs from Instagram & TikTok in the West Midlands

If you are an animal lover, there is a whole world of pet content that social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok shows us. While most of them are videos of animals doing cute things, we can also find people hoping to sell an animal or two through these platforms.

While they show off the cutest photos and videos possible that can melt our hearts, it comes with risks that can cause heartbreak for us and our families like the owners of Gracie (pictured above) who had to be put to sleep after she was bought online. Often the ‘cute’ pictures disguise traumatic conditions these pups are kept in with many developing serious behaviour problems and health issues.

Now, one of the UK’s biggest dog welfare organisations has warned people in the West Midlands against buying dogs from platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

The Kennel Club, located in Kenilworth, said nearly double the amount of would-be owners in the West Midlands are turning to social media sites to find a puppy compared to five years ago.

According to the organisation, using social media to buy dogs gives unscrupulous breeders easy access to a large market to sell puppies with little scrutiny. It also highlighted how selling puppies in this way can deceptively appeal to millions of unaware buyers with ‘cute’ and cleverly curated pup pictures and posts.

The Kennel Club survey shows alarming costs

In the UK, one in four puppies (25%) advertised on social media get sick or die before their first birthday, according to the survey.

Losing a pet is a traumatic experience regardless of the age of the owner and the loss of this four-legged family member also comes with high costs.

Shockingly, those in the West Midlands are facing more complications with more than half (52%) facing unexpectedly high financial costs, a fifth (20%) admitting their dog had behavioural issues they weren’t expecting, and nearly a quarter (22%) regretting the way they purchased their dog.

Why people buy dogs on social media in the West Midlands

The research indicates that instead of conducting thorough searches about their puppy’s background, would-be owners in the region are drawn in by ‘cute’ photos:

• More than two in five (45%) in the West Midlands bought their puppy ‘because it was cute’
• And three in ten (31%) admit it was the ‘cute puppy photo’ that most appealed in their pet’s advertising
• A further quarter (27%) worryingly spent less than two hours doing their research, leaving them particularly vulnerable to scams and unable to spot the signs of puppy farms.

“Vets advised we have her put to sleep. It broke our hearts”

Ann and her husband, from Shropshire, purchased their puppy Gracie after seeing an advert online, which she was showed on a lady’s lap and looked like a happy and healthy puppy. However, when they went to pick Gracie up they arrived at a dirty looking house which did not look like a suitable breeding environment and Ann felt like she had to save Gracie.

Ann said: “When we went to collect Gracie, we were made to wait in the car until another man arrived. The house was in a disgusting state. One little puppy was brought out to us and an elderly terrier wandered around, who they claimed was the mother. We soon realised the photo in the advert was not the puppy we were presented, or the same surroundings.”

Ann wasn’t asked any questions or presented any certificates when picking up her puppy and the breeder struggled to answer any questions about Gracie’s health or diet.

Add added: “We paid the money and left as soon as possible. We just had to get her out of there. We bathed Grace as soon as we got home as she smelt. She had to have parasite treatment and she unfortunately continued having diarrhoea so more treatment was required.

“Gracie was very sweet and lovely until she came into season at only four months of age, then she became extremely aggressive towards our other dogs. We tried everything to manage her behaviour, to no avail. So at just eight months old the vets advised we have her put to sleep. It broke our hearts.

“We should have walked away from the start but just wanted to rescue that poor pup from those surroundings. This terrible perpetual crime is just a vicious circle which seems impossible to stop. We learnt a very hard lesson but cannot do anything about it.”

What the Kennel Club said about getting dogs off of social media

Mark Beazley, Chief Executive at The Kennel Club said: “In today’s curated digital world, enticing photos are the lifeblood of social media and pictures of puppies grab attention – so there is an obvious appeal to buying and selling puppies using these platforms but if people forget that behind every cute photo on social media, there is a real puppy, and a real need to ensure that their health and welfare has been prioritised, then there can be truly devastating consequences.

“Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can give unscrupulous breeders easy access to a mass market, where they can sell pups with little scrutiny, so it’s down to the puppy buyer to make sure that they ask the right questions, see the puppy, with their mum and in their home environment, and step back if things don’t feel right. Failing to do so can lead to a world of heartache for puppy buyers and keeps rogue breeders in business, whilst puppies continue to suffer the consequences, as this research shows.”

Following this urgent warning, the Kennel Club has provided responsible puppy buying advice and practical resources on its website.

What the RSPCA said about buying pets through social media

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “We always encourage people to adopt a pet instead of buying, and this month of Adoptober, we’re highlighting the host of incredible rescue pets in the care of the RSPCA.“But people need to be especially cautious if they see animals being advertised online or on social media sites.

“Sadly there are many unscrupulous breeders and sellers out there who are willing to exploit the demand for certain breeds in order to make a quick buck, very often at the expense of the dogs’ welfare. These criminals and con artists are cashing in on unsuspecting members of the public and more dogs are paying the price.

“We’re aware that unscrupulous sellers advertise animals on the internet, on social media sites, and arrange to meet people outside in places like car parks and laybys to make the sale. This helps them remain more anonymous and makes it more difficult for agencies to investigate these sellers.

“That’s why we’re calling on prospective puppy buyers to do lots of research before getting a puppy and to use The Puppy Contract to help them buy a happy, healthy dog from a responsible breeder.”

The Puppy Contract is a free online tool that offers a step-by-step guide on how to buy a happy, healthy puppy - and is supporting the UK Government’s Petfished campaign to ensure families think about who is behind the pet. This is incredibly important as a previous RSPCA survey revealed that only 51% of UK adults said they were confident in how to find a happy, healthy puppy and 32% said they did not feel confident in how to avoid an illegal or irresponsible breeder or seller.