More than 100 dogs were found suffering in 40 degree heat at a puppy farm in Perth's south. This week the man behind it, Jia Xu Dong, was jailed for nine months and fined $5,000, and the magistrate went as far as saying puppy farming should be abolished altogether.
The RSPCA believes Dong bred at least 390 puppies over four years, with sales estimated at $1.17 million. Even after he pleaded guilty, puppies linked to the operation were still being advertised on Gumtree under a different name, with one buyer told the seller was moving interstate and needed to sell early.
Max and Jack use the case to unpack how ordinary, well meaning buyers end up funding operations like this, and how to make sure you're not one of them. They run through the red flags that should stop you in your tracks, the questions any genuine breeder should be happy to answer, and why doing your homework on a breeder matters far more than a cute photo in an online listing.
Thinking about bringing a puppy home? Listen before you hand over a deposit.
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