Complaint Review: Grand River Toy Poodles

Satisfied resolution for client. Our second puppy arrived May 2012, just like the first, 2 years ago via air from Grand River Poodles in Ohio, owner Roberta Katona.  The new puppy is very socialized, full of personality and a happy healthy puppy.  There was no issue or complaint with the puppy herself. The issue arose surrounding a misunderstanding regarding obtaining AKC papers for a puppy purchased as a pet.  Our money has been returned to us, and seller and buyer are satisfied. We no longer have the puppy.

After all the hell Grand River Poodles put our family through the owner just called us to apologize for all the wrong she did to us. Wow that was amazing. She said that we could keep the dog as a gift for all the emotional damage this situation did to our family and even offered us another puppy. We had to say no on that offer because we already have 2 puppies but that was thoughtful of her. Hope this time around she means what she told us and all her craziness will stop here.

Well, we came to a resolution, she was going to send me the AKC limited papers in my hand and I would update the websites stating that Mrs. Katona made good on her promise on satisfying us, the customer, for her mistakes. Even the other night before we made an agreement she wanted us to take out all of our comments we put on the forums because she said it was hurting her business. Again another scam by her.

NOW she wants us to remove all of the posts and she will let the BBB hold the AKC limited papers and then release them to us once the post have been taking down. It looks like a lot of people out there are watching our back and their backs so they don't get SCAM from a breeder that she is. She said to my husband today she would really like those post down because her sales have gone DOWN THE DRAIN and people are questioning her reputation as a dog breeder.

From: Grand River Poodles [mailto:grandriverpoodles@gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 1:02 PM
To: XXXXX Davis
Subject: Complaint #: 754840, Offer of resolution
 
Hello Anne,
I left a message for you today, Jun 13, 2012 at approx. 11:00 to 11:30 am.
I have written and notarized a proposal to submit to clear up the complaint filed by Mr. and/or Mrs. Robert Starr.  I will attach the notarized complaint for your acceptance and forward to Mr. Starr and his Attorney of record. 
They suggested I mail it directly to them, yet, I feel your department would indeed be the place to start.
 
In summary:
I am too stressed to fight for my rights. With over 50+ complaints filed by them such as internet complaint forums, BBB, AKC, your department and negative internet postings Mr. and Mrs. Starr have submitted. It is affecting my ability to sleep, I am unable to eat and taking a lot of my time away from my Toy Poodles which I can not spare. 
 
I am overwhelmed with phone calls of people wanting the gossip.  I feel it is a private matter between seller and buyer and I do not have time to gossip. I did receive one e-mail from an individual who wanted our puppy, yet, she had two reason not to obtain her.  First reason, she felt my price was too high and secondly the recent complaint all over the internet from Mr. and Mrs. Starr., caused her concern.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Starr have their money back.  I am going to allow them to keep the puppy, with no payment to me or requested by them from past, present or future, shall be allowed with the acceptance of this proposal.
 
I agree to order the AKC limited registration papers they so desperately fought for.They verbally promise to remove their 50 + posted complaints completely as soon as they register the puppy in their names as rightful owners.

I do not trust this as they have promised to send her home, I sent them 2x the amount for the puppy to fly home and they changed their mind in 30 minutes after I sent the money as instructed by them through Money Gram. They did not collect the funds and I retrieved the money after 6 days. Very disappointing to me and in my experience they are extremely untrustworthy.

Is it possible for me to ask you to hold the AKC puppy registration papers, until all the negative postings are removed and all and agencies settled with this proposal. I require all postings to be removed from the internet and unsearchable or viewable by the public or private agency.

I can not afford to seek counsel in this matter to have the papers help in escrow or such. Please accept the high lighted area beginning with I do not trust, as a huge part of my proposal.  Thank You for your assistance in this matter. If I may expedite my request in any way or you require additional information, please notify me.
 
Sincerely,
Roberta Katona
(440) 259-3010 home
(440) 218-0168
4349 E. Oregon Street
Perry, OH 44081

Better Business Bureau, Inc.
2800 Euclid Avenue, 4th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115-2408
Phone: (216)241-7678 | Fax: (216)861-6365
www.cleveland.bbb.org

Robert Starr 
152 Turtle Creek Drive 
Branson , MO, 65616

06/13/2012
Dear Robert Starr :

This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 5/13/2012 12:57:17 PM against Grand River Poodles.  Your complaint was assigned ID 9037186.

Thank you for contacting your BBB for assistance with your complaint.

After receiving your recent complaint involving the above named firm, we contacted them.  A copy of the firm's response is enclosed.

If the company's response is not what you requested, please keep in mind that our efforts in a situation of this kind are purely voluntary, and we cannot require or demand action from the firm. Also remember, that resolution of a dispute may mean both parties have to compromise.

Please contact our office within 5 days if you wish to accept the company's offer.  If you wish to pursue this matter, please contact your local SCC or the Ohio Attorney General Office 614-466-8831.  

Your communications will aid us in future evaluations of this firm's BBB files.  A company's report is based in part on complaints reported by consumers.

We hope that you feel some degree of satisfaction and we invite you to please visit our website at http://www.bbb.org/ for company reports and a complete list of BBB services.

Sincerely,
Sirita XXXXX
Dispute Resolution Specialist
sirita@cleveland.bbb.org 
The Better Business Bureau

I can send copies of her "resolution" if requested.      

Well, I just got an email from this "breeder" and then again a second one saying that she did not sent it, that her foster child and step daughter sent it in her name, oh, and that they are minors... yet again in the email she talks about specifics of the case and sent me pedigree of both parents of the puppy she scammed me with. What minor would know all of that?? Talk about bipolar disorder... Beware of this breeder...This is the letter. 

Dear Robert and Family, 
I did not respond to the Pay-Pal notifications per your request to have funds paid for the puppy returned to you.The funds have been returned to you per your request via your credit card company and Pay Pal.I am not taking any action in this matter.

I am asking you to send payment to us via pay pal or your choice for the price you understood you were to pay for the puppy.

You have requested her AKC to prove to you she is not a mutt, as stated to the BBB.
I will obtain and send you her AKC papers.I will give you full registration on these papers and not charge you the additional fee for her papers.


*****I ask that you do not breed her unless she is over 5 1/2 # at 18 months of age. Please understand and inquire with your Vet it is in her best interest.If in fact she goes over that critical size requirement of my suggestion, and the Vet feels it is safe for her...proceed with mating her to a qualified stud.You have in your possession a marvelous puppy from an excellent back ground and linage of toy poodles.

I have not ever had a complaint with a puppy and I did not intent to misrepresent her in any way.I was extremely excited in regard to your plan to visit us. We are very proud of our toy poodles and their puppies and love buyers to witness them in person.
I understand your schedule and the cost to visit us. It is unfortunate it did not work out as planned for your personal visit.

Her Mother Zsa Zsa is much larger than she will be (in accordance with the growth chart of a toy poodle puppy, your puppy is estimated to be a smaller toy and her whelping was difficult for her.
Many times the offspring females follow their mothers to the T in the whelping history. I expect if in fact you do choose to breed her, she will carry 3 very healthy chubby, well fed puppies at birth.
The most important factor will be
1) can she carry them full term
2) will she be able to feed them and sustain their weight after birth.
3) will she need a C-Section to deliver the puppies (risking both her life and that of the puppies with anesthesia, the cost for this procedure is very high.
4) your experience, as you have bred in the past is helpful.
a) the puppies may need oxygen
b) it may be necessary to tube feed the puppies, please learn far early in her 63 day gestation period so you are prepared for this event

If you breed her, I will be here on the other end of the phone to assist her in any way I am able.

Zsa Zsa was a young female when I bred her.
I breed our Brandy on her second heat as well. In order to obtain Brandy's AKC papers we were required to submit paper work to the AKC via our Vet that she was examined during the gestation period and she in fact was carrying a litter. Often times a female does not take when she is this young. Zsa Zsa herself was not registered until after the puppies "were on the ground" as breeders refer to a successful deliver of live puppies. There were no issues with the litter...completely healthy and grew well. The actual deliver was an issue with Zsa Zsa. Her deliver was very hard on her. The 3 puppies came 6 hours apart.
Zsa Zsa did not require medical attention. Her issues was she was frightened and very tired and did not want to do this thing (labor or deliver) unfortunate against her wishes "this thing was going to happen"

I am going to process papers on Zsa Zsa's litter today. Her AKC number is PR15465202. Registered name is "Grand River's Hungarian Gal Zsa Zsa" call name ZsaZsa.
The sire is "Grand River's Royal Louie Do It" his AKC # is PR12564406 his AKCrecorded DNA # is V618021. Call name Louie.
In a separate statement I will send a purchase agreement which verifies my offer to give you AKC papers and open registration.
In the event it is impossible to obtain her AKC papers, I will provide you with the e-mail from the AKC. I suspect it will take some time to receive the papers as I will need to prove the puppy belongs to her. I may be required to send in her DNA for confirmation at my cost. To finish the transaction I will send you a DNA test kit at my cost. You will swab her mouth as the instructions explain and send it to the address on the kit. This will prove that puppy came from Zsa Zsa and Louie. It is a very simple procedure on your part.

In addition if you request me to do so and would like, I will send you a red male from Cherry and Champion Firewalker free of charge including Vet, shipping, crate, food and water and a soft bed as soon as he is old enough and is properly prepared with maturity to fly and you can arrange to pick him up. 
This is my offer to satisfy you and my good standing as a faithful excellent breeder. Please except him as a gift from us. He will come with open registration in your name.

Pay-Pal has offered me $250. and the charges for the transactions paid by you. Their reason is, I have been a faithful customer to them, they apologize ect. and it is their way of thanking me for using their service. I declined their offer as they are not responsible for the transaction between you and I.

If you choose to not make payment for the Apricot Toy Poodle sent to you via air, it is our total financial loss.
I will still hold up my end to send you a red male as described above at no cost to you.

I am not admitting any wrong doing of the transaction on our part.
It is an unfortunate situation for both parties that you were not 100% pleased with every facet of her proper care while in our custody. aka arrived never groomed, without food and water, dirty bottom, proper Vet care and her bedding.
My explanation is so you understand
1) She would be unable to board the plane without examination and certification of health via our Vet. Madison Veterinary Hospital of Madison Ohio.
2) She would not be able to board the plane without water and food.
I provided water as well as ice cubes as it was a hot day and I wanted to assure plenty of cold water for her during her transport to her new family.
3) while waiting for her flight she soiled her soft bedding and the towel is all I had with me in the vehicle.
4) There is no way I would intentially send a puppy with feces on her bottom.
If this were the case that she were not cared for properly for a period of time her
bottom would be red and painful due to feces stuck to her. I understand your concern in this matter and the possibility it did occure during her transport.
I apologize for this as it is not our practice as you know aka Gina.
5) I give the injections as most breeders do. I give the puppies worming medication at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks if they are still with us at this age.
Each and every puppy has their feces tested during their final exam when the puppy is completly gone over by our Vet.
I do not pretend to be a Vet or act as a Vet. As stated above I provide worming medications (many parasites are inactive and do not release until the Mothers milk is released after whelping) As a precautionary measure we provide wormings to be sure the puppies are not effected and all worms or parasites if present are removed from the puppies body. Any Vet or research will verify this fact.
6) I insert a micro chip to be installed in the puppy upon request of the new family for the cost which I purchase the micro chip.
7) We are in terrific standing with the AKC and are inspected every 2 years as required due to the amount of breeding during a calendar year. 
If a party has less than 3 litters a year, paperwork is sent in to the AKC, but a home inspection is not required unless the residence is in question of improper care.

Talk this over and decide what if anything you are going to act upon.

Sincerely, 
Roberta Katona
Grand River Toy Poodles