Complaint Review: Judy O'Shaughnessy

Let me make the following resoundingly clear: do not buy a dog from Judy O'Shaughnessy. She is an unscrupulous, unkind, and unprofessional individual who only cares about money. If, after reading this, you still choose to buy a dog from her best of luck! I am certain you will expend a significant amount of your time and energy raising a neurotic puppy (have you seen the way she stages the puppies on her website?).

**In case you question the validity of the below, please view the email exchange between me and Judy. I have taken the liberty of including it as a series of photographs**

The story:

I called Judy O'Shaughnessy on September 1, 2015, two weeks before a litter of her maltipoo puppies was of age and ready to go to their forever homes and asked if there was a waitlist for a puppy. She said there was not a waitlist and told me that she would "give me first pick of the litter." I explained that because I live in Los Angeles making the trip up to San Ramon was going to be an event I had to arrange my schedule around. I emphasized that I wanted to purchase my puppy from her and that being able to meet my future puppy in person before purchasing him/her was a vital component of the transaction. We spent about 20 minutes on the phone working out the logistical details so that my aunt (who is a veterinarian) and I would have the first appointment of the day when Judy showed the puppies to potential buyers (September 17). I ended the conversation by reiterating that I was excited to meet both Judy and the puppies in person.

I followed up with an email that day (September 1) re-stating my interest in Judy's litter of puppies. I also requested that she send me some pictures of the maltipoos so I would have an idea of what they looked like. I was, after all, going to travel 400 miles to select a pup so I did not think my request was unreasonable. Judy asserted that she would have to wait for her friend, Deby, who was raising the puppies to send her the pictures and once she had them in her possession that she would send them to me. 

I sent Judy another email just three days later on September 4 primarily to find out if the day I selected my puppy was the same day that I could take him/her home. Curiously, when Judy replied to my email, it was as if she did not remember the conversation we had only three days prior. On September 5, I confirmed for the second time that I was going to have the first appointment of the day when Judy showed the puppies September 17 so that I would get “first choice.” Judy confirmed my appointment and provided me with her address.

On September 12, I sent Judy an email inquiring about the pictures of the litter she had promised to send. She replied that she had “accidentally deleted them.” I was perturbed but chose not to reply. Instead, I followed up with Judy the next day to confirm my method of payment for the dog and went out of my way to get a cashier’s check made out to her, of which she was well aware.

I called Judy on September 15, just two days before I was scheduled to select my puppy at her home in San Ramon, to confirm for the third time that I would be in San Ramon on September 17 and to also make sure I had everything I needed in terms of payment to ensure our transaction went smoothly. Judy and I spoke for about 10 minutes, I reminded her that I was driving up from Los Angeles the next day so I would be on time for my appointment Thursday morning. Then, I reiterated how happy I was to be purchasing a maltipoo from her.

I have taken the time to outline the sequence of my exchanges with Judy O'Shaughnessy because I want to make it perfectly clear we had a verbal contract. She affirmed three times that I would be the first person to meet and select a puppy from her litter of dogs on September 17.

All of this stated, you can only imagine the wave of shock and incredible sadness that washed over me when I received the below email from Judy while at dinner with a friend at 8:14PM September 16 (just a little over 12 hours before I was scheduled to select my new puppy):

“> On Sep 16, 2015, at 8:14 PM, Judy O'Shaughnessy <***************> wrote:
>
> Hi Lauren
> I hope you get this text, please let me know.  I wanted to tell you I only have 2 puppies left.  The tea cup Male Malti-Poo, "Chestnut" & the Male Maltese "Storm".  I did not want you to make the trip if you are not interested.  Please let me know
> Judy
> judyspups.com
> 925-216-1799
>
> Sent from my iPhone”

Upon reading her email, I excused myself from dinner and stepped outside to call Judy. She did not initially answer her phone and returned my call about 20 minutes later. I stated that I was incredulous and did not understand how she could sell all but one of her maltipoos out from under me when she knew that I had made a trip up to northern California with the sole intent of buying a dog from her. Judy was emotional and hostile on the phone. She raised her voice and said she “didn’t know what I wanted her to do. The dogs were sold. People had sent cashier’s checks sight on scene and that had never happened before.” I retorted that a scrupulous breeder would have abstained from accepting any payments from buyers before September 17 given that was the day she stated multiple times the dogs would be shown to prospective buyers. Judy quipped that “I have been showing dogs all day and I am exhausted and my husband has to have emergency surgery.” Despite my own sadness and grief, I still expressed empathy for Judy’s predicament. I said I was sorry to hear that her husband was not well and that I could only imagine what she was going through. At the same time, I made it known that I was still perplexed and deeply saddened that she would sell all but one of the dogs when she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was going to purchase one and, furthermore, in violation of our agreement that I would have first choice of the litter. Unable to be rational, Judy screamed that she “just couldn’t deal with selling puppies anymore and tangentially that a man had come into her home without an appointment and basically ‘forced himself on her’.” Her story was clear hyperbole and her demeanor was beyond unprofessional. Unable to contain her misdirected anger, Judy abruptly hung up on me. Incredulous, I was able to compose myself enough to send the following email:

“Hi Judy,

I am already in the Bay. I drove up this morning and have been here all day, which is why I am so perplexed that you have already sold 3 of the maltipoos. I had to step outside of the restaurant I was eating at with my friend to speak with you so I apologize if it was loud. I am confused and also quite frankly upset.
That said, because I have made the drive up here expressly to buy a puppy from you I would like to keep our 10 am appointment tomorrow morning.

Sent from my iPhone”

Ultimately, I chose not to show up for my 10am appointment on September 17. I could not justify paying such an unscrupulous and emotionally volatile individual for a puppy that would surely be a reflection of its owner. I hope you, too, make the wise decision to stay far away from Judy and her puppies. As frustrating as this experience was, I am grateful that I did not pay her a cent.