Complaint Review: Ms. Sheila Decker

On Aug. 19, 2009 I purchased a female imperial shih tzu puppy from Ms. Decker for the amount of $350. I had talked to her for 2 wks. prior thinking i had all info I needed. She told me puppies were 10 wks old. Upon reading ckc papers turned out puppy was only 7 wks old. She is located in Indiana however wants to meet in Louisville Ky. I met her at Jefferson Mall at 9:30 a.m. . Took puppy from her and went home. Once I arrived home with puppy I noticed puppy had no use of rear left leg. I immediatly called ms. decker and told her this. She told me not to worry, when she gave puppy a bath that morning its leg got stuck in drain, it would be fine. I told her I was taking puppy to vet. She tried to discourage this but I told her I would contact her after talking with my vet. By 8:30 a.m. Aug. 20 (less than 24 hrs of receiving puppy from her) I had puppy at my vet and vet told me I needed to return puppy. Puppy had severe patella joint luxation with severe nerve deficits. Dog is abnormal on a neuro exam for proper function of the legs. I told Ms. decker this and she became angry told me my vet was crazy and she did not have to do anything. After calling her over and over she said she would check with her attorney and accountant and maybe trade me for another puppy. I never wanted another puppy from her only my money back. This woman is a retired nurse from norton hosp. and an experienced breeder there is no doubt she knew this puppy was terribly sick. Eventually after trying to pin her down to what she was going to do to make this right, she just hung up on me and I never heard from her again. I am sure she thinks I have just let this go.

I contacted Washington county court and found it would be several weeks before this could go before a judge so I decided to find puppy a home with someone who would be able to afford the medical attention she needed (I could not) I did place her. When that woman took puppy to her vet, that vet did a complete physical on puppy and found deformed jaw, puppy will never be able to eat solid food and will never have a full set of teeth. Also, nasal passages are to small and puppy will always have a hard time breathing. That vet  stated that puppy will be very high maintenance and very expensive medically to raise.

I have put together a huge package of my evidence and have sent it to several different agency's between louisville ky and indiana in the hopes of getting my money back and having Ms. Decker looked into. I know nothing about any of her other puppies but I do know a lot about the one she sold to me.