Complaint Review: Windancer Newfoundlands - Elkland Missouri

As I file this report, I want to be extremely, extremely clear my challenge with Julie Thomas (Windancer owner) has to do with solely with her inability and/or unwillingness to stand behind her contractual obligations - that being to refund the money for debilitating events.  Having to put down a year old puppy certainly qualified.  When informed of this Ms. Thomas rightfully asked for documentation of Crusher's hip problems. We complied providing Xrays and all documentation requested by Ms. Thomas.  The evidence was overwhelming and Ms. Thomas and her own vet even agreed that there were real & significant problems.  

When this conclusion was reached the next logical step was how to resolve. First Ms. Thomas offered us a replacement pup, needless to say we declined.  After that she said to bring back the dogs and she would refund our money.  We believed that was the best approach for all. On the morning of our departure to Windancer (Arlington, TX to Elkland, MO)  I received a call from Julie stating she did not feel well and to just have the dogs put down at our vet.  Alternatively if we wanted to drive to Missouri to drop the dogs off, Ms. Thomas told us to go straight to her vet and they will be put down there - she did not want to see the dogs.  Obviously we were stunned and pursued another angle although Crusher was put down about 2 weeks later. 

Obviously with the dog return fiasco, most cordiality drained from our discussions and shortly thereafter Ms. Thomas did agree to make payments to us as the refund, for Crusher, since she did not have that type of cash on hand for a complete refund. We agreed that her next litter, which was to be born shortly, would be used to generate the funds for at least a partial payment - we agreed to that. Approximately 2 1/2 months after this agreement, with no check or contact from Ms. Thomas, I contacted Ms. Thomas via email to ask for an update.  We were pushed off a couple of more months as she stated she had not had a litter. 

Since then we have tried on numerous attempts to get Ms. Thomas to live up to her contractual obligations - she simply refuses.  The email exchanges have been heated, as anyone reading this can imagine and indeed I recognize my part in the heated exchanges. Ultimately though when pressed hard about the refund she attacked me in an email stating I obviously was not a "dog person", stated I had a terrible attitude and she felt sorry for my wife, alas though no mention of meeting her contractual obligations. 

Again, having bad genetics is like a bad roll of the dice.  Ms. Thomas cannot play God and ensure all pups are beautiful, healthy and guaranteed a full life - that is impossible and not expected.  Ms. Thomas can be expected though, at least in my case, to own up to her responsibilities as a breeder and business person - that is the issue.  When pressed, again in my case, Ms. Thomas takes the approach of "the best defense is a good offense" and simply kept my money. 

Despite not being a "Windancer approved dog person", it was nonetheless heart wrenching to stand there while my vet put this beautiful puppy, Crusher, who could barely stand up, to sleep. It is maddening when the breeder of that puppy, in my case, refuses to stand behind her dog (and continues to use the same dogs in breeding)

As I re-read this post, I do see how it could be spun that all I want is my money, and frankly that is the case, but I have been driven there, by Julie & Windancer, as a place of last resort.  Coldly put, my family's dog is dead, I have the early death of our other Newf because of the breeding issue to look forward to, the breeder has ignored her contract, I do not want yet another pup from this breeder and while I would much rather have our dog Crusher running around the house having fun that simply cannot happen, therefore I simply want Ms. Thomas to adhere to her contractual commitments and refund our money as well as warn potential buyers.

Sorry for the rant - but Ms. Thomas, again in my case, is just a sad story.

Thanks for reading my story. Please, please beware when dealing with Julie Thomas and/or Windancer Newfoundlands - her business practices and speaking for my situation, her poor breeding practices lend new meaning to caveat emptor - truly the buyer must beware!!