AN Orange dog lover wants to warn others of the pitfalls of buying animals online, after a dog she intended to use as a guard dog turned out to be deaf.
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The woman, who declined to be named, said the blue cattle dog puppy, Sooty, had been vet checked and vaccinated before she was picked up from a breeder in the Riverina area.
She said the dog seemed in perfect health when her 21-year-old daughter picked her up from the seller.
However, after having the dog for a day it became obviously that she was profoundly deaf.
The previous owners said they were unaware of the dog’s medical condition and were reluctant to take her back.
Unable to perform guard-dog duties, the woman is now contemplating giving Sooty away.
“[She] could possibly sleep through any noise a burglar might make while carrying my TV out the door,” she said.
“At the moment I’ve got a dilemma over whether I should keep her or not.
“She’s going to be exceptionally hard to give up.”
The woman has put flyers in local vet clinics in an attempt to find a suitable home.
In the flyer the woman describes Sooty as “very intelligent, happy and affectionate”.
“She will make a great companion for someone and would fit in perfectly in any family,” she said.
The woman said she would be happy to re-house Sooty with someone who has a fenced backyard, has experience with dogs and already has a dog that can “be her ears”.
