Three sick puppies dumped at the side of the road in Renfrewshire are suspected to be linked to prolific low-welfare puppy dealers operating in Scotland.
The three male Labradors were found by a concerned member of the public who alerted the Scottish SPCA.
The pups were abandoned close to the junction of Tyree Avenue and Cockles Loan in Renfrew between 3.30pm and 4pm on June 14.
A man had been seen carrying some puppies under his arm in the area at around the same time.
The following day, a member of the public reported to the SSPCA that they had bought a similar puppy in Greenock just a few days prior.
The puppy died died from parvovirus within days after of them purchasing the animal.
The individual had been duped by the seller who said their home was difficult to find and suggested a public place to meet instead.
The seller appeared with two puppies and a bitch that he claimed was the pups’ mother.
The buyer was then left with thousands of pounds’ worth of vet bills after trying in vain to save the dog’s life.
A microchip from the dead puppy is from the same batch as the microchips from the three puppies found in Renfrew.
It is suspected that the remaining pups were callously dumped when the seller discovered that they were ill.
Diseases such as parvovirus, spread by direct or indirect contact with dogs' faeces, are preventable with the correct vaccinations.
However, they can be common in puppies raised in the low-welfare trade because of the poor conditions that they are kept in.
The mother is often unable to provide them with the essential nutrients they need to fight disease or build up their immune system.
This may be because she is weak from overbreeding or the pup has been taken from her prematurely.
A Scottish SPCA undercover special investigations unit inspector said: “We suspect these puppies are linked to prolific low-welfare puppy dealers operating in Scotland.
“In the past we have come across similar cases where puppies have been dumped as soon as they’re no longer profitable because they have have fallen ill.
“We cannot stress this enough: the supply of badly-bred puppies will only disappear if public demand stops. Every year, thousands of pups are dying at just days or weeks old to fuel the trade.
"We will continue to fight the puppy trade every step of the way, but we need each and every person to do their bit to help us stop it.
“There are thousands of adverts on websites like Gumtree for puppies, but there is no guarantee you are buying from a responsible breeder when you shop online.
“Under no circumstances should someone meet a breeder to purchase a puppy or allow a pup to be dropped off. Do not accept any excuse, no matter how plausible it seems.
"These people are master manipulators and will try anything to make you believe they are legitimate and responsible breeders."
The Scottish SPCA are urging people to be vigilant when buying a puppy and not accept excuses to not see the puppy with its mum.
However, they do advise adopting over buying because despite the wait, this ensures you get a happy and healthy dog.
Anyone with information regarding this incident or is concerned about any animals, the Scottish SPCA's animal helpline can be called on 03000 999 999.
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