By Jack BeresfordShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA couple thought they had got a bargain when they paid $300 for a beagle puppy on Facebook Marketplace—then they started to notice something.
Karl Unggoy from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, took to his TikTok, @cookincarl, to share the story of how Bella the dog became a part of his parents’ lives. Unggoy’s mom and dad had been on the lookout for a puppy since their previous dog, who was puggle, passed away in 2020. They wanted a beagle puppy but their search for one had always been with an eye on keeping the cost down. “My parents were on the market for one but would never pay a reputable breeder for one since it’s more expensive,” Unggoy said.
Rather than go down those routes, they chose to look on websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace in the hopes of landing a bargain. Facebook's Commerce Policies explicitly prohibit the buying, selling, or trading of live animals. This applies to Marketplace and all groups. Craigslist also prohibits the sale of pets on its platform though many still appear on the website as being in need of “re-homing.” Newsweek emailed Meta for comment.
Despite the rules in place, Unggoy said his parents “ended up finding a beagle for way cheaper” than any breeder had offered on Facebook so decided to meet the seller in person. That should have been the first warning that something was amiss.
...The American Kennel Club previously published a list of the most common “red flags” when it comes to puppy scams online. One of them is when “the price is too good to be true.” “Purebred dogs sold at deeply discounted prices are typically frauds,” they said. “If the seller says they register their dogs with a specific organization, you can call the organization to confirm.”
Unggoy said his parents instead organized a time to meet the breeder in person. He said the subsequent exchange was “questionable” to say the least. “It was below freezing that night and they decided to meet at a Walmart,” Unggoy said. “When they got there the person had gotten out of the car holding the puppy and went to my dads windows immediately. While shivering he asked my dad if everything was alright as if he was in a hurry.”
Unggoy said his parents handed over the $300 and “without even counting it” the man thanked them and drove off. “So many red flags yet my parents ignored them,” Unggoy said.
When they got home with their new dog, who was soon christened Bella, everything seemed normal. Unggoy shared footage of Bella’s first night with her new family in the video posted to TikTok, noting how “convincing” the idea of her being a beagle was at that point.
But things quickly began to change. Bella started growing and, for a long time, it seemed like she was never going to stop. Even then, Unggoy said it took a while for his parents to come to terms with the fact she wasn’t a beagle. “There was a good three or four weeks of questioning followed by a week of denial,” Unggoy said. “There were a lot of conversations thinking beagles grew tall first then filled out.”
...Eventually, it became clear to the entire family that Bella was no beagle but rather a coonhound. Despite not landing the beagle that they thought they were getting, Unggoy’s parents are happy with Bella.
Unggoy is happy to report that Bella is doing “great” and is “very healthy.” His parents, meanwhile, have “learned their lesson.” He said: “Bella was quite the handful considering their puggle was the biggest dog they’ve ever taken care of at 35 pounds compared to Bella who is 80 pounds so I don’t think they want a repeat.”
Despite everything that has happened, Unggoy said he also chose to share Bella’s story to highlight how “some mistakes are a blessing.” She is definitely one of them.
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