A North East dog lover has launched a new web business that she hopes will play a part in reducing puppy farms and irresponsible dog breeding.
PickaPup.com is a breeder introduction website with a difference: catering to Kennel Club-recognised breeds, it will only work with reputable, welfare-focused dog breeders, and will be the first of its kind to allow feedback from dog owners, to encourage responsible breeding and after-care.
Pickapup.com is the brainchild of Hilda Teh, who lives in Whitley Bay with her husband, Ben, and their dog, a rehomed German Pinscher called ‘Peenut’.
Hilda says the idea for the website stemmed from the heartache that came with caring for her previous dog, a Miniature Pinscher she rescued from a puppy farm in Malaysia. Realising that the often-mounting cost of vet bills could realistically be the difference between life and death for a beloved family pet, she hopes to address health issues at the source.
Hilda, who moved to the North East from Malaysia in 2006 to complete her degree in Law and then a Masters in Business and Management at Northumbria University, believes the website will help to develop better relationship between dog breeders and owners, while helping to educate people about the problems caused by breeding irresponsibly.
She said: “We are launching this because there is a real gap in the marketplace for a website that caters exclusively for responsible dog owners and breeders.
“Lots of breeders don’t necessarily have their own websites, or those that do often do not update them regularly and do not invest in advertising because their profits from responsible breeding simply cannot justify these expenses. We are hoping to build links with breed associations – the people who know best and keep abreast with all aspects of their specific breeds.
“We aim to encourage more transparent and accountable dog breeding, by allowing breeders to provide more in-depth information about the dogs and displaying feedback to share the experiences of other users.
“By its nature, the website is more likely to attract more discerning dog owners, so breeders will be more assured knowing their puppies are going to a good home. The dog owners will be buying with increased peace of mind.”
She said the emotional distress and cost of care for her previous pet, called Kow – Cantonese for ‘Dog’ – had opened her eyes to the damage that puppy farms can do, both to the dogs produced and the families they become a part of.
Kow miraculously lived to be 16, but had suffered from an array of illnesses throughout her life, including hereditary cataracts, breast tumours, patellar luxation (dislocated knees), heart murmur, food allergies, brain tumour, seizures and progressive renal failure. Kow eventually succumbed to kidney failure.
Hilda said: “I had brought Kow with me when I came to the UK, and because she was already nine years old, I couldn’t get insurance for her, which is why the bills ended up being so high. Even if it had been possible to insure her, many of her illnesses were known existing conditions not eligible for cover and the average level of cover would not have covered all her medical expenses.
“But it really made me realise how bad irresponsible breeding is. They don’t care about dogs and the families who share hearts, homes and lives with them – it’s all about their bottom line. Kow came from Malaysia but the UK also has a significant problem with irresponsible breeders and we want to help eradicate them.”
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