Unscrupulous puppy breeders offer influencers free dogs ‘like a pair of shoes’

Celebrities have come forward to expose ‘third-party puppy breeders’ who they claim are offering free puppies to influencers ‘like a pair of shoes’, after shipping them in from Russia. 

Love Island‘s Olivia Buckland was one of several reality TV stars to admit that she had been offered a free puppy after exiting the show. 

Her confession comes just two days after Love Island stars Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury revealed their newly imported Pomeranian puppy had died of a seizure and neurological issues.

Love Island’s Molly-Mae Hague revealed her Pomeranian, named Mr Chai, died just six days after she received him for her 21st birthday present from Tommy Fury (pictured together)

The dog, named Mr Chi by the couple, passed away soon after arriving in the UK, it had been gifted to Molly-Mae by boyfriend Tommy on her 21st birthday.  

Love Island’s Olivia told her two million Instagram followers: ‘Third party breeders don’t have a clue where they’re getting their dogs from, I don’t care what b****** they sprangle you they are getting a puppy from another country, they are not seeing the mum, they’re not seeing the dad, even sending a young puppy by plane from places like Russia is ridiculous.’  

Olivia added that she wasn’t speaking out to slam Molly-Mae and Tommy, as she realise how devastated they were about their puppies passing and ‘didn’t know’ what they were getting themselves into.

‘You do not need a puppy from that far away!’: Olivia Buckland SLAMMED ‘third party dog breeders’ after the death of Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury’s pet Mr Chai

She added: ‘You can’t blame anyone you just need to educate yourself and moving forward ensure you aren’t investing in people like that so I just had to say something.’

Tommy bought the dog through Cheshire-based business Tiffany Chihuahuas & Pomeranians (Tiffany Puppies), which is licensed by Cheshire Council but not a Kennel Club assured breeder.  

Tiffany Puppies have faced the brunt of the criticism after owner Elena Katerova admitted that the company flies puppies in from Russia, reports The Mirror. 

Breeder Elena Katerova has denied breaking the rules telling the publication, clients see the mother with their puppy via videos.

The Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward is also believed to have purchased her dog from Tiffany Puppies, but denies that it was imported from Russia

Love Island contestant Belle Hassan takes a picture with her dog, which was acquired from Tiffany Puppies

She said: ‘I’m truly devastated to learn about the death of Mr Chai. He was a beautiful young dog with a loving, playful temperament. I’d watched him grow up, having regular video calls with his birth family.

‘My heart goes out to Molly-Mae and Tommy. Mr Chai was a healthy dog, I only work with trusted people and have a small network of reputable breeders who care for their dogs to the very highest standards and and see animals as part of their family.’ 

The death comes after the introduction of Lucy’s Law in April, created to end the scandal of animals being bred in cruel conditions and transported long distances to be sold. 

Love Island star Laura Anderson is pictured with her dog, who she is thought to have purchased from Tiffany Puppies

It asserts that anyone wanting to welcome a new puppy or kitten in England must now buy direct from a breeder, or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead.

Licensed dog breeders are required to show puppies interacting with their mothers in their place of birth. It was named after a cavalier spaniel who was rescued after being kept in a cage on a puppy farm.

Celebrity vet Marc Abraham who was behind Lucy’s Law campaign told The Mirror: ‘The Government has made it quite clear with Lucy’s Law you can’t sell a puppy without it having been seen with its mum in the place where it is born.’

On Wednesday, Molly-Mae, addressed the backlash from importing Mr Chai from Russia, stating: ‘Whilst we completely understand everyone’s opinions about being shipped over from Russia, what you need to understand is that is not what made him die.

‘He was going to die regardless. The autopsy results showed his skull wasn’t fully developed and part of his brain was exposed. He didn’t have a single white blood cell in his body’.

‘If we had the time again we would have got a dog from the UK or got a rescue dog from the UK.’