Pugs Dominion Breeders
Complaint 151807 Details

Around the middle of May 2012 I began a search for Pug Dog Breeders in upstate NY because my father wanted to purchase a pug puppy. My parents are in their early 70’s and do not know how to navigate around a computer so I did the research for them. I had found what looked like a reputable breeder online at www.pugsdominion.org. Their site was packed full on information on pugs, had tutorials, pictures, adoption information and forms, members community etc.. I had filled out their pre-adoptive application and contacted them on their website to inquire about having any pug puppies available for adoption. They responded back to me letting me know that one of their pugs just had a litter and that the puppies would be available by the end of July. I gave the information to my Dad and he called them and talked to Alan. My father agreed to adopt a female pug puppy from Alan for $700.00 and towards the end of July they would make arrangements to meet half way for the delivery of the puppy. Alan confirmed the communication to me via email. Alan wanted a $200.00 deposit to hold the puppy and start the adoption process and he would write up a contract and email it to me. My parents mailed them a check for $200.00 and I got a follow up email that the deposit was received. I didn’t hear from them again for over a week so I emailed them inquiring about the contract and the next steps. I received an email back a few days later stating that they were having problems with their software to write up the contract due to a lightning strike. In the meantime they would post pictures on the website in a designated folder just for my parents of the pug puppy they will be adopting. A few weeks went by and it was getting closer to the end of July when the puppy would be ready so I emailed again asking about the contract and they responded with an apology because Alan was very busy and would email the contract in a few days. My parents had also called them to find out the status. A few days later Alan had emailed me the contract with further instructions on how to proceed with the delivery day. In the contract Alan asked for another $200.00 as a second installment for post birth and the final $300.00 in cash would be due upon delivery. The second installment was never mentioned to my parents via phone conversation prior or to me via email communication. Since it was just a week away from the delivery time my parents mailed them out another check for $200.00 in excitement to finally getting their much anticipated pug puppy. At this point everything seemed legitimate. I waited for a response that Alan received the 2nd installment check but didn’t hear back in a weeks time. So I emailed them about it and they responded back that they did receive it and would call my father to arrange a meeting time for the delivery of the pup.

Alan called my parents and they agreed on a meeting place and time. In the contract it states that he would go an hour from where they are located to deliver the pup for no extra charge. The contract also lists their address as in Binghamton, NY which is 2 hours away from where my parents live which is in Johnstown, NY so we assumed that we would probably meet in Oneonta, NY which is the half way mark. Per Alan’s conversation with my father though, Alan would be coming from Canton, NY which is like 3 ½ hours away. So in order for my parents not to have to be charged delivery fees for going more than an hour towards us, my father agreed to meet him in Tupperlake, NY which would be an hour for Alan and 2 ½ hours away for us. Per phone conversation with my father and confirmation email to me,the delivery arrangement was made for July 27, 2012 in Tupperlake, NY at 3pm. We would call Alan on his cell phone at the time of arrival to let him know where are meeting spot would be.

I took the long trek with my parents to Tupperlake, NY along with my 8 yr old niece. We were all excited to finally get the puppy and had prepared for him for over a month. The ride to Tupperlake is along the Adirondack Mountain trail so it’s very isolated, bumpy, curvy ride. When we finally arrived at Tupperlake we found an ice cream parlor right on our route in a populated area across the street from the sheriffs station as a good landmark. We arrived about a ½ hour earlier and called Alan to let him know that we had arrived and our location. Alan claimed to be about a ½ hour away and would meet us at the ice cream parlor. 45 minutes went by and we hadn’t heard of Alan, and the weather was getting very humid and hot. We were a little impatient because of the heat and also the anticipation of finally getting the puppy. My parents called Alan to see where he was at and he claimed to be about 5 minutes away. 15 more minutes go by and Alan called my parents and told them that he was in the McDonald’s parking lot and wanted my parents to meet him there because he has a pug with him that gets car sick and didn’t want to go any further.

By this time…my father who has high blood pressure and is a diabetic had lost his patients and was very agitated that after waiting for an hour in the heat that he has to find directions to McDonalds now. Soooo we ask people on the street how to get to McDonalds and finally meet Alan at McDonalds. When my father got over to Alan’s truck, my father greeted Alan very rudely. He was upset that he drove 2 ½ hours to Alan’s 1 hour and Alan was over an hour late. Alan proceeded to tell my father that he had a hard day too and to let it go. That statement didn’t simmer my father down and he said “Let it go ?” and as my father said those words Alan pulled out of the parking spot and said “If you want to get your Pug you will now have to come to me”. He left us in the parking lot with my mom crying and running after the truck for him to come back that she was sorry for my father’s behavior. This in turn shocked my father and upset my 7-year-old niece. I was also horrified. We tried several times to call Alan on his cell phone pleading with his answering machine to come back and apologies for my father’s rude behavior but he never picked up the phone. We stayed in the parking lot for close to an hour calling his cell phone and getting his answering service. We were in total shock that he left us without the puppy. We didn’t even see the puppy in the truck. He had adult pugs with him but never saw the puppy.

When we finally left the McDonald’s parking lot to go home my dad took the wrong turn and we ended up taking the wrong route home and ended up lost. We went an additonal 100 miles out of our way home and it took us about 4 hours just to get home. What was suppose to end up as a joyous, exciting day to finally get my parents pug puppy ended up to be a day from hell.

When I finally got home that evening I had an email from Alan letting me know how rude my father was and all difficulties he had that day in order to meet us at the scheduled meeting place and time. He also proceeded to tell me that in order to get the puppy that he would no longer acknowledge my father and would only make arrangements with me and my mother, to schedule another delivery appointment. He also said he wanted an additional $100.00 to cover his wasted time. He told me that I had 48 hours to respond to his email with another delivery date or he would put the puppy back up for adoption and a daily maintenance fee would be charged.

I got back to him in the 48 hours he specified and apologized for my father’s rude behavior. I also told him that his behavior was just as rude. I also told him that he broke his own contract by leaving my parents without the puppy at the time of delivery and that my parents want the $400.00 refunded back to them and no longer want to do business with him further. I have inquired twice through email about the refund and have not heard back from Alan or his partner Marie.