University of Adelaide researcher offers advice to online shoppers searching for puppies and dogs

Spending more time at home these days? If you’re thinking about buying a puppy online, take these tips from University of Adelaide researcher Ana Goncalves Costa to stay safe and support only reputable breeders.

Lonely people searching for a “new best friend” online can fall for fake advertisements or buy from unethical breeders if they don’t do their research and trust their instincts.

Research at the University of Adelaide by Ana Goncalves Costa has revealed the sheer scale of the dog and puppy market online, with just two days’ worth of advertisements on Gumtree valued at $4.5 million.

University of Adelaide researcher Ana Goncalves Costa at home with her dog Nina, who came from RSPCA Lonsdale about six years ago. Picture: Roy Van Der Vegt.

As lead author of the paper “Regulatory Compliance in Online Dog Advertisements in Australia”, published in the journal Animals this year, Ms Goncalves Costa offered advice to would-be puppy owners: CROSS-CHECK the ID number of the breeder in the advert with the Dogs and Cats Online website, and make sure the contact details in the ad match those registered;

GRAB the photo in the advert and do a reverse-image Google search to see if the image has appeared elsewhere;

MEET the pup’s mum and dad in their own home, so you can see where the puppies were raised and check Mum and Dad are friendly as well and healthy;

CHECK the puppy is microchipped, and;

TRUST your instinct if something doesn’t feel right.

Overall, the research showed recent changes in state regulation were having a positive effect, but the market was not safe for buyers or animals.

“So if you’re looking for a new best friend, check out the shelters first (and) strongly consider adopting,” Ms Goncalves Costa said. “If you do decide to go online and buy from there, be vigilant, do your research and trust your instincts.”