ComplaintsforField of Dreams Kennels

• Initial Complaint

  03/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A couple of weeks before entrusting my female ******** Husky, ****, to this establishment, I toured various boarding facilities in the area in search of a reliable place for her while she is in heat. I also have two males at home and I didn't want her to get pregnant and I was looking for a place that had the experience in handling dogs in heat. When I first came across Field of Dreams Kennels they assured me multiple times that they have had extensive experience with dogs in heat and knowing how to separate them from other dogs in their facility. I informed them multiple times before giving my girl to them that she is in heat and that she should be kept separate from all other dogs. When the day came for me to take her there, I informed them once again about my dog being in heat and they assured me multiple times that she would be kept separate from all other dogs so as she doesn't get pregnant. **** spent fifteen consecutive days at the Field of Dreams facility from September, 15th to September, 29th 2022. On November 4th, I nearly spayed and risked her life because she was erroneously diagnosed with pyometra at the vet's office. By some miracle, we requested that they do additional diagnostics, so they took ultrasound of her abdomen. When the vet got back to us a second time, they informed us that **** was pregnant with 3-4 fetuses! I were flabbergasted and dismayed! On Nov. 24th, **** gave birth to five mostly black puppies, which is consistent with them being a black Labrador mix (Field of Dreams breeds pure-bred Labradors). I paid $430 in cash on September 27th, 2022 after I picked up **** on the condition that she may have to return depending on whether she is still receptive to the two males at home. I found out that **** was still receptive so I took her back that same morning of September 27th and she stayed at Field of Dreams for two more days. On September 29th, I paid $31.65 via personal check. I would like a refund of $461.65.

  Business response

  04/13/2023

  Hi *****

  I had reached out to ***** several times.  After ***** found out that **** was pregnant I interviewed all of our employees on the proper protocal with dogs in heat.  After each interview ******* had followed the proper protocal with no incident. When ***** called that **** had the puppies we were able to back track the 63 days to conception.  In our files there were no boarding dogs here that could of sired a litter.  We had a yellow male of our own in the kennel and he has tested to be steril.  ***** failed to mention that each day during ****'s stay that he would pick her up and take her for additional excercise and then return her. So based on the information we have **** could not have gotten pregnant during her stay while under our care.

  Thank You 

  *********************

  Customer response

  04/13/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The level of dishonesty in which this business chooses to partake is truly appalling. For the better part of the last three decades, this business has been breeding black labs as hunting companions, and they continue to do so to this very day. They have sold many black lab puppies in Outagamie county, the surrounding counties, and the rest of *********. The claim that there was no black lab at their compound who could have impregnated **** is entirely false.
  When I came to take **** for walks, it was for her own well-being. She was always on a leash and under constant supervision. These walks lasted for about an hour and twenty minutes, once or twice during weekdays, and only once during weekends. She stayed at their compound for the remaining hours of the day and night. This business committed not only slander by accusing me during our last telephone conversation of somehow allowing **** to be impregnated when she was out with me on her walks during their business hours, but they have also committed libel by accusing me of the same thing here on BBB. They are attacking my character by stating that I would commit fraud by allowing my dog to be impregnated under my care and then to pin the blame on their business. Not only would this be a great betrayal on my part toward my dog, but it would also be wholly alien to my character and being. My incapability of partaking in a scheme such as the one this business is accusing me of is incontrovertible.
  During our telephone conversations, this business offered to help with the expenses associated with raising and caring for the litter, as well as the vet expenses, one of which totaled $736.10. However, they did not offer to reimburse me for the costs that I paid to them for looking after ****. Why would a business that professes to be innocent and not culpable offer to pay for the vet expenses, materials, food, and medicine for the litter? The paradoxes and contradictions that this business expresses each time they are allowed to share their side of the story are bountiful.

  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  04/26/2023

  We are very sorry that this happened to *****  At the same time, we are unable to confirm that ****'s pregnancy is the result of our actions.  Here is our perspective on your concerns:

  1.  Field of Dreams does breed Labrador retrievers.  However, we also know that the gestation period for all dogs is 63 days.  We keep a record of every dog on our property and know that we did not have any intact black lab males during the time that **** would have been receptive.  We do own and board several black labs.  However, our intact males are with a professional trainer and were not at our property during ****'s receptive days.  

  2.  We have no intention of slandering you or your reputation as a breeder.  We know that you have an exceptional reputation for breeding quality huskies.  

  3.  You are correct that when we thought the pregnancy happened under our watch, we offered to help with ****'s vet bills.  We always try to "make things right" for our customers.  However, once we investigated further, we found that it was not possible for **** to be impregnated on our watch.  As a result, we do not feel like we should be responsible for any costs associated with her litter.  

   

  Customer response

  04/27/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  There are many fallacies you've just shared in your response and I won't pursue all of them. Hereto, I would like to focus on one of them. When I came to you to notify you about ****'s pregnancy after freaking out and taking **** to the vet to be examined for possible bloat, you said you will investigate on your side how **** could have become pregnant on your premises. I came to you on November 4th to notify you about these alarming news from the vet. That day you also said that you will get back to me to let me know if you found anything after investigating. By the time November 24th came, I had not heard anything from you and **** gave birth on this day. When I called on November 24th to let you know that all the puppies were mostly ********************** said that I will get a call from **** in a day or so. I then received a call next Tuesday from **** informing me that he will conduct an investigating on his side to find out what may have happened and then he offered to pay for the vet expenses with ****, vet expenses with the litter, food, supplies, medicines, etc. You also offered to take the litter on your premises to raise them with their mom and then to sell them on our behalf. Two days later, I received a call from **** informing me that he had now completed his investigation and that he will no longer offer his help after finding out that **** couldn't have become pregnant on your premises. This was a  completely 180 degree turn. 
  

  Who in their right mind would think they are culpable in something without first checking and then would offer help? You had more than 20 days to check whether or not **** became pregnant on your premises. What stopped you from looking at this issue for almost a month? What you are essentially saying is that you felt culpable for almost a month, did not conduct the proper checks to banish this culpability from your minds, and then magically in about a two day period after ****'s litter had already spent a few days on this earth, you somehow removed all doubt this could have happened on your premises. Do you realize how irrational this all sounds? You are not being forthcoming in your communication and your twisting of the truth is evident. 

  I would also like to point out that on one of the days when I came to take **** for a walk during your business hours, when **** was presented to me for pick up, the back of her neck was all wet. That was roughly from between the ears down to the middle of the neck. This was really odd to me because she was dry everywhere else, and I was immediately alarmed about what might have happened. I asked one of the staff about ****'s wet neck and how it might have happened. The staff member could not give me an answer and left the immediate vicinity to check in the back where they keep the dogs. When he came back, he raised his shoulders and said that he could not deduce how this might have occurred. In hindsight, however, this is consistent with how a male would mount a female in heat and would use an inhibited bite of the skin of the female's neck, the nape bite, as they mount.

  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩