Cedar Retreat Kennels Beverly and Thomas Jenkins MY "TINY TOY" IS 17LBS....lol....AND NOT EVEN THE ONE I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET Keosauqua, Iowa

I contacted Ben Jenkins after reading an advertisement on www.puppyfind.com. she was advertising "TINY TOY" Amerikan Eskimo puppies. I was grieving because my 17 year old pomeranian haD passed a few weeks prior. She NEVER indicated the terms of the sale prior to, or within any of the discussions we had on the phone.

To hold the puppy, I indicated I would have my bank draft a check and mail it to her in the amount of $250 (1/2 of the purchase price of $500). She agreed. Suddenly she called and said a check was not acceptable and she insisted on having the money wired via a Walmart MoneyGram. She indicated if she didn't get the deposit within 24 hours, she refused to hold him and he'd be sold. Of course, I would do whatever I could to bring home my new boy.  So I complied.  None of this was in the ad...stupid me!! SHE agreed to hold the check I'd just sent and would cash it only after I got my pup.

Suddenly, my bank account was overdrawn by about $400. Upon research...I see that not only did she receive the MoneyGram but she ALSO cashed the check. When I spoke to her about it, she was extremely rude and THEN laid out the "rules" she has for payments. Those being unknown to me until this time. Her policy (on that day anyway) was inutero puppies would be held for $100; by 8 weeks old remaining 50% deposit was needed and after 8 weeks 100% of the money was to be paid. Since my puppy was older than 8 weeks old at the time of my purchasing him, 100% of the price was due. SHE NEVER TOLD ME THAT INITIALLY and it cost me a few hundred in overdrafts because she cashed a check she verbally agreed to hold until Timmy was delivered.

In the ad it indicated it would cost an additional $140 for vet check and crate fee PLUS COD airfare of about $250 when flown through Delta airlines. It was insisted upon that I wire her the $140 as well. She FINALLY, after my prompting, sent the contract. The contract is bogus. It is written solely to protect her business and not the buyer. She does not offer a health guarantee AT ALL. Like, not even a guarantee that the dog wouldn't have mange, flees or mites when it arrived. Unfortunately, I was not an educated consumer and didn't realize all this stuff should have been laid out prior to putting any money down.

The ad indicated he was a "tiny toy", and even had photos.  It indicated that his mother was about 7 lbs and the father was 9lbs. She does not guarantee the size of the dog you are getting but assures you with her calming voice "oh, he'll be tiny..Don't worry." My "tiny toy" at 8 mos of age is about 16" tall at the whither and is weighing in at close to 17 lbs. It is VERY VERY clear when you go to their website that the dog pictured is NOT a toy. Incidentally, on puppyfind.com she uses and reuses the same photo for different puppies.  I've tracked this on several occassions.

In addition, the pictures she sent me of "my" puppy were, in fact, not the one I got AT ALL. This is verified by an AKC groomer of small dogs. She (the groomer) also indicated that once my puppy was an adult he'd be closer to 20lbs than 10 (as bev indicated). And here we are....with a 17 lb TOY....LOL

In October, 2009 I called Bev Jenkins and spoke to her about his size and sent photos. She suggested perhaps I should "give him up for adoption and take another pup at the beginning of the year." I was astonished at the suggestion that I throw away a beautiful dog because he wasn't quite the size I was told he was going to be. I asked for a refund of 50% or $250. Because he was bordering on being a standard size and they are much less expensive than the total she got from me. She told me to think it over through Thanksgiving and get back to her.

I sent Bev two more emails: 1 indicating that I wanted the 50% refund, no response. and the second indicating that I would take a FREE pup that she was offering up since she wasn't willing to give a refund. AFter all, if I could save another life from this puppy mill-type of business, I would. Again, no response.

I don't expect she will respond to this, nor do I care. I just want others to know that this business operates through scamming and manipulation. She uses "social engineering" to appeal to your soft side...saying people in her family are ailing, she is so stressed because of all this, that and the other thing.  Really plays to the tune of the violin....so you feel guilty for "bothering" her at all.  I had anxiety attacks every night until Timmy got here, fearing literally that she would do something nasty to my dog or send me one that was really sick.  Well, she ended up not sending the right one at all...so I guess I was right. 

In the end I am happy I saved Timmy from this place. I just want others to know she is very very cunning.