10th Complaint Against:
Breeder: Jackie Springfield/AKA Jackie Harrington & James Harrington
Complaintant: Amy Weidner of Semper Felines Cattery
Date/Time: 11-09 15:44: 51 PST
I purchased my cat, (Fiona) a blue sphynx in February of Jackie Harrington was quite persistent in calling me and advising me of which cats to purchase, she knew at the time I was just starting to breed
. At first she sent me pictures of two kittens, but I opted not to buy the two because I wanted to make sure my cats were from different lines completely. Later on she called me to inform me she had a pregnant female for $2,500,
I spoke with my husband about what to do as it was so expensive. Repeated calls/emails back and forth she reassured me that Fiona was pregnant and I would without a doubt be able to make my money back on her litter. With this reassurance my husband took out a loan for $3,700 enough to purchase Fiona, travel to Kentucky to get her and also purchase a male sphynx from a Breeder in New York I was in school at the time and Jackie called to tell me she wanted a $200 deposit due to the fact someone else wanted her and that would hold her for me. I Western Union ed her the money and she got in moments after it was sent.
Then I did not hear from her for a week, getting nervous I called her to get an update, she was extremely difficult to get ahold of. Finally I opted to take a weekend and go up to get Fiona, not wanting to stress her kittens out if she was indeed pregnant I wrote Jackie on the 14th of February to inform her I would be leaving the next weekend to meet her and get Fiona, she wrote back with her email informing me that was fine just to let her know. I
Left NC with my friend on the weekend of the 17th of February and drove to TN, where Jackie informed us she would meet with us so she could go shopping. We arrived at a truck stop and she was waiting, it had begun to snow so she hopped out of the car with Fiona, yanked a blanket off and showed me her breasts saying they were pink and thus she was pregnant.
The fuzz on her she informed me was because she was pregnant, I wanted to hold her but she refused saying it was to cold and threw her in my truck to my awaiting friend. Snatching the money envelope out of my hand she handed it to her husband who counted it, telling me that it was 'business and they did not trust anyone' meanwhile Jackie handed me a large handful of papers and some dried milk and food saying it would help the kittens,
I tried asking her for a contract saying she was pregnant but she apologized and said they could not stay to talk to me because of the snow and ran to their car and just left. I stood there for a moment and in that second I knew I had been duped. When I got in the truck to look over my new cat, I was shocked at her filthy condition and she was so skinny her bones were sticking out everywhere, I broke down crying when I looked over the paperwork and there were no papers but just a kitten registration.
Driving the 18 hours back home was hard, but I was thankful I was able to rescue Fiona from those conditions. As soon as I got home, I brought Fiona to the Vet the next day, he did confirm with me that she was indeed underweight and at the time he felt she was not pregnant. I brought her a week later to another Vet and once again, not pregnant, that Vet told me to make an apt with another
Vet who had ultrasound because perhaps it was just to early. I went to that Vet a week later. Assuming by now any fetus would be able to be palpated. I had even wrote to Jackie asking her when the breeding date she informed me is was 1/31, that Vet concluded that Fiona was without a doubt, not pregnant. I called Jackie while I was in the Vets office and asked her if she wanted something from the Vet and she said "no, that was fine we would work it out, " I went home to discuss it with my husband.
Now four days previously Jackie had called me to inform me she had a year old female she was wanting to get rid of, if I knew anyone who wanted her and she had a kitten that she really needed to get sold as well. So when I went home to my Husband and we talked he said he either wanted half the money back, a more then fair rate for Fiona or another female kitten/cat.
So I called Jackie back and informed her of our decision. She started screaming at me telling me she would not give me half my money back or another kitten, there was no way she would even think of doing that, that she had not made a deal with my Husband but with me.
Then she said she would fly Fiona back to her house and breed her with one of her males and then return her to me, I refused that saying that she would have my cat and my money. I told her, what about the female you wanted to get rid of? She stated she no longer wanted to get rid of that female, I asked about the kitten and she informed me that she had gotten to attached to that kitten, but to give her some time and she would work something out, that she had a "friend" who was wanting to get rid of her sphynx and perhaps she could work a deal with her and get me that cat.
The Breeder from New York where I had gotten my mail called Jackie a few hours after I had gotten off the phone with her and she informed him she had a female, that was bred for sale for $2,500 and a kitten for $1,500.
The exact two she had just informed me not hours ago she was keeping and suddenly the female was pregnant. I called Jackie about once every two weeks, she claimed she was ill, she claimed her litters had died. I was sick of it,
I called TICA. I was directed to the Manager of my states, as soon as I said her name she said "Oh my god, I am so sorry." Needless to say, this is an ongoing scam with Jackie and her mother but TICA wont do anything about it until there is a formal complaint, which means money and paperwork.
She informed me that I should get Fiona registered ASAP before I do anything and try to work it out with Jackie. I got the paper work finished for Fiona and tried to work it out with Jackie, no return calls or the same sob story.
While I was surfing the Internet I came across a web site, Pets4You.com and lo and behold there is a web site for James Harrington, Jackie's husband. I immediately wrote to the Owners of Pets4You and sent them emails, receipts and a detailed accounting of what had happened. I spoke on the phone with Veronica, the Owner, she attempted to speak with Jackie on my behalf and withdrew her web site. I got an immediate call from Jackie wanting to know why I was doing this to her. I told her I had enough and wanted my cat or money.
Once again she refused and started berating me, I informed her at that time I would not put up with it and would file suit. She told me she was expecting a litter in November and would I call then. I told her she had until November, which to this date no word from her. I will be calling her Monday the 12th to touch base with her.
Since then, Pets4You has replaced her web site, though now it is titled with "Cattery Closing". I am so thankful to report that Fiona is finally expecting, it has been a long 7 months waiting to see if I would indeed be able to breed her, within a few weeks we should be blessed with a litter. If there is anything I can do to help bring this con artist to justice please let me know.
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