In 2003 my family, after months of research, decided on purchasing a Cane Corso Italiano from Mike Burgwald at Burgwald Kennels. We purchased a pet quality, blue fawn, male; Sire Apollo, Dame: Jasmine. We were guaranteed a 100% sound puppy.
At four months of age he went to a reputable and highly respected professional trainer. Our pup was described after a two week stay as, "Easy money!" The trainer, who was apprehensive at her first experience training this breed, fell in love with our dog and now has a high respect for the breed.
We did everything right; natural food recommended highly by top professional trainers with proven results, MSM, Glucosamine, Esther C, Vitamins, etc. He exercised regularly and avoided slippery floors and jumping from high places, etc.
At 9 months of age he began to limp and show signs of discomfort, often times unable to stand upright without yelping. A visit with our veterinarian, and several hundred dollars later, he was diagnosed with advanced dysplasia.
We notified Burgwald Kennel immediately, sending copies of the x-rays via email. Mike Burgwald claimed to be devestated, telling us this was his first case of dysplasia, etc. He said he would honor our health guarantee, an honarable thing to do.
Fourteen months passed and we finally, after several frustrating situations, and excuses galore, recieved our replacement puppy, a Blue Fawn female. She arrived at approximately 22 weeks of age, severely underweight, infested with worms and scared to death.
We immediately began veterinary care, with a diet the same as our males. Within 4 weeks, she looked like a different animal. However, she did not arrive with a blue slip, although she was already approx. 6 months of age. She is now approx. 10 months of age and we still DO NOT have a blue slip for her.
Mike Burgwald told me in an email, which I have copies of, that she was sired by "Scandifio", from Scandifio Cane Corsos Grand Champion. I decided since I was having no luck in getting a blue slip for this female pup directly from Mike Burgwald, that I would contact Scandifio Cane Corso's directly. I did so via email in June '05.
I received an instant reply with disturbing information. Scandifio Cane Corso's states they have never done business with Mike Burgwald, have never used his stud for service, have never given him or sold him a puppy and that they have no idea where my puppy came from, but that she was not a puppy out of their kennel. To this date, I have left multiple emails and messages for Burgwald Kennels, all unanswered. I have made multiple requests for a blue slip, with no result.
To this date Mike Burgwald continues to use Apollo for stud service. True, he may never produce another dysplastic puppy, but isn't one enough? What about ethics? Is it ethical to continue to breed a sire and bitch that have knowingly produced a dysplastic puppy, not just mildly dysplastic either.
Not only do we now have a dysplastic dog that we have grown to love and have gotten attached to, along with our 3-children, but we now cannot register our female who came to us as a replacement. She is apparently show quality out of top quality bloodlines, although we have no idea who her sire and dame are, what her actual date of birth is, or where to go from here.
We have a family interested in purchasing this puppy for show purposes and no way to prove she is registerable or show worthy.
We are disgusted with Burgwald Kennels complete lack of regard for their customers. We truly beleived we were purchasing a 100% sound, healthy animal. Now we are caring for a male with dysplasia and housing a female that is of no use to us because he finds it so difficult to send a blue slip. We feel robbed and cheated.
0 comments