the latest (ad)ventures of Richard Swafford

[IronHorse]

I think it would be totally legal to run announcments in the same publications that he uses to advertize for sale in stating that he was expelled from the ABCA and the details of why.

[OurBoys]

Well, I checked the Charlotte Observer Sunday edition. He didn't have an ad in there.

[MrSnappy]

But I can't remember anyone on these Boards ever saying that they would not take back a dog they'd bred, and many (including me) have said that we would in every case. I would do it not because it's supposedly the requirement of a responsible breeder, but because I wouldn't want to not do it, if you see what I mean -- I would not want to think of a pup I'd bred in a shelter, or a bad home, or homeless, or euthanized. Hell, I've taken back the pups of other breeders when they weren't in a position to do so.

 

I distinctly remember at least one person saying that if they didn't have room for the pup, or a need for the pup, they wouldn't take it back because it wasn't their responsibility to do so, though I no longer recall who that was. I admit this saddens me. I'd like to think that any breeder who is responsible for bringing life into the world would be responsible enough to take it back if the occasion called for it. I think that given the sheer numbers of dogs who are vying for homes out there would call for an *extra* measure of responsibility to step up and take that pup back if need be, because if the option is the dog ending up in a shelter or a rescue it takes a spot from a dog that has no one to go back to. I do understand that this is one of those divisional philosophies that tend to divide breeders and rescuers though.

 

Whether you agree or disagree on the responsibility of a breeder to take back all his/her pups when a buyer doesn't want them anymore, I think unwillingness to take back pups has nothing to do with what makes someone like Swafford a bad breeder, and I didn't understand Gary to be raising that issue at all. There are plenty of bad breeders who take back pups; they sell them again (perhaps at a discount), breed them, or kill them if they can't do either one.

 

I agree it has nothing to do with what makes Swafford a bad breeder; it was a somewhat tangential observation that led from the idea that rescues were cleaning up someone else's messes and thereby being complicit in their activities. As you point out, a bad breeder might take the dog back only to breed it or kill it or what have you, so it's probably best it doesn't go there anyway. But it was a thought directly expressed from the idea that once the dog is in need and a rescue assists it, they are somehow enabling the bad breeder - I disagree with this, because the two parties who are at fault for that dog being out there are the bad breeder who produced it and sold it with likely little care taken in its placement, and the person who bought it and then dumped it. I think the idea that rescue enables a bad breeder by virtue of simply existing denies placing blame on the individual who is really responsible.

 

I do also agree, however, that Sawfford is a bad breeder for many many reasons. His practices are nothing short of vile. Blech.

 

RDM

[OurBoys]

But it was a thought directly expressed from the idea that once the dog is in need and a rescue assists it, they are somehow enabling the bad breeder - I disagree with this, because the two parties who are at fault for that dog being out there are the bad breeder who produced it and sold it with likely little care taken in its placement, and the person who bought it and then dumped it. I think the idea that rescue enables a bad breeder by virtue of simply existing denies placing blame on the individual who is really responsible.

 

I know what you mean. I don't remember who said it or even which thread it was but someone did mention that rescues enabled bad breeders. That is just not true. Bad breeders and rescuers go together like oil and water....they just don't mix which makes Swafford's website even more vile.

[Gary M]

I agree it has nothing to do with what makes Swafford a bad breeder; it was a somewhat tangential observation that led from the idea that rescues were cleaning up someone else's messes and thereby being complicit in their activities. As you point out, a bad breeder might take the dog back only to breed it or kill it or what have you, so it's probably best it doesn't go there anyway. But it was a thought directly expressed from the idea that once the dog is in need and a rescue assists it, they are somehow enabling the bad breeder - I disagree with this, because the two parties who are at fault for that dog being out there are the bad breeder who produced it and sold it with likely little care taken in its placement, and the person who bought it and then dumped it. I think the idea that rescue enables a bad breeder by virtue of simply existing denies placing blame on the individual who is really responsible.

 

I do also agree, however, that Sawfford is a bad breeder for many many reasons. His practices are nothing short of vile. Blech.

 

RDM

If the above refers to the above emphasis added, then you are really clutching at straws on this one.

I expressed a thought, notice the words "can't help but wonder".

I never said that rescues were complicit in operations like Swafford's and I never said that rescues were enablers directly or otherwise.

RDM, you know that I have always recommended rescues as opposed to buying from a breeder, even reputable ones.

I have taken a lot of heat on this board because of my position on breeding, even by reputable breeders.

I was admonished by Eileen for flaming a person looking for a breeder as opposed to rescue to get a puppy. I later found out through a nasty email from this person that they wanted a puppy because it is too hard to teach an older BC to keep it's head erect and gets points off in AKC obedience because of it.

I would not be picking up 1 dog this weekend and trying to become a foster home for GLBCR to get a BC named Nettie out of a bad situation if my first and primary concern was not the dogs.

Yes, we clean up their messes. But I guess for me to believe that we were enablers for them, I would have to think they actually give a shit what happens to the dogs in the first place. People like Swafford and their ilk only care about the dollar signs and bottom line.

 

And I can't help but wonder that if by rescuing some of the unfortunate results of these peoples humanoid organisms we become enablers for them to continue their parasitic feeding on an unknowing public.

I know it is not the dog's fault that they were brought into the world by morons whose shoe size is greater than their collective IQ and the dog I am probably picking up Sunday could be a prime example, but what do we do?

[Journey]

I think it would be totally legal to run announcments in the same publications that he uses to advertize for sale in stating that he was expelled from the ABCA and the details of why.

 

 

Strange to read this and remember what we went through in Jacksonville about 10 years ago. Same type of breeder as Swafford. We couldn't get anywhere with the locals or with calling ABCA and asking for help - he had 8 bitches, 2 dogs, and close to 16 litters a year @ $400 per pup, do the math...So, the local paper allowed our ad, free, each time there was a Border Collie ad placed. They, the paper were fantastic and did this for almost a year.

 

What did finally shut the place down was the IRS. Seems this gentlemen farmer was NOT reporting close to $30K in income from puppy sales.

 

Karen

[danae]

Hi, just wanted to say I was a recent victim of Richard Swafford. I really wanted a blue merle BC and I got his ad off of Puppyfind.com. I bought a female from him with AKC registration papers, and he initially told me she was registerable with ABCA as well. Well, long story short...after 4 1/2 months of emails and turning him into AKC for refusing to give me registration papers on her I now have the papers. He was super rude, claiming I was rude to him to ask for the papers so often. He cussed at me and told me he wasn't going to send the papers because he didn't have to and I'd get them if he ever felt like mailing them. On top of this, my puppy got here and was ill..$400 in vet bills later she was well again. She had a pneumonia and had an infection in her eyes too. She's fine now and is a great dog but he is a fraud! I should have looked online about him before I bought from him. I have since contacted the Humane Society in his town and they emailed me and said that they deal with him a lot and are aware that he has a puppy mill. And that any and all info that they can get on him will help build a case and make reasons to go out and check out his facility. So email this address info@sumnerhumane.org with any info you have on him.

 

 

Just noticed that Richard Swafford is branching out. In addition to his puppy-selling business, he is now selling pregnant bitches and breeding pairs ( http://www.allaroundbordercollies.com/females4sale.html ), and also "gladly accepts and appreciates donations" in his alternate identity as Border Collie Rescue of Middle Tennessee ( http://www.bordercollierescueofmiddletennessee.com/ ), all at the same location.

 

ETA: Oops, I see there was already a thread on Border Collie Rescue of Middle Tennessee several weeks ago that I must have missed. Maybe we should post one every three months for the sake of newcomers. Note, newcomers, this is not an endorsement. It is the furthest thing from an endorsement.

[Sue R]

Welcome, Danae, and I am grateful that you have learned a very valuable lesson from this and that your dog is doing well now. Your experience is quite typical when dealing with the kind of "breeder" that Richard Swa**ord is.

 

On the other hand, folks who buy pups or dogs (or other services) from people who advertise on these many sites (puppyfind and other "generic" pet-for-sale advertising locales, google ads, etc.) are just asking for trouble. Good breeders don't sell through these sorts of sites and, in terms of Border Collies, not very many of the good breeders have websites for selling pups (although they may have websites for training services and other information - they rarely "list" pups for sale as the best breeders and buyers make the connection through reputation and word of mouth).

 

These comments are meant to refer to those who produce good working-bred pups, not those who produce kennel club pups (whether AKC, UKC, or any of the many fly-by-night "registries" like Continental Kennel Club that largely exist to "register" backyard-bred and puppy mill pups). Kennel club breeders, who thrive on being in the public eye and bragging on titles and such, often have websites.

 

A website is rarely a good place to locate a responsibly-bred pup, although good website construction can give the impression that the site owner is producing the best dogs in the world. It's all advertising, and we know how honest that can be...

[Bill Fosher]

Eileen (and others who have quoted her original post)

 

Every time a link to a Swafford site is posted somewhere, it gives his site "Google Juice," moving it up the rankings when someone searches for Border collie puppies for sale or the like. I think it would be a good policy to not publish links to Swafford's sites here. Let him get his juice elsewhere.

[Tranquilis]

In general, the more links to a site, the more 'relevant" it becomes in the Google search algorythm. So, yeah, multiple links in a thread will indeed boost his rating. In addition, if you link to a site that then links forward to the site of interest, the intermediary site becomes more relevant, which increases the value of the links coming off that page, and increases the relevance contribution of those links to the ranking of the site in question.

 

So, linking helps him, and even linking at one remove helps him a little (though much less). Not much to be done about it but to link to reputable sites and organizations, increasing their relevance, and essentially pushing the questionable site down in relative rankings.

[Beth G]

This just makes me so sick inside. That's all I can say. EVERY dog pictured looks so sad. Their eyes say it all.

[sweet_ceana]

In general, the more links to a site, the more 'relevant" it becomes in the Google search algorythm. So, yeah, multiple links in a thread will indeed boost his rating. In addition, if you link to a site that then links forward to the site of interest, the intermediary site becomes more relevant, which increases the value of the links coming off that page, and increases the relevance contribution of those links to the ranking of the site in question.

 

Maybe when we post info on people such as this we should just type in the address and if an individual wants to check out the site they can cut and paste instead of linking? Would this "dry up his juice?"

 

*** By the way Tranquilis, nice new avatar

[danae]

This is just sick. I see on his available dogs page that he is selling females for $250, but for $400 bred.

 

after i had received my puppy he contacted me and tried to get me to work out a deal with him where he sent me pregnant females and i whelped them for him and sold the puppies here in southern california. after that i kinda figured he was a bad guy. im glad i have my dog now but i wish i had known he was a puppy miller before i bought from him and supported his business

[Sue R]

That is something that he does in a number of states. Fortunately, you did not get involved in that. Scum is much too nice a word for someone like him.

[Tranquilis]

Maybe when we post info on people such as this we should just type in the address and if an individual wants to check out the site they can cut and paste instead of linking? Would this "dry up his juice?"

Yup - Absolutely.

 

*** By the way Tranquilis, nice new avatar

Thank you! I think so too, but it's kind of you to notice.

[Bo Peep]

I, actually never noticed anyone saying they wouldn't take back a pup. Maybe I missed that one. I think I would have been upset and commented on that.

I believe if you breed, you should take back that dog, no matter what the age. If you even are the owner of the Sire, you should take back the pup. That's just what I would call responsible. Breeding goes two ways. If you can't "fix" what someone did to one of your breeding's, you shouldn't have bred those 2 together.

If someone got your pups and bred them down the line from you it's NOT your fault who decided who was bred to who then you shouldn't be responsible 3 breeding's back.

Sorry- just spouting off.

Back on topic-

This guy has already been banned from the ABCA, How on earth can he register pups? How can this go on? Isn't there something we, as a group can do? I didn't click. So, I'm not adding to his posts. I don't even need to look.

I am very sorry danae, that you got mixed up with this SOB.

BTW Tranquilis- I love your avatar also!!!

[Aquarius89]

One thing that I've noticed over the years is that some of his photos have things photoshopped out of them. I wonder what is really supposed to be there.

[stockdogranch]

Don't mean to hijack the thread--Danae--where in SoCal are you located?

 

A

 

ETA: If I don't respond, it's cuz I'm leaving early tomorrow to be gone trialling in Wyoming for 2 weeks...yippeee!!!!

[Eileen Stein]

Eileen (and others who have quoted her original post)

 

Every time a link to a Swafford site is posted somewhere, it gives his site "Google Juice," moving it up the rankings when someone searches for Border collie puppies for sale or the like. I think it would be a good policy to not publish links to Swafford's sites here. Let him get his juice elsewhere.

 

Theoretically you are right, of course, and that's a good consideration to keep in mind in weighing the costs/benefits of posting a link. However, I just googled "border collie puppies," and Swafford's site did not come up in the first 10 pages of listings (I didn't look any further than that). I don't think anyone finds Swafford by googling -- they find him through puppyfind.com and all the other marketing sites he lists with, as well as his newspaper ads.

 

Danae, your story is SO familiar, right down to the last detail. The solicitation of a "partnership" in whelping out females and selling pups, the sick pup, the difficulty getting papers, the friendly emails followed by the rude, nasty emails . . . Sorry you had to go through it. Welcome to the Boards.

[danae]

Don't mean to hijack the thread--Danae--where in SoCal are you located?

 

A

 

ETA: If I don't respond, it's cuz I'm leaving early tomorrow to be gone trialling in Wyoming for 2 weeks...yippeee!!!!

 

I'm in Ramona..it's near San Diego Have fun in Wyoming!

[ShoresDog]

Danae, check out Anna's website to get a sense of some really neat border collies and border collie opportunities near you. My blog also has lots of pictures of her place. Both are a bit out of date, but hey. See you around, I hope!

[painted_ponies]

This guy has already been banned from the ABCA, How on earth can he register pups? How can this go on?

 

I don't believe he can register with the ABCA - wasn't he one of those "breeders" who refused to cooperate with requests for proof of paternity of his pups? Unfortunately, I imagine he can register with AKC, which is not so strict AFAIK about the pup actually having the parents the breeder claims it has. AKC has no problem with puppy mills, which is why you can buy an AKC-registered pup from a pet store.

 

Danae - welcome aboard, and thanks for posting about your experience. Maybe someone googling he-who-must-not-be-named will find this thread before they buy from him.

 

Tranq - Suka is lovely and makes a great avatar. I know what her name means in Russian - but a couple of centuries ago, here in SC, all calves used to be call "Sukie." I don't know why, they just were. When you went to call in the calves, you yelled "sooookie! sukie!" Later on, Sukie morphed into something you'd call a pretty girl - which goes to show you in what high regard southern people hold their livestock (*cough* in a purely spiritual sense, you understand).

[Tranquilis]

(*cough* in a purely spiritual sense, you understand).

Of course.

 

Not only does she make a great avatar, she also makes a great foot-warmer, too. She's taken to sleeping not at, but on my feet!

[painted_ponies]

Of course.

 

Not only does she make a great avatar, she also makes a great foot-warmer, too. She's taken to sleeping not at, but on my feet!

 

As my neighbors are fond of saying, "A good dog'll do that." Oh, wait - that's goats. And it's not about feet.

 

Anyway, you'll love that this winter.

[joette]

Actually for a real POS like Swafford, the worst thing that could happen to the poor dogs, apart from having been bred because of him in the first place, is to have them go back to the septic tank he calls his kennel.

I would not wish that on any animal.

This kennel looks much better than say GHFarms in Alabama, ABCA member and breeder, owner of 100's of dogs.

Also, there is a big agility competitor and winnder of atitles that compettes with deaf dogs, that are the offspring of her ABCA dogs.

Richard Swafford did not start the IBCA. It is owned by a corporation in Delaware, just like the ABCA.

 

"There are always two sides to every story,"