[Los Gatoan]

I'm so sorry! We had a terrible experience with this woman. Her real name is Sara Werp, but she has many aliases. (Who goes by just a first name in the first place--other than Prince or Cher? Someone who does not want to be researched online!! ) I live in Los Gatos, close to SJ, who lives in Campbell, and she has a horrible reputation. She has cheated and scammed so many people, and I have talked to many of them. I filled out paperwork for small claims court to get our $1200 deposit back. This was a deposit for a dog she claimed was a toy poodle (price $5400). As I thought about everything she told us at the one meeting we had, I got 'that feeling' in my stomach that Sara Jane was a fraud and the dog was NOT a toy poodle--and not a poodle at all. She did not answer my emails or phone calls asking the numerous questions I had. I knew she was trying to wait out 3 days we have to cancel a contract (I found out later that most of what she told us was untrue or was suspect). I cancelled he contract in writing the very next day. She tried to give me some non-sensical reasons for all the discrepancies in her claims to us. When I sent SJ the court paperwork for small claims, she quickly refunded our deposit. (Turns out, she has MANY other cases that have been filed against her.) We were lucky! We got out before we took the puppy home and became attached to him. Another woman I spoke to bought a dog for her mother from SJ believing it was a purebred poodle. As the dog grew up, it was clear the dog was not pure poodle so they had it DNA tested and found it was 50% Australian Shepherd! Can you imagine the energy level and size of that puppy for a senior citizen-age person? This woman's mother was heartbroken and could not bear to part with the puppy b/c she was attached to it emotionally, but she got most of her money back after filling out the court papers. I could go on and on. I have reported SJ to every agency I can think of. Yet the AKC website still allows her to advertise, even though there are examples on their website of SJ alleging the same parent for a toy poodle and a standard poodle. How flagrant! There are so many sad stories about the fraud SJ has perpetrated. If you search up her name on this forum (or my name) you will see many complaints. I posted our sad, horrible experience --and I have persuaded several people from this forum and locally NOT to deal with her. MY ADVICE - Fill out the small claims paperwork for Santa Clara County and send it to her. (The paperwork is not hard to fill out.) I think she may refund a good portion of your money--and some more for your vet bills. It will not cure your puppy's kennel cough, but you may be able to recover some costs. If you need more information about this woman, please let me know.

BTW - We DID find a tremendous breeder through this forum. Gail Zamora in Grass Valley, CA poodletoy.com We got one red female puppy and went back 6 weeks later and got a red male companion for her! It is a ton of work, but we could not be happier. Gail is a real breeder. She has been doing this for 40 years and she knows what she is doing. Her dogs are incredible in terms of temperament.

 

[Joc]

Thank you! I will do as you say. I was thinking I should get a lawyer, but maybe I can just do this myself. I appreciate your information.
I also sent an email to American Kennel Marketplace and haven’t received a response. Thank you.

 

[Los Gatoan]

I don't think the AKC Marketplace will respond. They did not respond to me. I think anyone who is willing to pay the listing fee can place an ad, and can claim whatever they want.

I got the idea to file a small claims case from one of the other people Sara Jane scammed who lives here in town. That person told me that SJ refunded their $ as soon as they sent her the court paperwork. (To be clear, Santa Clara County Small Claims Court requires that you send the defendant your claim BEFORE submitting it to the court.) I feel confident that you will get your $ back. I am pretty sure she does not want another small claims case. Be sure to make copies of all expenses, vet bills, any paperwork she sent you....

When we met Sara Jane, we put a deposit on a male puppy, and we told her we wanted another puppy--a female-- in the near future. She offered us a female Cavapoo on the spot, stating that the mother was a Cavalier and the father was a poodle. She said she had 2 female pups that would be old enough to go home in 3-4 wks. (That was May 30, 2021.) When did you get your pup? I am wondering if you have one of those pups?

Here is another bizarre thing - When we looked at the litter of pups, SJ would not allow us to see the mother of the litter, telling us that the mother would be sad if she knew we were looking at her pups. (I was paying $5400 for a pup and I wanted to see the parents.) So I asked to see the mother away from the pups, and SJ immediately said the mother was 'not on the premises.' She claimed the father was "Miles," a large, miniature male that was running around with the pups. This was the name of the dog listed as sire in the AKC ad, so I believed he was the father of this litter. (Later SJ claimed that he was not the father.) We became concerned that the six-week old pup we were contracting to buy was not a toy poodle. At 6-weeks, the pup seemed large for a toy, and I became more concerned when I saw how large the father was.

Another red flag was that Sara Jane gave us a contract that listed her as the breeder and the contract specified only her first name. After I signed the contract, she took the paper and pretended to sign it. Then she asked me to scan the contract with my phone "so you will have a copy." Weirdly unprofessional, I thought! However, I did not notice at the time, but SJ never actually signed the contract. Apparently, she is savvy enough as a scam artist that she knew better than to sign her name to the fraud she was perpetrating.

Again, I am so sorry for your trauma and heartache. It sounds like you are from out of town. If I can help you in any way, please let me know.

 

[TeamHellhound]

The only requirements to advertise on the AKC Marketplace are that the breeder not have their AKC privileges suspended or revoked, and that the dogs advertised be eligible for AKC registration or already registered. You will find everyone from "high volume breeders" to casual backyard breeders to to parent club members advertising there.

 

[Los Gatoan]

Well, how on earth does a breeder lose AKC privileges? Sara Jane Werp is a scammer who never should have had AKC privileges in the first place. She has sold dogs as AKC purebred when those dogs were DNA tested and proven to be of mixed breeds.

 

[kontiki]

I am so sorry to hear these stories. There are many recommendations and excellent breeders listed on Poodle Forum. I am forever puzzled that people do not use those to find their poodle. I hope that others who are looking for an excellent poodle of any size will read follow the recommendations and read this entire thread:
🐩 Breeders Listed by Location 🐩 Plus Additional Resources 🐩

 

[Los Gatoan]

When we were scammed by Sara Jane, I did not know about Poodle Forum. Stupidly, I thought the AKC website would vet their members / those who advertise. It was only after being scammed twice--once by a 'rescue' in Orange County, and a second time by Sara Jane--that I found Poodle Forum and a member (Baby Scout) pointed us to Gail Zamora in Grass Valley.

 

[TeamHellhound]

Well, how on earth does a breeder lose AKC privileges? Sara Jane Werp is a scammer who never should have had AKC privileges in the first place. She has sold dogs as AKC purebred when those dogs were DNA tested and proven to be of mixed breeds.

Were the results submitted to the AKC?

Most suspensions are three months to five years, depending on what the violations are. To get suspended for life usually takes a felony animal cruelty conviction.

From various editions of the AKC Secretary's page:

The AKC’s Management Disciplinary Committee has suspended Ms. Christy Cunningham (Monroe, VA) from all AKC privileges for five years and imposed a $1,000 fine for refusing to make her dogs and records available for inspection when requested. (Multiple Breeds)

The AKC’s Management Disciplinary Committee has suspended Ms. Linda Johns (Wellington, NV) from registration privileges for one year and imposed a $1,000 fine, effective April 15, 2020, for the submission of an online registration of a litter on behalf of the co-owner without written permission. (Chihuahuas)

The AKC’s Management Disciplinary Committee has suspended the following individuals from all AKC privileges for life and imposed a $10,000 fine, for conduct prejudicial to purebred dogs, purebred dog events, or the best interests of the American Kennel Club based on their violation of the AKC’s Judicial or Administrative Determination of Inappropriate Treatment Policy: Effective July 12, 2021: Mr. Barry Freidline (New Oxford, PA) Multiple Breeds Ms. Deborah Freidline (New Oxford, PA) Multiple Breeds Ms. Wanda Watson (Bredford, NH) Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers

The Management Disciplinary Committee has suspended Ms. Cathy Lewandowski (Croghan, NY) from all AKC privileges for three years and imposed a $1000 fine, effective July 9, 2019, for creation, falsification or alteration of an official AKC document. (Multiple Breeds)

 

[Los Gatoan]

I wrote to AKC when we were scammed--NOTHING! No response. I live in the same area as Sara Jane and when I suspected she was a con artist, I reached out on Next Door (a neighborhood website) and asked for people to contact me privately. The replies came pouring in--and everyone had a heartbreaking story, not dissimilar to what we were experiencing. That is when I knew my 'gut feelings' were accurate, so I cancelled our contract in writing and started the small claims paperwork.

After our deposit was returned and I had recovered emotionally, I dug through AKC Marketplace and found numerous ads Sara Jane had placed for puppies--many ads had the same pictures as well as the same sire or dam listed FOR TEACUP AND STANDARD POODLES. (Even I knew that a dog that sired a teacup could not sire a standard poodle.) This was all sent to the AKC and they never responded. In fact, Rose n Poos, another member of this forum, also found Sara Jane's bogus ads on AKC Marketplace. If Rose n Poos and I can find scam ads without looking too hard, why can't AKC? Isn't that their job?

I will send my info. again--and I will urge Joc to do the same. But frankly, how many people have to be scammed before AKC takes action. Joc stated that Sara Jane admitted that the mother of the puppy is 20% Cavalier. Again, I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure that renders the dog to be a mixed breed. Isn't that a violation of AKC policy???

 

[babyscout]

Im so sorry for everything you’re having to go through. 😭 Los Gatoan went through a lot as well 😭 I don’t know how much akc really vets the listings. When I was deciding where to get a puppy from, I went through all the akc listings. The buyers from one of the breeders seems to have similar issues like what people here describe with Sara Jane. When I actually went through the Yelp and Google comments for “karina” listing on akc some said that puppies don’t come with papers and are also not purebred but sold as they are. (I don’t have any evidence of this or know anyone who has purchased from this breeder, but that is what some of the reviews imply).

I had a great experience with Gail.

I hope your little one is ok...

 

[Los Gatoan]

Thank you! I will do as you say. I was thinking I should get a lawyer, but maybe I can just do this myself. I appreciate your information.
I also sent an email to American Kennel Marketplace and haven’t received a response. Thank you.

Hi Joc -
I spoke to someone at AKC today. Her name is Mary Johnson (Mary.Johnson@akc.org). She listened to my story, as well as the stories of others I have talked to in our town. She looked at the bogus AKC Marketplace ads placed by Sara Jane, and she promised to send the ads to her supervisor.

She also asked that all other people who have been scammed by Sara Jane contact AKC. If Sara sold you a dog that is not a purebred poodle, Mary Johnson asked that you send pictures of your dog (front view and side view) to impure breeding@AKC.org. (For some reason, the AKC puts more by legitimacy in their visual inspection of photos than they do in DNA testing?) Or feel free to contact Mary Johnson at her email address listed above.

My purpose in tracking down all people scammed by Sara Jane is to ask them to submit their stories and evidence to AKC so they will ban SJ from advertising on their website. She does not have the right to hurt and scam people.

Thank you
Karee Weber

 

[kontiki]

Never, NEVER, believe in a membership in anything to show that one is a valid worthwhile member! Anything! Any Forum, Any Organization, the Stock Exchange, any club / organization / business. I am so sorry you had to find out the hard way.

 

[elove]

Hi Joc -
I spoke to someone at AKC today. Her name is Mary Johnson (Mary.Johnson@akc.org). She listened to my story, as well as the stories of others I have talked to in our town. She looked at the bogus AKC Marketplace ads placed by Sara Jane, and she promised to send the ads to her supervisor.

She also asked that all other people who have been scammed by Sara Jane contact AKC. If Sara sold you a dog that is not a purebred poodle, Mary Johnson asked that you send pictures of your dog (front view and side view) to impure breeding@AKC.org. (For some reason, the AKC puts more by legitimacy in their visual inspection of photos than they do in DNA testing?) Or feel free to contact Mary Johnson at her email address listed above.

My purpose in tracking down all people scammed by Sara Jane is to ask them to submit their stories and evidence to AKC so they will ban SJ from advertising on their website. She does not have the right to hurt and scam people.

Thank you
Karee Weber

I was trying to message you back but it says as a new user I have reached my limit on responding.

 

[Los Gatoan]

I was trying to message you back but it says as a new user I have reached my limit on responding.

I'm not sure what that means?? I'm very new to this forum ...I will try to send you a private message with contact info

 

[PeggyTheParti]

I'm not sure what that means?? I'm very new to this forum ...I will try to send you a private message with contact info

Messaging capabilities are limited for new members, to prevent spam. Should work fine if you initiate the conversation.

 

[Los Gatoan]

I think/hope🤞 I did it correctly to send my email address.

 

[Los Gatoan]

Thank you! I will do as you say. I was thinking I should get a lawyer, but maybe I can just do this myself. I appreciate your information.
I also sent an email to American Kennel Marketplace and haven’t received a response. Thank you.

Joc - Have you reported your experience to AKC? I pestered the AKC with phone calls and emails and finally received a response. Despite her blatantly fraudulent Marketplace ads that lists the same parent and AKC registration number for a toy poodle and a standard, the AKC is still reticent to take any steps to sanction or refuse Sara Jane's ads from Marketplace because we did not follow through with the purchase of the puppy.

Yet many people are finding Sara Jane Werp through her bogus Marketplace ads and these people end up being scammed. The AKC needs to get a spine, and they need to hear from everyone who has been scammed. The AKC asks that you send 2 photos of your dog (side view and front view) to impure breeding@AKC.org.

Thank you

 

[Stef_Tastico]

Joc - Have you reported your experience to AKC? I pestered the AKC with phone calls and emails and finally received a response. Despite her blatantly fraudulent Marketplace ads that lists the same parent and AKC registration number for a toy poodle and a standard, the AKC is still reticent to take any steps to sanction or refuse Sara Jane's ads from Marketplace because we did not follow through with the purchase of the puppy.

Yet many people are finding Sara Jane Werp through her bogus Marketplace ads and these people end up being scammed. The AKC needs to get a spine, and they need to hear from everyone who has been scammed. The AKC asks that you send 2 photos of your dog (side view and front view) to impure breeding@AKC.org.

Thank you

Los Gatoan - I wish I would have seen this before I sent my deposit today. I am heart sick and do not know what to do. I sent the deposit and now am barely getting responses from her, to be fair she was responding after I sent the money and we spoke on the phone at length but I am getting nervous that the puppy I requested isnt a teacup after all and I can't have a big dog where I live. Any tips - do you think I should cancel and try for small claims? how does one even go about that? any advice you can give me is greatly appreciated Stefanie

 

[Rose n Poos]

Hi and Welcome to PF!

Until Los Gatoan responds, I hope you don't mind a couple of questions.

What is the size/weight limit you're constrained by? (the conversation about the marketing term "teacup" is for another thread).
I ask that because no breeder can guarantee height or weight of any dog they breed. The parents, if you saw them, are an indicator, but there's generations behind them. Genetics is a dice roll in some instances.

Re your concern about the deposit, was it in a form that you can cancel/stop payment on, if that's what you're sure you want to do?

 

[117267]

Stef, I'm so sorry. I hope everything turns out ok for you and the pup.