[Charity]

There is an increasing presence of “livestock flippers” selling suspect animals on media such as Craigslist. They pose as sincere pet loving families for anyone looking to find a home for goats or sheep but as soon as they post a few pictures of their victim’s pet at it’s “new home” they list the animal for sale. We recently discovered a family working out of Gonzales TX making a business from this fraud but they are not alone.

Here are just a few things to ponder when buying from scammers like this:

• You may be importing deadly parasites to your pasture
• You are supporting a business built upon cheating people who love their animals
• These scammers don’t properly care for the animals they sell and don’t care about it

How to avoid buying from livestock flippers:

• Don’t buy from someone who only has one or two animals for sale
• A reputable farm will have fenced pasture, good shelters, and well used feed trays
• Question any seller who’s pens don’t look heavily used (where’s the poop?)
• Get the name of their vet and call that vet to verify they have a history of care
• Ignore excuses. These people are professional con artists. They have a polished excuse for everything and will stop communicating with you when you begin asking “too many questions.”

If you value the health of your herd and pasture, always buy from someone with a healthy herd and pasture. Flippers don’t care about you or the animals they sell.

 

[ksalvagno]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[bisonviewfarm]

Great post. though I have to disagree with staying away from the person with only 1 or 2 animals for sale. I know plenty of people with small well loved herds that only have 1 or 2 animals for sale at a time. Thats often all I have.

 

[Buck Naked Boers]

Fallon is right....we are a very small farm and sell very quality boers. But only breed one doe or two does at a time. So....yeah that isn't always correct. But good to let people know about this!

 

[Charity]

I stand corrected. If a person ONLY has one or two animals and they are for sale I would recommend strongly looking for signs that those animals have been cared for at their property for some time. The flippers will have only a few animals with little sign of them actually living at their property. Again, the flippers always have a well prepared excuse for every irregularity. Talking with the seller will often reveal a stunning lack of understanding for goat care and management. For flippers it's all about fast money.

 

[Trollmor]

Thanks for alerting! I wonder if this is a world wide problem, or if "only" the United States suffer from this?

How would it be to ask about things that will reveal poor knowledge of goat care?

 

[Sfgwife]

I stand corrected. If a person ONLY has one or two animals and they are for sale I would recommend strongly looking for signs that those animals have been cared for at their property for some time. The flippers will have only a few animals with little sign of them actually living at their property. Again, the flippers always have a well prepared excuse for every irregularity. Talking with the seller will often reveal a stunning lack of understanding for goat care and management. For flippers it's all about fast money.

While sometimes this is true.... last year we went lookin at piglets. It was very obvious by the living arrangements this guy bought and fipped many different kinds of animals. Every single pen was WAY too small for the animals in them. The cows and calves and horses.omg! Dont get me started. The pigs were flithy and many had hernias and swollen joints and it was hot out with no shelter for those pigs.... pigs do not sweat btw... it was just horrible!

 

[MadCatX]

I seriously doubt this is a USA problem only lol.

 

[Jessica84]

Only buy from those you trust. I knew a breeder that just recently sold out and she used to buy goats at the auction all the time and flip them claiming they were her stock. She used the fact she was a breeder to give people the piece of mind that she was a honest person. There really is no fool proof way to make sure you are buying what you think you are or that people are as honest as they say they are. But ask questions, get a feel for the person selling the animal, and use your best judgment. That’s all anyone can do. Not just with flippers but with any goat you are interested in purchasing. Do as much homework as you can on the animal and the seller. There was once a buck I was interested in buying years ago. The seller said “he was shown and in his class and placed 7th out of 30 (something along those lines) I looked him up and he got 7th out of 7th. I don’t care about showing or how he placed I liked HIM. But if someone lies over something so very small what else do they lie about? Lies have a way of coming out.
Also a good reminder that once you sell or give a animal away you have NO MORE control over that animal. To be honest I just sent my free Martin that I adored but couldn’t afford to keep any more to butcher because I couldn’t stand her falling in the wrong hands or being flipped over and over again.
And no it is not a USA issue only. It is everywhere that the root of surviving depends on money causing people to be greedy and not be honest for that dollar.

 

[spidy1]

I like to take A LOT of pictures of all my goats, so maybe that would be a good question, "may I see pictures of the kid at birth and growing up?" see if it is the same farm in the pics

 

[singinggoatgirl]

I only sell one - three at a time as well. We have a very small and well loved herd. It’s important to warn people, but it’s also important to be careful of generalizations.

 

[Trollmor]

But if someone lies over something so very small what else do they lie about?

That is a very good thought!

Also a good reminder that once you sell or give a animal away you have NO MORE control over that animal.

My thought also! I butcher myself, or lend, do not sell or give away. But even this does not always help...

And no it is not a USA issue only. It is everywhere that the root of surviving depends on money causing people to be greedy and not be honest for that dollar.

I wonder, how much of our "collected thoughts" that are useable in "all" countries?

 

[Trollmor]

I like to take A LOT of pictures of all my goats, so maybe that would be a good question, "may I see pictures of the kid at birth and growing up?" see if it is the same farm in the pics

Is there an interest in this thread, to collect the best questions in a list? If yes, I suggest this one!