If you are thinking about getting a Siberian cat from Dawn Campbell of Pendraig Siberians, DON’T DO IT. Find an ethical breeder instead. I have been dealing with Dawn Campbell for a year. In September 2014 we had to put down our 19 year old cat. We were grieving and decided to wait to get another. After 2 weeks the house felt empty so we decided to find a cat. We are allergic to cats so decided to get a Siberian for their hypoallergenic properties. We didn’t want a kitten but a young adult. I did a Google search and Pendraig Siberians came up. The website stated there were 2 adults ready for adoption and she was located in the Austin, TX area so we could drive to get the cats. We called and she was really nice on the phone. She answered our questions with what turned out to be what we wanted to hear, but in truth was a bunch of lies. We filled out the online application and was “approved” for adoption. We sent $1000 to her on 9/20/14 and $700 on 9/22/14 for a total of $1700. Once she received our money, the trouble started.
The first red flag should have been that she will accept PayPal but you have to send it to a friend (gift) and not a payment. This is her direct quote “And I can also take PayPal as a sending money to a friend (not as a payment)., that have silly rules about breeders and not protecting payments when I don’t put the cats in a box and send it UPS the next day. Right… because when she takes your money and doesn’t give you your cats, you can’t file a claim with PayPal for a refund because it was a payment to a “friend”. We naively took the other payment option she offered - a bank transfer (electronic check).
So, we are waiting for her to send a contract and to get the two cats altered. We were told that both would be done in the next week. I just wanted to put this in that over the course of months we asked and asked for her to send us a contract, but she never did. She will say that she did, but that is one of many lies to come. So we waited 1 1/2 weeks after payment and repeatedly tried to get in contact with her (via email, texting and phone calls) on the status (they both were supposed to have been altered/healing up). So when she finally responded this is the story that she told: She stated that as she was getting ready to take them to the vet, the female escaped the carrier (“the great escape” as she called it). Blamed a faulty carrier. She will take them next week. (How about fixing the carrier and putting the cat back in????) So we waited another 1 1/2 weeks and asked about the status. Also during this time we wanted just to talk to her on the phone but she stated she was busy and we would make an appointment for next Monday at 3:00pm to call her. After a time, we received an email from her stating that the female went into heat and we would have to wait on the alteration as a result. In my experience, you don’t need to wait -- it just costs more. So we are waiting and waiting. Now, she is in “extended heat” and per Dawn "If we hadn't had the great escape from the carrier right before leaving it would be done already but I won't risk her health trying to do it now. Hopefully she will come out of it this weekend. It can last a couple weeks”. I was never provided with an excuse for the delay in neutering the male cat - she just never took him. We offered to take them to our own vet and have them altered on our own dime (even thought the money we paid included the cost of alteration). She refused, stating “Unfortunately I cannot let them go home unsterilized. As a pet owner inexperienced with dealing with heats and sneaky behaviors they will try anything to mate and two adults male and female. It would be irresponsible of me and add to yours and their stress levels.” Wow. I can’t be trusted with keeping a male and female apart for 1-2 days until I get them altered??? No - she was obviously planning all along to not alter them and to keep our money!!!
So, this saga had been going on for several months. Since she dragged this out over several months, it was coming close to our vacation. By this time we were giving up hope of the getting the cats and were starting to fear that we were being taken for a ride. Anyway, we emailed her and said we would like to get the cats when we get back from vacation (but by then we didn’t have much hope in getting them). This was her response:
“Wow congrats!!! Normally I wouldn’t keep them so long but Nyneave is making it hard to time her spay between heats. This time delay helps. I will draw up the contacts for then!”. This was 2 months after we sent her the money.
We went on vacation. Never head a thing from her. We waited 6 weeks and sent her a certified letter demanding our money back. It took her a month to pick it up from her PO box. If you do a google search for a home address you won’t find one. Only a PO Box. Another red flag. If you can’t find her, then you can’t serve her court papers. So, we finally received an email from her on 2/17/2015-the day she finally signed for the certified letter. She then accused us of abandoning the cats, and stated that she had been boarding them for us while we went on vacation. Just an FYI-she likes to claim abandonment because in her mind it justifies her stealing your money. So, we went back and forth and finally got her to commit to a refund. She promised to immediately send a refund agreement — but once again she never did. So again waited for our refund, but it never came. Neither did any communication for almost 3 months.
On 6/4/2015 we sent another demand email. Dawn actually responded this time, with what she called “a formal legally binding email”, offering that we would receive an initial good faith payment of $100 on 6/20/2015 (which we did) and that she would try to pay $850 in 30 days (no promises). The remaining balance of $1600 would be paid in no more than 90 days. Well, the 90 days is up, and I haven’t received any communication from Dawn since 6/20/15.
On 9/5/15, I sent another email to Dawn, reminding here that her 90 days was up. Her commitment was to refund the remaining $1600. I’m still waiting on both her response and my refund.
I just want to let people know that if Dawn responds to this complaint, she will state the following. I’m just pre-warning people before they fall victim to her deceitful practices.
1) She will be nice and answer all of your questions until she gets your money. Then good luck.
2) She will make up excuses for everything. Family issues, car was stolen, she was sick instead of just doing the right thing.
3) Her go-to excuse for keeping your money is that you abandoned the cats. Be warned (Although I’ve found it difficult to abandon any animal I was never given custody of…)
Pendraig Reviews
If you are thinking about getting a Siberian cat from Dawn Campbell of Pendraig Siberians, DON’T DO IT. Find an ethical breeder instead. I have been dealing with Dawn Campbell for a year. In September 2014 we had to put down our 19 year old cat. We were grieving and decided to wait to get another. After 2 weeks the house felt empty so we decided to find a cat. We are allergic to cats so decided to get a Siberian for their hypoallergenic properties. We didn’t want a kitten but a young adult. I did a Google search and Pendraig Siberians came up. The website stated there were 2 adults ready for adoption and she was located in the Austin, TX area so we could drive to get the cats. We called and she was really nice on the phone. She answered our questions with what turned out to be what we wanted to hear, but in truth was a bunch of lies. We filled out the online application and was “approved” for adoption. We sent $1000 to her on 9/20/14 and $700 on 9/22/14 for a total of $1700. Once she received our money, the trouble started.
The first red flag should have been that she will accept PayPal but you have to send it to a friend (gift) and not a payment. This is her direct quote “And I can also take PayPal as a sending money to a friend (not as a payment)., that have silly rules about breeders and not protecting payments when I don’t put the cats in a box and send it UPS the next day. Right… because when she takes your money and doesn’t give you your cats, you can’t file a claim with PayPal for a refund because it was a payment to a “friend”. We naively took the other payment option she offered - a bank transfer (electronic check).
So, we are waiting for her to send a contract and to get the two cats altered. We were told that both would be done in the next week. I just wanted to put this in that over the course of months we asked and asked for her to send us a contract, but she never did. She will say that she did, but that is one of many lies to come. So we waited 1 1/2 weeks after payment and repeatedly tried to get in contact with her (via email, texting and phone calls) on the status (they both were supposed to have been altered/healing up). So when she finally responded this is the story that she told: She stated that as she was getting ready to take them to the vet, the female escaped the carrier (“the great escape” as she called it). Blamed a faulty carrier. She will take them next week. (How about fixing the carrier and putting the cat back in????) So we waited another 1 1/2 weeks and asked about the status. Also during this time we wanted just to talk to her on the phone but she stated she was busy and we would make an appointment for next Monday at 3:00pm to call her. After a time, we received an email from her stating that the female went into heat and we would have to wait on the alteration as a result. In my experience, you don’t need to wait -- it just costs more. So we are waiting and waiting. Now, she is in “extended heat” and per Dawn "If we hadn't had the great escape from the carrier right before leaving it would be done already but I won't risk her health trying to do it now. Hopefully she will come out of it this weekend. It can last a couple weeks”. I was never provided with an excuse for the delay in neutering the male cat - she just never took him. We offered to take them to our own vet and have them altered on our own dime (even thought the money we paid included the cost of alteration). She refused, stating “Unfortunately I cannot let them go home unsterilized. As a pet owner inexperienced with dealing with heats and sneaky behaviors they will try anything to mate and two adults male and female. It would be irresponsible of me and add to yours and their stress levels.” Wow. I can’t be trusted with keeping a male and female apart for 1-2 days until I get them altered??? No - she was obviously planning all along to not alter them and to keep our money!!!
So, this saga had been going on for several months. Since she dragged this out over several months, it was coming close to our vacation. By this time we were giving up hope of the getting the cats and were starting to fear that we were being taken for a ride. Anyway, we emailed her and said we would like to get the cats when we get back from vacation (but by then we didn’t have much hope in getting them). This was her response:
“Wow congrats!!! Normally I wouldn’t keep them so long but Nyneave is making it hard to time her spay between heats. This time delay helps. I will draw up the contacts for then!”. This was 2 months after we sent her the money.
We went on vacation. Never head a thing from her. We waited 6 weeks and sent her a certified letter demanding our money back. It took her a month to pick it up from her PO box. If you do a google search for a home address you won’t find one. Only a PO Box. Another red flag. If you can’t find her, then you can’t serve her court papers. So, we finally received an email from her on 2/17/2015-the day she finally signed for the certified letter. She then accused us of abandoning the cats, and stated that she had been boarding them for us while we went on vacation. Just an FYI-she likes to claim abandonment because in her mind it justifies her stealing your money. So, we went back and forth and finally got her to commit to a refund. She promised to immediately send a refund agreement — but once again she never did. So again waited for our refund, but it never came. Neither did any communication for almost 3 months.
On 6/4/2015 we sent another demand email. Dawn actually responded this time, with what she called “a formal legally binding email”, offering that we would receive an initial good faith payment of $100 on 6/20/2015 (which we did) and that she would try to pay $850 in 30 days (no promises). The remaining balance of $1600 would be paid in no more than 90 days. Well, the 90 days is up, and I haven’t received any communication from Dawn since 6/20/15.
On 9/5/15, I sent another email to Dawn, reminding here that her 90 days was up. Her commitment was to refund the remaining $1600. I’m still waiting on both her response and my refund.
I just want to let people know that if Dawn responds to this complaint, she will state the following. I’m just pre-warning people before they fall victim to her deceitful practices.
1) She will be nice and answer all of your questions until she gets your money. Then good luck.
2) She will make up excuses for everything. Family issues, car was stolen, she was sick instead of just doing the right thing.
3) Her go-to excuse for keeping your money is that you abandoned the cats. Be warned (Although I’ve found it difficult to abandon any animal I was never given custody of…)