Callous Tom and Ellie Mongan may be on display as key members of an Irish puppy breeding gang that has caused misery for hundreds of Scots.
The couple, who have been based in various rental apartments to escape detection, are accused of taking huge sums from families for seriously ill puppies.
The Mongans and their associates have reportedly gained hundreds of thousands of pounds in recent weeks, leaving a trail of misery in their wake.
(Image: SSPCA)
It comes after the animal charity was inundated with complaints from people who spent over £ 1,000 on dogs, only to be hit by huge vet bills and then the loss of their pet .
The Record has revealed how Irish sellers concocted crazy stories to avoid having to present puppies with their mothers to family homes.
Tom Mongan, 27, and his wife Ellie, 28, are accused of bringing dogs on ferries and selling them at a discount on Gumtree.
Sources recounted how they then made their way to other properties – turning off ‘burner’ cell phones and letting victims pick up the pieces.
The Scottish SPCA has revealed that a raid on a rented apartment resulted in the seizure of eight puppies – and four were so sick they must have been put to sleep.
The charity says the latest wave of puppy farm activity is one of the worst it has ever seen.
The puppies – believed to be linked to the Mongan family – suffered from parvovirus and other conditions associated with being taken from their mothers at too young a age.
The Scottish SPCA Special Investigation Unit broke into Ibrox’s apartment, but the Mongans are believed to have moved to various other rented apartments.
(Image: SSPCA)
In response to the tragedies, a Facebook page was set up to warn about Irish sellers.
A member who posted on the Mongans said, “These two sold my cousin a puppy that almost died. They advertise it’s an unwanted pet and then get an Airbnb in Toryglen.
He asked people to post a photo of the couple ‘in the distance’, writing: ‘Did anyone buy a Springer Spaniel puppy from either of these two people in Glasgow last week?
“We paid a lot of money, but the little puppy is at the vet fighting for his life after contracting the parvovirus and I can’t have them.
“I told the vet about the vaccination cards and they are in Dublin but the two in the picture are in Belfast.
“And the puppies were sold in an apartment in Glasgow which is a vacation home.
“I want this because they will do it again and there’s a good chance the rest of the litter will have the disease.”
(Image: SSPCA)
Another seller identified by Record readers is Paddy McDonagh, who also came from Belfast to sell puppies. He sold a border collie to a family, who discovered that the microchip and the jab’s records were forged.
The buyer said: “We weren’t sure to hand over money because we didn’t see the mother, but we were told a lot of nonsense about how aggressive the mother was when people were handling her puppies.
“But when we checked with the vet they said they had handled all of the documents, we found out they were fake and the chip did not match the database.”
(Image: SSPCA)
When Record used the number provided to the puppy buyer via the Gumtree ad, McDonagh answered the phone.
Although the buyer identified him and his wife from social media profiles, McDonagh said: “I have never been to Glasgow to sell dogs. I am a Christian and I would never do anything like this.
Tom and Ellie Mongan deleted their Facebook profiles yesterday.
The Daily Record’s revelations that rented apartments are being used to sell hundreds of poorly treated puppies have prompted an urgent warning from the Scottish Consumer Advisory Service.
Advice Direct Scotland urged people considering buying a puppy to do thorough research before agreeing to a deal and to thoroughly verify the person making the sale.
Puppies without papers or certificates should not be purchased, and buyers should insist on seeing the puppy at home with its mother.
Marjorie Gibson, operations manager at Advice Direct Scotland, which manages consumeradvice.scot, said: “The lockdown has led more and more people to consider purchasing a puppy for their household.
“This trend has led to an increase in illegal breeders and puppy farms, who sell puppies that are not ready to leave their mothers and have not received the right treatment or vaccines.
“This can often lead to the dog’s extreme health and even death.
“Anyone who doubts a puppy seller’s credentials should trust their instincts and back out of the sale.
“Suspicious activity should also be reported to the police or the Scottish SPCA. ”
The Scottish SPCA helpline number is 03000 999 999.
• IF YOU have dealt with the Mongans or any of their associates, please send an email to [email protected]
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