Ok, I am completely will to beat the crap out of somebody who is running a puppy mill, who abuses dogs willingly or those who run those 'shelters' for stray dogs who sell them to unethical laboratories. I wouldn't beat them with a dead dog. But I'd be happy to beat them with something. But most breeders are pretty ethical and are regulated through professional associations and this doesn't sound on the surface like a case where the breeder did anything wrong.
Lots of puppy mills in Missouri. Selling a 4 week old puppy is wrong.