I happily paid for a proper "vet check" before my pup was shipped.
Some of the 'complaints' may be due to change in diet, drinking water, etc. Assuming the USDA is not lying. But I never assume that any more.
Well, they are "claiming" this but of course there's never going to be 100% anyway, I'm sure some sick pups pass through. What they are claiming is because these people bought the dogs "sight unseen", they got a defective puppy for whatever reason.
"We feel this is certainly a much-needed change to an outdated system," said Rebecca Blue, deputy undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs.
The change does not affect backyard breeders who sell puppies from their homes or other physical locations. Blue said it's designed to ensure that dogs sold and shipped to buyers are healthy, treated well and genetically sound.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120517/GJLIFESTYLES/120519935/-1/FOSLIFESTYLES
What's funny is that they think that if you see the parents first before buying, that will automatically guarantee you a healthy pup, which is hogwash anyway because breeding is a gamble and even if you have healthy parents genetic issues may show up. You could see the parents but they may be full brother and sister and therefore the pups MAY have genetic issues the parents did not have, but even in unrelated dogs bred together seeing the parents isn't going to 100% guarantee your pup WON'T have issues anyway.