Cheap Toy Poodles Purchased in Argentinian Bazaar Turn Out to Be 'Ferrets on Steroids'
A man in Argentina was either ripped off or not depending on your view of paying for a toy poodle and getting a giant ferret instead.
According to a news story that aired locally last year but only began making international rounds over the weekend, an unidentified man who visited La Salada bazaar in Buenos Aires thought he was getting a bargain on a pair of thousand-dollar toy poodles, but instead wound up with 150 dollars worth of ferret.
Known colloquially as "Brazilian rats," the fluffy white ferrets are pumped full of steroids from birth in order to bulk up their appearance so they can be sold as dogs.
Long thought to be an urban legend, the news story which aired last June is thought to have exposed the unethical practice to sunlight.
Others came forward with similar stories of having purchased pure-bred chihuahuas, only to end up with misshapen rodents and other dog-like animals.
The man whose cautionary tale triggered the news piece says he had no idea he was in possession of a beefed-up ferret until he brought the animal to the vet for shots.
The Daily Mail offers this helpful tip for anyone who thinks they may have fallen victim to a similar scam: "They weigh around three pounds and have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years...Toy poodle have long lifespans and have been known to live as long as 20-years."
So if your pet poodle is still alive after 10 years, congrats: It's not a ferret.
