[wordup] Japanese fleeced in poodle scam

[Adam Shand]

Via: Amy Shand <amy at wetafx...>
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/pets/sheep-or-poodle/ 
2007/04/27/1177459933458.html

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April 27, 2007 - 10:13AM
Thousands of Japanese have been swindled in a scam in which they were  
sold Australian and British sheep and told they were poodles.

Flocks of sheep were imported to Japan and then sold by a company  
called Poodles as Pets, marketed as fashionable accessories,  
available at $1,600 each.

That is a snip compared to a real poodle which retails for twice that  
much in Japan.

The scam was uncovered when Japanese moviestar Maiko Kawamaki went on  
a talk-show and wondered why her new pet would not bark or eat dog food.

She was crestfallen when told it was a sheep.

Then hundreds of other women got in touch with police to say they  
feared their new "poodle" was also a sheep.

One couple said they became suspicious when they took their "dog" to  
have its claws trimmed and were told it had hooves.

Japanese police believe there could be 2,000 people affected by the  
scam, which operated in Sapporo and capitalised on the fact that  
sheep are rare in Japan, so many do not know what they look like.

"We launched an investigation after we were made aware that a company  
were selling sheep as poodles,'' Japanese police said.

"Sadly we think there is more than one company operating in this way.

"The sheep are believed to have been imported from overseas -  
Britain, Australia.''

Many of the sheep have now been donated to zoos and farms.