'Look at all the smiles': Breeder brings 17 puppies to see specialist in N.B.

It wasn’t quite 101 Dalmatians in the parking lot of a plaza in Riverview, N.B., on Thursday, but there sure were a lot of dogs there.

Breeder Kaitlin Fraser brought 17 Australian Shepherd puppies from Bridgewater, N.S., to Riverview and when she took them out of her vehicle, people couldn’t help but come over for some cuddles and pictures.

“Every time I come up,” said Fraser. “Normally, there’s picnic tables here in the summer and we sit at the picnic tables and we always have a crowd stopping to come see them.”

Cindy Ripley was one of a dozen or so people who couldn’t help herself.

“It makes my day. It makes everybody’s day. Look at all the smiles coming up. Everybody’s coming up and smiling. I mean, this is really good for people,” said Ripley.

But Fraser and her breeder friend didn’t make the eight-hour round trip to make people smile, although that is nice; they came to see an eye specialist for their dogs.

“So in my breed, eyes are something we have checked, or supposed to have checked, yearly in our adults and our puppies before they go home,” said Fraser.

A Nova Scotia breeder brought 17 puppies to a New Brunswick specialist on Jan. 11, 2024. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)Fraser, who has been a breeder for eight years, has her dogs fully checked out before a sale goes through and CullenWebb Animal Eye Specialists is the only place in Atlantic Canada that provides her with the services she needs.

CullenWebb co-owner Cheryl Cullen said they will screen all the dogs for genetic diseases, an ethical thing for a breeder to do.

“We offer ophthalmology services for pets. Pretty much small animals. Dogs, cats,” said Cullen. “So if you were purchasing a puppy from a breeder, you would have the comfort of knowing that the eyes are normal and what not.”

Cullen has been practicing for 13 years in Riverview and she and her team see small pets from all over the Maritimes.

“We’re really fortunate. Even sometimes from Quebec, Ontario, Maine at times as well. Newfoundland, they’ll come, too,” said Cullen.

Fraser said there used to be clinics that would bring in specialists from Ontario or Quebec.

“Which means one, you’d have to get into the clinic and two, they were very specific dates. Before her [Cullen], you didn’t know if you would get your puppies in or not because the clinic may not fall on a weekend that worked,” said Fraser.

Those who couldn’t help but come see the eight-week-old puppies up close are glad Fraser and her friend made the long trip.

“I’ve been wanting to get one,” said Ripley. “I lost mine, so I’m going to get another one.”

In case you were wondering, all of Fraser’s Australian Shepherds have been sold and they will be going to their new homes soon.

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