Embattled dog breeder ordered to pay client's vet bills

A prolific Hawke's Bay dog breeder, at the centre of a Checkpoint investigation into the commercial trade of puppies, has been ordered to cover an unhappy client's vet bills.
Auckland woman Justine van Zyl purchased her boxer pup, Cooper, from Margaret Harkema earlier this year, but quickly noticed the new family pet was unwell.
Harkema sold the boxer litter through a Hawke's Bay couple acting as intermediaries.
The trio's lawyer says Cooper's conditions were invisible to his clients. But now the Disputes Tribunal has ordered them to pay up.
Nick Truebridge spent seven weeks investigating this story and has the latest developments.