But they ran into more heartache when they realized they'd been scammed out of more than $1,000.
According to the Better Business Bureau, it's one of the most common internet crimes out there. Pet scams attack not just the wallet but also the heart. And one local couple is hoping no one else has to experience their pain.
Rick and Sandy Giebelhausen spent several months grieving the loss of their dog, Chloe.
When the pain started to ease, the Buffalo Grove couple felt it was time to bring a new puppy into their lives.
They discovered a Facebook page selling golden retrievers and fell in love with a puppy.
The couple said the owner informed them the puppy was located in Bloomington, Indiana.
They agreed to pay $500 total for the dog to be shipped to them, with a $200 deposit.
But then the owner started adding new charges, like $200 for a travel crate and $250 for the dog's vaccinations.
The couple was worried but invested. In total, they paid $1,100.
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The next morning, the pet never arrived.
"It was brutal. She was crying. I mean it was almost like she was back in mourning from the loss of the dog," Rick Giebelhausen said.
The BBB says hundreds of families fall victim to pet scams every year.
And according to a BBB study, experts believe at least 80% of the sponsored advertising links that appear in internet searches for pets may be fraudulent.
"These people take your hard-earned money, and it was our hard-earned money. It was my husband's bonus," Sandy Giebelhausen said.
The couple reported this to the FBI, as well, but their money still hasn't been recovered.
The alleged puppy breeder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The BBB and FBI warn to never pay for a pet you haven't seen in person.
You should also do a reverse image search of the photos to see if they appear on multiple sites.