The following is from Karen, a woman who owns a pet store puppy:
"My puppy Mickey, a beautiful Yellow Labrador Retreiver, was given to me as a gift from my children for Mothers Day.. He is now 9 months old..and at around 7 months of age, we noticed that he was limping and having a hard time walking when he got up from a resting position. We took him to the vet and had x-rays taken. Turns out he has elbow dysplasia in both elbows, plus right hip dysplaisa. Besides that, he also has an impacted canine tooth, and enamel hypoplasia on two of his teeth. My vet says that he is a GENETIC MESS.
He had surgery on his elbows two weeks ago, and is recovering nicely. The surgery and xrays have cost $2100 so far and we haven't taken care of the oral situation yet.
I wrote a letter to Puppy Palace - the South Florida pet store where Mickey was purchased for $500.00 - and asked them how they wanted to handle the situation, and received a reply saying that it is not their policy to pay for vet bills, but that they would give me another puppy from different parents, and I could keep the one I have. I wouldn't part with my sweet baby now, and will do what ever it takes to ensure him the healthiest, happiest life we can give to him.
I am still trying to hold the pet shop liable.. not for the money, but in principle. Florida law specifically states that pet shops have to refund money to people who find genetic defects up to one year...and this is the case here, yet they have refused me. I have written to the attorney general to plea for help.
I made a mistake of getting a puppy from a pet store.... Had I known then what I know now I would never have bought from them."
UPDATES
January 18th, 2003: "I had contacted the Attorney General who was unable to assist me, but referred me to Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. I wrote to them, and filed a complaint against Puppy Palace. Yesterday, I received a reply from them telling me that they are in receipt of my complaint, and have begun the informal mediation process as mandated by Florida Statutes. They have mailed Puppy Palace a copy of my complaint, along with a request to respond to my grievance. They said it could take 60-90 days. This is only to uphold the law which states that Puppy Palace has to refund my money according to the Florida Puppy Lemon Law. So, even though this is not going to stop puppy mills, at least the pet shop will be forced to abide by the law."
January 28th, 2003:
Pet Store Owner Arrested - Man Charged With Violating 'Pet Lemon Law'
It's my answer.. I will be next to uphold Florida Law....I heard this news tonight that 3 channels in Palm Beach County aired this story.. I am so excited you can't imagine!
January 30th, 2003: I called the TV station and found out that I will be put in touch with a reporter on my story about Mickey. The lady on the phone said that they have been swamped with calls about pet shops throughout the county! Isn't that great? I think that this is the start of something very good for Florida....Making people aware of the Lemon Law is all it is going to take...and Woosh.......pet shops will be made to either buy responsibly, or go the heck out of business. Not just for cats and dogs, but for all the animals they handle!!! Y-E-S!
February 9th, 2003: I received a letter the other day from the Florida Dept. of Agriculture consumers services, and they told me that they can't help me any further than having that mediation. They sent me the form that Puppy Palace filled out, and it was just a reiteration of what had transpired. They didn't help me a bit. All it was was shuffeling of paper around. I wrote them back telling them that it's a shame that people are lulled into beleiving that there is an advocate out there who will help you, when all it is....is a sham. And that it's a waste of taxpayers dollars to move paper around like that and get nowhere. At any rate, after that, I decided the only way I can make a dent is to sue. Even if I loose at least it will be on record, and perhaps make it easier on the next time. I am still trying to gather people together to see if anyone in my area has a sick pup... and if so, maybe they can join me in this lawsuit.
Mickey is doing fine, and amazingly seems to be getting stronger every day. I have him on the glyco-flex, which seems to be helping. He will be a year old next month! My how time flies....
February 24th, 2003: I have contacted a lawyer who is willing to take my case...and I haven't even met with her yet. I am planning to sue, but meanwhile, on Friday I got a certified letter from Puppy Palace... I wasn't here to accept it, so today I went to pick it up at the post office. Inside was no note, just a check in the amount of $530.00 marked "refund labrador"... I wonder why they gave me a hard time months ago when I called and requested my money back, and wrote letters, asking them to refund my money.
I have no intention of cashing this check, and I don't care if I loose it all in my fight. The way I see it, is that they owe me due to negligence, and if there is any way I can win, then I will. It's not about a refund any more... it's about where these puppies come from, and doing business with unsuspecting people who buy puppies from them.
February 27th, 2003: Found another puppy from Puppy Palace with health problems:
http://neutrel.com/Beasly/beasly_surgery_page.htm
April 4th, 2003: Not much is new, other than Mickey is now starting to limp bad on his right leg..with the hip dysplasia. So sad to see him like that, but otherwise he is a joy to our lives.
I don't know if I told you, but Puppy Palace refunded my money but we sent the check back to them, and will continue to pursue a lawsuit. My ultimate goal is to close their doors...We have 20 names gathered from people in the same position as i am. I will keep you posted on any news.
August 9th, 2003: My attorney is filing a suit for me on charges of deceptive trade practices and punitive damages. The suit was supposed to be filed late June, but being that she is doing this for me at no charge, I am not pushing her. She was going to go with class action, but decided that there were too many different situations, and different stories, that she decided to file only for me...BUT....wants to file separately on the list of names I have given her..Maybe that's the delay. She has to get all her ducks in order i guess. I will definately let you know what goes on...and will be in touch.
Mickey is so-so..after his elbow surgery, he is still not that great...He walks stiffly at times, and his right hip gets worse all the time. I have him on Fresh Factors, and Glycoflex, plus Ascriptin every day..without that..God only knows. But he is my sweetie pie, and we love him dearly.
UPDATE: Karen eventually settled with the pet store, getting her money back but no reimbursement of veterinary expenses due to the fact that she had signed a waiver when she bought Mickey. The critical piece of paper here was entitled
“Puppy Palace Guarantee” and customers were required to sign it before leaving the store with their new puppy.
In signing it, customers were waiving their statutory (legal) right to any recourse against the store for congenital defects discovered after the first forty-eight hours, even those defects which would be diagnosed within the year permitted in the lemon law. This waiver is perfectly legal under the Florida law.
