On Monday, March 16, a class action lawsuit was finally filed against Petland Inc., alleging the pet store chain is a distributor of "factory-produced" puppies, and that it conspired to sell unhealthy puppy mill puppies in several states to unknowing consumers. The suit was brought with the help of The Humane Society of the United States.
The suit claims that Petland's marketing of the puppies "violated federal law and numerous state consumer protection laws by misleading thousands of consumers across the country into believing the puppies sold in Petland stores are healthy and come from high-quality breeders."
According to interview between the Ohio media outlet the Chilco Gazette, and Jonathan Loworn, vice president and chief counsel for Animal Protection Litigation at The Humane Society of the United States, Petland put profits before the health of the puppies.
"Families often bear the great expense of veterinary treatment for sick and unhealthy dogs, or the terrible anguish of losing a beloved family pet," Lovvorn said. "This industry has been systematically lying to consumers for years about the source of the dogs they sell, and it's long past time for a reckoning."
Members of the class action are seeking a full refund of all the monies they paid for puppies purchased at Petland, and "consequential damages resulting from Defendant's fraudulent conduct, interest thereon and any amount by which Defendants have been unjustly enriched, plus treble damages and any additional relief to which they may be entitled under state consumer protection laws ..."
Petland Unhealthy Puppies Class Action Legal Help
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On October 5, 2019 we purchased an English Bulldog from Petland Robinson in Pittsburgh, PA. The night we picked him up the young man had stated that he had just finished up his medicine from having a cold.
We took him to our local veterinarian within the time frame stated in the contract because we live in Ohio. Our Vet stated he needed to continue the antibiotic because he still had congestion. We informed and sent all paperwork to Solutions. However, within the next week after the antibiotic was finished, Leo was not getting better. This past Tuesday we noticed he was in some sort of respiratory distress. He couldn’t lay down. He wouldn’t drink. His tongue was changing color. We took him to the Veterinary Hospital in Pittsburgh where they immediately began treating him. He’s on oxygen now. He’s had to have his antibiotics changed since the lab work came back. Leo was diagnosed with pneumonia,bordatella, herpes in the mouth and micro plasma. All which he had prior to our purchase.
We are at $6300 as of this morning in Hospital fees. Yesterday afternoon, Solutions denied any claims to help with the costs of his treatment because we didn’t take him back to them to treat. I’ll not use the language here that I used yesterday. Our response was “so you want us to take out the IVs and the Oxygen tubes and bring him back to you to treat”? They sold him to us with all I listed above and not one word of anything wrong with him other than he “had” a cold and he’s good to go. I will be contacting the Attorney Generals Office in the morning. There needs to be a class action lawsuit against them again, only this time, they need to be shut down permanently.
Whomever possibly purchased the Australian Shepherd that was in the kennel with him is probably also extremely sick if it hasn’t died yet.
Posted by vickie whiteaker
on
I purchased 3 sick puppies from Petland in Orlando in July 2019. 2 Frenchies and a Pug. I have incurred vet bills one almost died had to be hospitalized twice. She had pneumonia, and they all had coccidiosis anf found our gardia as well. All contagious. I paid 14,500 for them. I was told they were healthy and good blood lines. They charged me for vet and training services when I don't even live in their area. I have incurred thousands in vet bills. They don't want to make good on their promises or pay. They were all to the vet within two days and they were notified within 14 days as stated. They say they were not notified about the Frenchies but we told the lady who sold the puppies to us that both were sick with runny noses and bloody diarrhea and they vet did not do a fecal test, and prescribed antibiotics.the day before we picked up the pug. I and my family was deceived by them and I am still dealing with sick dogs.
Posted by Vicki Billups
on
My daughter purchased an Alaskan Husky in Blue Springs Missouri. This dog has had a “parasite” infection since Sept. she has had him to the vet 4-5 times. Petland and the vet that Petland uses have continued to lie and not treat the animal. Petland has got to be shut down! They are breeding and selling sick animals! This is a gross injustice, and terrible animal cruelty. Please close this company down!
Posted by Tonya Hood
on
Good afternoon Top Class Actions Organization,
This is my story; with Petland, As it pertains to my purchase, of my now deceased puppy Chi'. Please note: I am still paying for this puppy, that I don't have, and she is had to be put down. I never had her with me 24 hours, after my purchase.
Also; please forgive me for reaching out sooner. But I would like to join this lawsuit, or some actions on Petland for this!
Well; let's began....
Good afternoon Georgia Department if Agriculture,
My name is Tonya Hood. I am taking this opportunity to reach out to The Georgia D Department of Agriculture, because I would like to make a formal complaint/report against Petland. Pacifically the location at:
4733 B Ashford Dunwoody Rd.
Dunwoody, Ga. 30338
(770) 396-7357
On Jan. 27th, 2018 I made a purchase for a Bichon Poo puppy. On 28 January 2018 I had to take that same dog to All Creatures Animal Hospital located at:
2482-C Mt. Vernon Rd.
Dunwoody, Ga. 30338
(770) 393-3400
The dog was not eating or drinking any food or water, and it left me very concerned. So I took her immediately. As a result of taking her in to All Creatures Animal Hospital. Her diagnosis was Pneumonia. At which time she was admitted, and placed on IV for a series of 3 to 4 days. Let me add; I have every piece, of documentation from time of purchase, to the very end of this whole ordeal. She was discharged after that incident, and came home that evening. And the very next day I had to take her again to All Creatures Animal Hospital. For not eating and drinking again. At which time; I was told that her medication needed to be re-calibrate. And that she was going to have to be in mid it once again. For a series of another 3 to 4 days. I picked her up on February 6, 2018. Because she started to display signs of Parvovirus! I am familiar with that, because I’ve already had a puppy in the past, to pass from the deadly disease. Upon bringing her for the third time, she was tested, and found to be positive. Not once but twice. I was told that she Would be placed on an IV, and try make comfortable. Because there is no cure for this deadly disease. Also; that they were going to use a third-party lab, to retest her results that were previously done in house. That came back positive. May I please add; that I made Petland knowledgeable of this wrongful act. They still refuse to void my contract, and told me that I would be fully responsible for the fees from this point on as it pertains to the puppy. Because I have exceeded my 14 day contract. However; the puppy was diagnosed on 7th February 2018, and retest it on 8th February 2018 and both test came back positive. With a dandy it; was bought theirselves time until Saturday, 14th of February 2018. On Friday night 9 February I started receiving phone calls from All Creatures Animal Hospital. Telling me that I needing to come and pick the puppy up she was ready to be discharged.
I would like to see them investigate it, or at least severely side it for this wrongful act. Against me, and my now deceased puppy. I am taking this opportunity, to email you the proof of the positive test results. I have been corresponding with Ms.Deborah King regarding this matter from February 8, 2018, open till today February 13, 2018.
Please look into this matter, and allow me to provide you with my contact information: Tonya Hood
Desperately seeking justice!
Sincerely,
Tonya Hood
Posted by Tyrone Strickland
on
Just a couple years ago i got my Bernese from Petland thanks to my wife. She was persistent about the pup and it took her 3 hours of begging before i gave in! come to find out I actually loved my bernese. So smart and such a cuddle bug that loved my kids. About 1 month after bringing him home I noticed his back was arched and he was walking like a camel. I didnt pay much mind to it then because I knew he was growing, I thought he would grow out of it. One day he was really not himself. He stopped eating, didn't want to play or cuddle too much. He would barely run to my lap after a long day of work. So that following morning I wake up to see him not moving at all and my wife was going to take him to the vet. She picked him up and he started to vomit everywhere multiple times. My wife took the day off and I called her on my lunch break. Turns out that had he come a day later he would have died. So we were informed he had a bacterial infection and his small and large intestines had been detached. I was upset to learn this literally 1 day after my warranty had expired and now I face a high balance on a vet bill and still owe a substantial amount for the pet that should have been 100% well when I got him.
Posted by G WILSON
on
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2006 WHEN I PURCHASE MY CHOCOLATE LAB FROM THEM
TOOK HIM HOME AND HE WAS VERY SICK HAD TROUBLE BREATHING NEEDED MEDS AND BREATHING TREATMENTS VERY UPSETTING!!
Posted by Tammy Metz
on
Petland should be OUT OF BUSINESS I also bought a puppy and now the puppy had kennel cough and transmitted it over to my older dog which is now severely sick. Pet land assured me that the puppy was healthy and had all of his shots which was not a fact after being at my own vet.
Both of my dogs are now severely sick!!!!
Posted by Sara Haney
on
I purchased a French Bulldog from Petland in Chillicothe OH in August 2015 that ended up having Cystinuria, a hereditary disease that required life threatening surgery. He had to have his urethra re-routed and now has to have one kind of food and nothing else for the rest of his life. His incision after surgery was so critical that the vet said she can't stress enough how important it was to make sure it did not close up. IF it did at all, then there was nothing more she could do, he would of had to be put down. It was one of the most stressful things I have been put through. You buy a costly companion asking questions and being assured everything is fine then months later you are taking your life savings to pay for a life threatening surgery on a dog that was sold with a hereditary issue. I do thank God he was with me cause not everyone could have or would have went through with the surgery and all the after care that I had to go through and still do til this day. The vet said his issue is not gone we are just maintaining it.
Posted by Justin Jungles
on
We purchased an Australian Shepherd from petland last night for $3600 that we had found online and immediately loved upon meeting for an appointment. It took 3 hours altogether to purchase the dog for whatever reason and at one point one of the employees got into a loud argument with a manager which included cursing because he was pushed down the list for handling appointments, therefore lowering the commissions he can gain. We noticed at the appointment the puppy was very active but every once in a while it would hack like it had something stuck in its throat. We figured this was just food or something it was try to spit up or that it was going to throw up something it ate, possibly a small piece of a dog toy as there were tons in the pens that were torn up completely. We take the dog home and it spends the night and now today we notice that it has significantly less energy than it did the night before and when my girlfriend hears it groaning while laying on the ground in the kitchen we decide its best to take it to the vet. So she takes it to the vet while I am working and an hour later I get a call from her in tears because the vet did an x ray of the puppy's longs and apparently it has an upper respiratory infection and pneumonia. I am extremely unhappy with petland right now.
Posted by Krystel Garcia
on
I purchased a "mini labradoodle" from Petland in Davie, FL on 10/27/16 for a VERY pretty penny; something I didn't mind paying for such a quality dog from a store that promises healthy high quality animals. On 10/30/16 my puppy started throwing up, diarrhea and couldn't even hold himself up while standing. I called Petland and expressed my concern and they told me to make sure I continued to feed him TWICE per day (my vet told me a puppy of his size and age should be eating every 4-6 hours). After a full day of lethargy and stomach sickness, I noticed that my puppy got to the point where his head was falling back and his eyes would not open. I called the vet which Petland apparently works closely with, Sunset Animal Hospital, and they were closed because it was a Sunday and their automated system directed to me to Pet Emergency Center. Knowing that my puppy would not make it through the night without care, I drove ALL THE WAY to Tamarac (about a 40 minute drive from my house) to take the dog to the facility where I was told Petland would cover costs; believe me there are places I trust highly right near my house. Upon arrival at the PEC my puppy had a seizure and was put on IV's to help rehydrate him and keep sugar levels at a good place. I left him there overnight and was told that he had to be picked up by 8am latest and transported to Sunset Animal Hospital to see the vet that works with Petland. She, of course, diagnosed him with Hypoglycemia...which the PEC vet stated the dog DID NOT have...Hypoglycemia being the one sickness that Petland is not entitled to cover. Ironic huh? Puppy had another seizure while at the vet and I was told I had to transport him once again to overnight care because he could not be left alone. I ended up taking him to the vet my other 2 dogs go to and they kept him overnight for observation. In the morning he was released and I was told that there were no signs of hypoglycemia and the dog was perfectly OK to go home as long as he was being fed every 4 hours. Well really? Petland said that dog was being fed twice per day only...the dog was doomed from the moment I purchased him. Thankfully he is doing a lot better now but here I am not only stuck with bills of a $3000 dog BUT an extra $1000 in vet bills for taking him to the PEC and vet that THEY told me to take him to. Aside from the fact that my puppy was said to be born on 08/27/16 (making him 8 weeks at time of purchase) but according to my vet, the puppy had to be no more than 6-7 weeks old by the look of his teeth. The Breeder name and USDA number which he apparently came from do not match and the city/state where the dog came from is known for puppy mills. DO NOT EVER PURCHASE AN ANIMAL FROM PETLAND. They will hopefully be out of business soon enough.
Posted by Sabrina
on
We have bought a puppy at Petland and have been extremely dissatisfied with the outcome from the behavior issues they caused him to have and the expensive vet visits I had to continue to take him to because of the environment he came from and he was in. We looked at the dogs in the store and a few of them were constantly sleeping and not upbeat as puppies should be. We noticed our puppy, a Weimaraner and grabbed him to play with and see him firsthand. We first noticed when grabbing him he seemed to not look so good and to be sick and want to just sleep on me. We asked the person who was helping us what's wrong with this puppy? He looks like he is sick from something and doesn't feel well. We were told no, he is fine he's healthy he is probably just tired and wants to sleep on you. We asked questions about the puppy and were told complete lies and that he is a full breed puppy and comes from a high quality of breeder as do all of their dogs come from. We were told that with his purchase we would receive all of these items and promised free vet care. We purchased him for over $2500. When we took him home we noticed that he could not sleep, threw up, and would not eat! I tried to give him the vitamins they told us we need to get for him and the pumps that would help him so he wouldn't go into shock and die but that still didn't work! He wouldn't eat or drink what I gave him from them! I called Petland a few times that day about him. They said oh he might have kennel cough. I thought that was odd because they told us they gave him his shots for that and others because he's in a kennel! He threw up and continued not to feel well. I called Petland again and told them what was going on and I gave him the pumps to bring his sugars up and other things in his system up so he wouldn't pass out or pass away or be at risk for the illness they said he could get without the products we bought for him. He couldn't walk at all and when I tried to help him walk he limped and kept falling and whining with pain. I called them and told them what was happening and they said to bring him in and they'll take a look at him. We went in that day after talking to their "vet" and they tried to give him canned food and some water. They noticed something was wrong with him when he was trying to walk but still didn't do anything about it. They sent us home with a can of food and said to try feeding him later and see if that gets him better. He of course threw up and still wasn't feeling well! I took him to the vet they told us we had to go to, which was horrible! He gave me no answers for our puppy and our puppy kept getting worse and worse by the minute! He started to break out in hives all over his body, inner ears, paws, belly, inner thigh, and his eyes were extremely red and bothered. He was whining from his body and all the itchiness he was going through. I went to that vet multiple times and he put our puppy on steroids and antibiotics. They of course made it worse for us to potty train him because he kept having to drink water and kept having to pee and poop EVERYWHERE! I took him to another vet to get a second opinion because he would NOT feel better and I got NO answers from the other vet that solved our problem after multiple visits and phone calls!! The new vet suggested the old vet shouldn't have given him steroids he was too young. We did a skin test which my puppy was yelping in pain from and got prescribed MORE medicine for him to take. Bottles of medication and skin creams and ointments that did not help my puppy get better! He continued to have these problems and I continued to pay more and more with vet bills and he kept feeling sicker and sicker! Petland did not stand behind their saying of health and quality of their animals!! We got charged for adding on more items to our puppy bill because they said we needed the no chew spray, vitamins, supplements for their food and themselves, water bottle for the kennel etc.! The water bottle leaked and our puppy couldn't get anything out of it which became obviously useless as with the other products they told us we needed for him. One of his testicles never dropped and they said they would take care of that for us for free if it didn't go down but it should he's still a puppy and to give it some time. Then when I went to get that solved because it still hadn't been dropped they were trying to charge me over $400+ to get the procedure done when they said they would cover the cost for free! My puppy continued to get sick and not feel well until I switched his food to no byproduct and a much healthier grain free choice for him because he wouldn't eat the food we got from the store with them! They lied about the coverage, running my credit to get the dog for the amount they said, the amount I'd pay for the dog, his health, and where they got the puppy to begin with!! We paid top dollar for a healthy, reputable puppy and we did not receive that. We feel very deceived, mistreated, and conned. We've had nothing but medical problems since we got him and our expenses continued to rise due to Petland's deception.
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