August 14, 2007-Since members of The Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS) filed a class action lawsuit in Florida's
Broward County Circuit Court against a Florida based puppy
dealer known as "Wizard of Claws'' (WOC) on June 18 of this
year, 45 more victims of the infamous pet seller have come
forward from all over the country.
The suit alleges that WOC defrauded customers by
misrepresenting the origin of puppies, and by selling puppy
mill dogs who suffer from severe health problems and genetic
defects. The "class'' includes members of The HSUS and over
100 additional individuals in 14 states. Since June 18, over
45 additional WOC customers have come forward with complaints
regarding dogs they purchased from WOC. Many were surprised
to learn that their horrendous experience is not unique. The
HSUS expects more people to come forward as word of the case
spreads further.
During the initial WOC investigation The HSUS learned of
over 250 WOC customers who purchased sick or genetically
defective puppies, though not all are involved in this suit.
According to Stephanie Shain, director of The HSUS' Stop
Puppy Mills campaign, "By selling dogs over the internet and
through pet stores, dealers can easily hide the fact that the
puppies they sell come from puppy mills. Couple that with the
lies some routinely tell their unsuspecting customers, and you
have heartbreak in the making. Wizard of Claws has broken the
hearts and wallets of hundreds of people in 14 states. Other
pet sellers are doing the same thing in every state in the
U.S."
The class action lawsuit is the result of months of legal
investigation by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and
The HSUS. Through investigation, they uncovered reports of
serious, systematic violations of Florida's animal and
consumer protection laws, including the sale of puppies with
life-threatening genetic defects and highly contagious
parasitic infections, and the refusal to reimburse customers
for either the purchase price of sick dogs, or necessary
veterinary treatments that sometimes cost thousands of
dollars.
The lawsuit cites numerous reports of WOC selling sick or
dying puppies, including: a puppy with giardia, a contagious
parasite; the dog died two days after being brought home.
-A puppy with a severe liver defect that resulted in
constant seizures up to the point of death only a few weeks
after purchase.
-A puppy with severe pneumonia and a collapsed lung. The
dog only partially recovered after a four-day stay in a
veterinarian's oxygen chamber followed by months of intensive
rehabilitation.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for the class
members and injunctive relief against any further sale of dogs
by WOC. The plaintiffs are being represented on a pro bono
basis by the New York and Miami offices of Weil, Gotshal &
Manges LLP.
Facts:
-States where members of class action suit reside include:
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan,
Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
-Approximately one-third of the nation's pet stores sell
puppies.
-The HSUS estimates 2 to 4 million puppy mill puppies are
sold each year in the U.S.
-Many dogs sold at pet stores come from puppy mills and
often have severe health problems, genetic defects and
behavioral issues.
-Documented puppy mill conditions include over-breeding,
inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter,
crowded cages, and lack of adequate socialization.
-Dogs kept for breeding in puppy mills suffer for years,
being bred over and over until they are then killed, sold, or
abandoned.
-The Internet is a tool often used by puppy mills and pet
stores who hide behind attractive websites and claim to be
reputable breeders.
-Reputable breeders never sell puppies over the internet or
through a pet store. Rather, they will insist on meeting the
family who will be purchasing the dog.
-Puppy mills contribute to the millions of unwanted dogs
euthanized at shelters every year.
-Never buy a dog from a pet store. Visit a shelter where
one of four dogs is a purebred, or find a breed rescue group.
Timeline:
June 2007 - Class action suit filed by members of The HSUS
against WOC.
April 2007 - In response to a petition filed by The HSUS
and Florida residents, Florida's Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services (FDAC) announces it will begin developing
rules to formalize the veterinary inspection and certification
procedures in an effort to prevent the sale of unhealthy
puppies to an unsuspecting public.
April 2007 - The HSUS and several Florida residents file a
petition seeking new rules from FDAC to formalize the
veterinary inspection and certification process to ensure that
veterinarians do not rubber-stamp sick dogs as fit.
June 2006 - The Florida Attorney General's office files a
lawsuit alleging that WOC defrauded customers in violation of
Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
February 2006 - Miami's WTVJ-TV airs ten-part story
documenting complaints from WOC customers, including
undercover footage of terrible conditions at a puppy mill from
which WOC has obtained puppies.
December 2003 - Several consumers file suit against WOC.
The suit alleges that WOC veterinarian has been signing health
certificates allowing the sale of puppies with contagious
diseases, internal parasites, and severe genetic problems.
