How much is that doggie in the window? A family warns research the store before you buy

One Lee County family wants everyone to think twice before taking a Petland puppy home. Their puppy, Bella, has cost them thousands of dollars and now they’re taking Petland to court.

Bella is an almost five month old playful, happy Golden Retriever very much loved by Richard and Meagan Simpson as well as their two children. But the road has been long, painful and expensive. Court documents show the Simpsons paid about $8,000 for Bella a few days after Christmas 2023 at Petland Fort Myers.

“She became an instant family member,” Meagan Simpson said.

Less than a week later, they rushed her to an emergency vet.

“She tested positive for parvo, which in a pup her age is super dangerous and deadly,” Meagan added.

The American Veterinary Medical Association defines canine parvovirus, or parvo, as a highly contagious disease that attacks a dog’s white blood cells, gastrointestinal tract and heart. They can get it from another infected dog, contact with virus-contaminated surfaces like water bowls and leashes, even from a person who was handling an infected dog. Dogs infected with the virus usually become ill within three to seven days after exposure.

“We could either euthanize her or we could put $5,800 down and get her through two days,” Meagan recalled. “For us, it was a no brainer.”

The Simpsons filled Petland in. According to the lawsuit, a store manager said Bella’s diagnosis was “impossible” and the “test must be a false positive.” Also their warranty called for taking Bella to a Petland-approved vet. The Simpsons decided to keep her at the 24-hour vet so she could get the continuous monitoring she needed to fight the virus.

Florida’s Pet Lemon law

“The part that made me super frustrated was getting calls daily saying the ‘Lemon law’ applies and that we could just trade her in for another dog or we could get a full refund,” Meagan added.

Florida’s Pet Lemon Law says pet dealers cannot knowingly misrepresent a dog’s health, breed or sex. If a vet later discovers the dog was unfit for sale, owners can either return it for a full refund, exchange or keep it. No matter the owner’s decision, the dealer has to pay for any reasonable vet bills to treat or cure the dog.

Court documents show Bella’s 24-hour vet determined she was not fit for sale since she had parvo.

I wouldn’t wish it on any other family

Richard Simpson, Jr.

The Simpsons filed a complaint with the Lee County Domestic Animal Services.

“We told them about Bella having parvo and our concerns about other pets,” Meagan added.

About a week before the Simpsons first met Bella, Domestic Animal Services and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office seized dozens of dogs in a van headed to multiple pet stores, including Petland Fort Myers. An inspection revealed several puppies endured deplorable and unsanitary conditions within the van, lacking proper ventilation and access to water. Bella was not on that van.

WINK News also reported on a similar seizure back in 2018.

The Simpsons also filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General’s office. A spokesperson told WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard the office has gotten two other complaints about sick puppies since July 2023, including one death.

Petland Ft. Myers responds

Sheppard asked Petland about the lawsuit, complaints and recent seizure. The Vice President of Public and Legislative affairs sent the below statement in an email:

“Thank you for reaching out regarding the Simpson family’s puppy. The health and welfare of our pets is our highest priority. We assumed ownership of the Ft. Myers location in 2020. We are unaware of any Attorney General complaints and cannot comment on them without further details. We are aware, however, of the customer that purchased a Golden Retriever puppy from the Ft. Myers location. Petland has a state-licensed consulting veterinarian examine all puppies before they are available for customers. A couple of days after purchase, the puppy became ill, which can happen as puppies, like babies, have immune systems. Some bacterial and viral illnesses are not detectable immediately. The customer reached out to our warranty team to start a claim regarding the puppy’s health. During this time, the customer was provided several options for remedy. They selected to get all the vet bills covered up to the purchase price of the puppy. The store owner is more than willing to accommodate the customer’s wishes and satisfy the warranty but in order to do so, the customer has to provide the proper documentation. The customer has not provided any medical invoices to receive reimbursement and has since retained an attorney which has demanded we not contact them. Once the documentation is received and reviewed, the customer will be reimbursed according to the warranty and the option the customer chose. We simply cannot help the customer if we do not have any of the information. Our understanding is that the puppy has since made a complete recovery and is healthy. As for the Lee County Animal Services, the focus of the inspection was on the transport company, not Petland. After that incident, we at Petland Ft. Myers immediately severed our relationship with the transport company.”

The spokesperson later added “As the store has not yet been served, it would be inappropriate to comment without having reviewed” the lawsuit.

Research before you buy

“We can’t go more than a few days without someone contacting us with a Petland-related horror story,” said John Goodwin, the Senior Director of the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign at the Humane Society of the United States.

The organization has done numerous, years-long investigations into Petlands across the country.

“We have linked Petland to puppy mills that keep dogs in conditions that the average person would find abhorrent,” Goodwin continued.

Goodwin warns think twice before you buy a dog from any Petland, but know that different Petland locations may be owned and run by different people.

“It is truly rolling the dice,” added Goodwin. “You might end up with a puppy who’s just fine but you also may end up with a puppy who’s very ill.”

If you decide to shop, not adopt, do you research.

“Meet the breeder. Meet the mother dog and see where the mother dog lives,” Goodwin advised. “That’s the only way that you’re going to have the transparency to ensure that you’re dealing with someone reputable.”

“We were all sitting here crying not knowing if she was going to make it, not knowing how we were going to afford to keep her [at the 24-hour vet], not knowing what was the right decision, if she was suffering” Meagan said with tears in her eyes.

After days of treatment, Bella turned a corner. Saving her life cost the Simpsons close to $13,000, according to court documents. Money, they say, was well spent and should be reimbursed. They want to make sure no one goes through what they did. They sued Petland Fort Myers in early March 2024.

“She is 100 percent different than when we first bought her,” Simpson said. “Now she is just this fun loving puppy that wants to be next to us at all times.”

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