Lawsuit claims Petland Novi knowingly sold puppies with genetic issues, illnesses and disease from substandard breeders violating the Consumer Protection Act.
PRESS
RELEASE: March
9, 2018
NOVI, MICHIGAN – Sixteen
plaintiffs who purchased companion animals from Petland, located in the Twelve
Oaks Mall (27200 Novi Rd, Novi, MI), have filed a lawsuit seeking monetary
damages for breach of contract and multiple violations of the Consumer
Protection Act after purchasing puppies. The puppies suffered from a range of
issues, including genetic defects, infections and some had highly contagious
diseases, costing the plaintiffs thousands of dollars in veterinary care.
The
lawsuit was filed on February 22, 2018 at the Oakland County Circuit Court and
assigned to Judge Hala Jarbou. (Case Number 2018-163984-CZ)
In
one particularly heart breaking case, one of the Plaintiffs purchased a puppy
that brought the Parvo virus home and infected the family’s senior Labrador,
Smokey, who had to be euthanized after contracting the virus.
The
complaint also alleges fraud, claiming the store and its owner knowingly sold
animals with deformities and illnesses, as well as misrepresenting the origins
of the animals. In many cases, after
investigating the documents provided by Petland upon purchase, the animals were
found to have been bred in horrific conditions by commercial breeders who many
allege are well known “puppy mill” owners.
Some
Plaintiffs were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement or “gag” document in
exchange for reimbursement of veterinary costs and a refund of the purchase
price of the puppy. Families were asked not to hold Petland, Twelve Oaks Mall,
Northlake Pets Inc., VCA Animal Hospitals, or any of their
subsidiaries or affiliates responsible, nor could they post anything negative
on the internet, go to the media, or do anything defamatory against Petland
Novi to obtain reimbursements or refunds.
The
Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Jennifer Measel of Haas & Goldstein,
P.C., a Farmington Hills based law firm which
recently prevailed in similar pet store retail fraud cases in Mt. Clemens, Mich.
“The
puppies sold at Petland Novi are unhealthy because they are over-bred in
warehouse-sized kennels in unsanitary conditions without consideration of
genetic quality,” says Measel. “This results in generations of dogs with
unchecked hereditary defects. Mass production of puppies in unsanitary kennels
harbor diseases and illnesses that travel with the puppy to the pet store and
can be shared among other puppies from other puppy farms on the broker
transport truck.”
The
named defendants in the lawsuit are Petland Novi and owner/operator Randy
Horowitz. Horowitz lost two recent court cases after DNA testing proved the
store sold the wrong breed of dog to members of the general public.
Petland
is the nation’s largest puppy retailer, with over 80 locations in the United States and only one store
remaining in Michigan. Last year, the
Animal Legal Defense Fund announced a nationwide racketeering class actionlawsuit against Petland. The lawsuit claims predatory business practices of
charging premium prices for puppies “guaranteed” to be healthy – as certified
by Petland’s veterinarians —when Petland knows it is selling puppies prone to
illnesses and other defects, including “puppy-mill” sourced puppies.
Puppy
Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan launched a public education campaign
against the Novi store in 2010. The group has continued to warn mall patrons
and families of the risks involved in purchasing puppies from Petland through
protests, petitions, outreach events, and social media.
The group took their campaign to the Novi City Council and police department
after collecting over 100 complaints - 24 in 2016 alone - and discovering
Oakland County Animal Control was not logging or responding to complaints over
a three year period in which records were requested. A list of concerns was
presented to the city council and can be found on this blog:
- Petland Novi has a
history of working with irresponsible breeders. Enforcement Actions were filed
against fourteen 14 of Petland Novi’s suppliers and others have serious
violations to the Animal Welfare Act - 700 USDA photos and videos show these
violations including injured and untreated animals.
- Petland Novi uses
large commercial breeding facilities, some with over 500 adult dogs on site.
- Petland Novi imports
60-160 puppies per month from out-of-state breeders where families can not meet
the parents.
- Petland Novi uses
puppy brokers or “middlemen”, ensuring that customers will never meet the
parents of the animals they purchase.
- Over 100 customer
complaints have been logged related to Petland Novi. Complaints have been
reported to local Animal Control, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and
Rural Development, PetShopPuppies.org, Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast
Michigan, and the Better Business Bureau.
- Petland Novi has been
the subject of local investigations including (WXYZ Detroit) The Investigators.
“It
has been impossible to help families escalate their complaints when elected
officials in Novi and appointees within the Oakland County Executives Office
directed us to the Michigan Department of Agriculture which no longer regulates
pet stores, “ stated Pam Sordyl, founder of Puppy Mill Awareness. “We asked
repeatedly for a police detective to be assigned after more sick puppies were
sold and highlighted in the news.”
Those
wanting to add a pet to their household are encouraged to adopt from their
local shelter or Michigan Certified foster-based animal rescues organizations-
many of whom specialize in specific breeds- or thoroughly research and
personally visit the breeder from whom they intend to purchase an animal.
To
follow the progress of the Petland Novi case, click below
Puppy
Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan is a grassroots organization dedicated to
ending commercial breeding "puppy mills" and protecting families from
puppy peddlers, pet stores and bad breeders by lobbying for stronger laws,
setting up information booths, completing research studies and launching pet
store campaigns.
Learn more about Puppy Mill
Awareness
https://www.meetup.com/puppymillawareness/
MEDIA COVERAGE
Detroit Free Press
Published March 19, 2018
The Oakland Press Published March 14, 2018
Local 4 March 16, 2018
FOX 2 Detroit March 16, 2018
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