Petland customers sue over unhealthy dogs

CINCINNATI (AP) — Dawn Lewis and her family still miss Cash, the dog she had put to sleep in 2007 after it attacked her son and left him with scars on his face and ear.

She wonders now whether the Akita’s behavior was a result of puppy mill breeding by Petland Inc., which sold her the dog in 2006.

Pet owners nationwide are suing the chain in federal court, questioning their pets’ medical and behavioral problems and accusing the Ohio-based company of selling dogs bred in filthy conditions.

The lawsuit filed this week against Petland, the Hunte Corp. and other unnamed suppliers claims the companies misled thousands of customers into believing sick puppies came from the finest breeders when they really came from puppy mills and brokers. Petland has denied the claims. The Hunte Corp., of Goodman, Mo., has not responded to messages seeking comment.

Puppy mills are high-volume breeding kennels that animal protection groups say harm the animals and lead to sick puppies’ being sold to consumers.

“This scheme to conceal the origin of these puppy-mill puppies from consumers has left thousands of families in its wake suffering from emotional turmoil and significant monetary losses,” says the suit filed by six Petland customers — including members of The Humane Society of the United States.

Lawyers have asked a judge to certify the case as a class action, meaning others could join it and share any monetary award.

Stephanie Booth, of Flagstaff, Ariz., got her bloodhound, Tucker, from a Petland store in 2007. She said she thought a lump on his head came from roughhousing with another puppy, but Tucker was diagnosed a few months later with a brain tumor and had to be put to sleep.

Booth, 18, said documents she got from Petland included the dog’s family tree and the breeder’s name and said he was fine. She said her mother researched the breeder and found information suggesting it might be a puppy mill that had faced legal problems.

“I just want people to become aware of the situation with puppy mills and what the dogs go through,” said Booth, who is a plaintiff in the federal suit against Petland.

Petland, which has 131 U.S. stores, has said it is outraged and disappointed by what it calls false accusations and insists it does everything possible to provide customers with healthy, happy and well-socialized pets. The company has not been charged with any crimes.

Petland says it has many satisfied customers such as Aric Shock, of Kettering, Ohio, who said his French bulldog puppy, Dozer, has been a great pet, and Sandy Voelker, of Fairfield in suburban Cincinnati.

“We’ve had no issues with her other than just being a puppy,” Voelker, 32, said of her English Bulldog, Rosie.