Owners worry about Petland puppies

CINCINNATI -- 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 and Hunte have denied the claims.

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

"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.

"The claims that we conspired to sell sick puppies to consumers are baseless," Hunte president Steven Rook said Friday. "We only deal with licensed breeders, regulated and inspected by the USDA, and we require that they follow a strict regime. Everything is designed and managed for the health of the puppy."

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 like 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.

Lewis, who lives in San Diego, said Petland guaranteed her puppy Cash's health. Even so, she said she found he had ringworm when she bought him. And when she complained about the biting, a store employee told her that Akita's are sometimes prone to aggressiveness.

"I will never buy another dog from a pet store," said Lewis, 37, who is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

Petland warranties cover congenital and hereditary disorders for up to a year after purchase, and at least two licensed veterinarians examine each puppy before it's sold, said Petland spokeswoman Elizabeth Kunzelman.

"If a pet develops an issue at some point in their lives, this does not in any way indicate that the puppy came from a substandard breeder," Kunzelman said.

The Humane Society and other animal welfare groups want to outlaw puppy mills. They say legislation is pending in 27 different states to restrict puppy mills and protect consumers who buy puppies that are later diagnosed with health or genetic defects.

Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Virginia have already enacted laws cracking down on puppy mills. A bill setting standards and licensing requirements for large-scale breeders is expected to be introduced this month in Ohio.

An Ohio veterinarian said animals bred in the small, often filthy cages at puppy mills frequently develop behavioral and physical problems.

"Breeders use puppy mills to save money and maximize profits, spending little money on food, shelter and veterinary care," said veterinarian Matthew Heller, of the All about PetCare clinic in Middletown, about 30 miles north of Cincinnati. "They should be abolished."