What are a consumer’s rights if they bought a sick puppy from a pet store?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What are a consumer’s rights if they bought a sick puppy from a pet store?
We bought a puppy from a store. Within a week, she was at hospital with pneumonia; it cost us over $3,000 on vet bills over the next 8 weeks. We got her on 7/10. She was at the vet on 7/14 for a check up and they said she had a respiratory problem. We took her back on 7/18 to stay for 3 days, and again a week later for another 2 day stay. Plus, there were numerous X-rays taken over the next 2 months. The store papers said that they will reimburse us up to the price of the pet, which was $1,500. As of yet, the store has not reimbursed us anything. They told my husband that he received the funds from the the “parent” store, but had to pay other bills and was going to pay us installments but nothing yet. What can we do?
Asked on October 28, 2010 under General Practice, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
If when you purchased the puppy there was some reimbursement clause or guaranty in the agreement of sale, as you seem to indicate, then agreement can be enforced. It would be a contract, and you can enforce whatever it says, exactly as it says. Where it gets problematic is that if they do not voluntarily pay, to enforce the contract, you'd have to sue; there is no other mechanism to enforce it. Fortunately, it should be an amount small enough to enable you to file a claim in small claims court, which is much less expensive (for one thing, you don't need an attorney, though you can get one if you like) and much less complex and formal than district or municipal court. Therefore, suing in small claims court may be a way to enforce this and get your money, if you can't work something out.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.