I bought a puppy and they got sick. What can I do?
Step 1: Please take your puppy to a veterinarian as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. Save all records and receipts.
Step 2: Prepare your complaint. It is imperative that you put together as much information as possible to support your case. Please gather as many of the following items as possible:
Step 3: Contact the breeder or pet store where you purchased the dog. Your purchase agreement or store or breeder policy may provide you with some financial recourse. Please note that many sellers will encourage you to return the puppy for an exchange or refund, but that is usually not in the best interests of your puppy. You may have other reimbursement options that do not require you to return the pet. For example, many states have puppy lemon laws that require pet sellers to reimburse a pet owner for veterinary bills up to the purchase price of the puppy, if the puppy becomes ill with a condition that existed at the time of sale. Contact your state Attorney Generals office to find out more about puppy lemon laws in your state or to report a seller if you feel a law has been broken. For specific advice on how to handle your particular case, consult a local attorney or consider going to small claims court.
Step 4: Complete the Puppy Buyer Complaint Form. This form enables the HSUS to keep track of problem sellers and ensures that we have as much information as possible to help us in our fight to stop puppy mills. It also allows us to help other puppy buyers and report chronic abusers to relevant agencies. This information is compiled for reference and statistical purposes and will help us gather general information needed to advocate against puppy mills. You can also use our printable Pet Seller Complaint Form [PDF] to organize your case for possible further action. Please note that the HSUS is not a government or law enforcement agency and cannot guarantee action on every complaint.
States with Preemption Laws – Arizona and Ohio
Despite vigorous opposition from animal advocates, both Arizona and Ohio passed laws undercutting the power of cities and counties to prohibit the retail sale of puppies. Ohio Governor John Kasich signed Senate Bill 331, dubbed the “Petland Bill,” into law on December 19, 2016. As the name suggests, Petland was the driving force behind SB 331. At the time of its passage, several Ohio communities, Toledo and Grove City, had adopted laws that required pet stores to offer only puppies from animal shelters or rescue organizations. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper lamented the decision, stating, “This bill was a last-minute sneak attack on Ohio voters, citizens, and communities that are taking action to improve their economic fortunes, protect their quality of life, and crack down on horrific abuses against animals.”
And in Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey signed a similar preemption bill in May 2016. Defending his decision, Governor Ducey wrote that the law “ensures puppies being sold in pet shops are coming from responsible breeders” in a public letter. Despite Governor Ducey’s claims, the Arizona law did little to protect consumers or puppies from unscrupulous pet stores. Less than a year later, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) information blackout further weakened the already weak law.
There is a puppy mill in my area. How can I get the authorities to investigate and shut it down?
First, please be aware that operating a commercial breeding kennel may not be illegal in your area. But if you have seen specific evidence of cruelty or neglect, the first agency to contact is a local agency with law enforcement powers, such as the local humane society, animal control agency or police or sheriffs department.
Cruelty or neglect laws vary by state but typically address conditions such as animals without food and water, sick dogs who are not being medically treated or dogs without adequate shelter from the elements. Prepare specific details of your complaint in advance and, after you have made a report, get a case number or contact information related to your case. If you do not hear back from the local authorities within a week, please call them back to ask for an update, but be aware that if there is an ongoing investigation some information may not be available to the public. If you cant get local help for the situation or are not sure who to call, please contact us.
You may also wish to contact the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Care Division and find out if the USDA licenses the facility owner. Only “wholesale” breeding facilities (those that sell puppies to other businesses who in turn sell the puppies to the public, or sell to buyers “sight unseen,” such over online or by mail) are required to be USDA licensed—this is a small portion of all the large-scale breeders in the country. Currently licensed breeders and some of their most recent inspection reports are available on the USDA/APHIS website.
Our online complaint form is available to anyone with information on a possible crime involving puppy mills—especially information from those with “insider” knowledge, or from law enforcement officials who might be aware of such operations. If you witnessed deplorable conditions in person and wish to file a complaint with the HSUS, report it. You can also file a complaint with the USDA if the breeder sells online or to pet stores.
If you have purchased a puppy and wish to report problems to the HSUS, please report it using our online complaint form.
The Reality of Puppy Mills
The ban, which takes effect in December 2024, is meant to prevent the sale of animals raised by commercial breeders accused of keeping them in inhumane conditions.
Pet stores in New York State will soon be prohibited from selling dogs, cats and rabbits under a legislative ban meant to stem the sale of animals from breeding facilities that animal rights groups say subject pets to inhumane conditions.
The legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday means that New York will join a handful of other states, including California and Illinois, that have enacted similar bans designed to crack down on commercial breeders, sometimes called puppy or kitten mills.
By forbidding the sale of animals at New York’s shrinking collection of about 80 or so pet stores, officials are hoping to stop the pipeline of animals from commercial breeders that opponents argue raise animals that are often abused or ill, and then sold to consumers, saddling them with unforeseen veterinary bills.
“Ending the puppy mill pipeline to New York State signifies the triumph of compassion over the evils inherent in a cruel industry that pursues profits by subjecting innocent animals to barbarous treatment,” said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation in the lower chamber.
The legislation sparked a passionate clash in Albany between supporters of animal rights and the pet store industry, which vociferously opposed the bill, arguing that it would effectively put them out of business. The industry contended the ban would also lead to a chain of unintended consequences that would make it harder for New Yorkers to obtain a pet and potentially lead to an underground pet market.
A coalition of pet store owners — People United to Protect Pet Integrity, or PUPPI — said that the blanket ban would unfairly hurt responsible pet stores selling puppies raised with care, and would do little to shut down commercial breeding facilities, most of which are out-of-state. The industry argued that most commercial breeders raised pets humanely, but that animal rights groups were singling out bad actors, some of which have been the target of lawsuits and investigations, to demonize the entire breeding sector.
“By ending licensed and regulated local pet stores, you will remove the people who vet breeders, insure the health of newly homed pets with established veterinarians, and guarantee the success of a new pet family,” Jessica Selmer, the president of PUPPI, said in a statement on Thursday after failing to sway Ms. Hochul to veto the bill.
Democrats who control the State Legislature in Albany passed the bill in June with rare bipartisan support, but it had remained unclear whether Ms. Hochul, a fellow Democrat, would sign the bill.
Following days of closed-doors negotiations this month, the governor ultimately agreed to support the bill, albeit with some changes meant to soften the economic blow to pet stores, famous for their attractive window displays of puppies sold for thousands of dollars.
The implementation of the ban, for example, was delayed until December 2024. The revised legislation would also allow pet stores to charge rent to animal shelters that use pet stores as a space to host adoption events for rescued animals.
People would still be permitted to buy the animals directly from breeders, an attempt to allow prospective pet owners to visit and buy from responsible breeders. But part of the legislation’s intent is to encourage people to adopt pets from shelters and rescue organizations, which say they are overflowing with dogs, many of which were abandoned by people who sought pets during the pandemic.
“These animals are living, loving beings who should be treated with respect, and not like a can of soup to be plucked off a shelf,” said State Senator Michael Gianaris, a Democrat from Queens who sponsored the legislation. “This law will save countless animals from abuse at the hands of horrid puppy mills and I’m thrilled it is now enacted.”