Petland facing two new lawsuits in Ohio, accused of selling sick puppies

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – For the second time in under six months, Petland is facing lawsuits that accuse it of selling sick puppies to unknowing families. 

Two separate lawsuits were filed against the pet store last week by families in Ross and Fairfield counties. Attorneys with the Humane Society of the United States are assisting the Ohio law firm Holland & Muirden with representing the two families. The allegations come after three similar lawsuits were filed in January.

The newest lawsuits allege Petland, which is based in Ohio, misled customers and used high-pressure tactics to sell ill puppies to two families in 2021, leaving them with hefty vet bills and suffering animals. 

“Two new lawsuits seek to hold Petland accountable for business practices that mislead customers and prop up the cruel puppy mill industry,” Kitty Block, CEO of the Humane Society, said in a statement. 

One of the lawsuits states Danielle and Henry Segura bought a Yorkiepoo puppy from a Petland in Chillicothe in October 2021. Staff told the family the puppy, named Sky, had recently been treated for kennel cough but was otherwise in good health and ready to go to her new home.

Upon bringing Sky home, her owners claim she became incredibly ill, experiencing coughing, trouble breathing and refusing to eat or drink. During a November vet visit, it was discovered that she had an upper respiratory infection that progressed to pneumonia. After overcoming the illness, she was cleared to go back home – but this was just the beginning of the dog’s issues, the lawsuit claims.

Sky subsequently began suffering from frequent seizures and defecating blood, her family alleges. She was diagnosed with a congenital condition called liver shunt. Sky’s vet recommended she only engage in limited activity and that she should not be left alone for long periods out of fear she may suffer from a life-threatening seizure.

When it comes to Sky’s pneumonia, Petland claimed her vet treatment resulted in a charge of $754.46, which was fully reimbursed in December 2021. The Serguras reportedly did not report any further concerns with Petland. 

In the second lawsuit, Katie and Jeremy Wheeling allege their Ultimate Mastiff named River, purchased from a Petland in Lancaster in February 2021, had to undergo six surgeries for a variety of ailments so far in the three years she has been alive. This included multiple eye surgeries for a condition called “cherry eye” and a knee surgery. Although Petland did assist with some costs, the Humane Society claimed the couple is out of thousands in vet bills and River is still in pain.

Petland maintains River was approved for surgery reimbursement up to $5,000 -- the cost of the puppy. The pet store claims that the cherry eye was corrected, but then it was discovered the puppy’s other eye also had developed the condition. That eye was also fixed, Petland said. In September 2021, the owners submitted the claim to Petland and that same month they were reimbursed $1,848.32 for the first surgery and $2,060.68 was paid directly to their vet for the second eye surgery. The pet store states the Wheelings have not been in contact with Petland since. 

“Petland records show that each claim was made and satisfactorily resolved in 2021,” said Petland President and CEO Joe Watson. “In each case, the health warranties provided with the new puppies were activated, and each pet owner was reimbursed in full for the costs associated with the pets’ care and treatment. Neither of the parties named in these alleged lawsuits has reached out to Petland with further concerns about the health of their pets in the three years since.” 

While Watson stated he can not comment on any more specifics because Petland has not been served with the lawsuit yet, he called the Humane Society of the United States a “radical animal rights group” that is “burdening Ohio’s busy legal system” to generate publicity. The three families that filed lawsuits against Petland in January also had the support of HSUS, but the pet store chain was dropped as a defendant in two of those lawsuits.  

Despite Petland repeatedly denying any involvement with puppy mills, the nonprofit continues to assert Petland sources its animals from high-volume breeders and states the Ohio Department of Agriculture allows these puppy mills to continue thriving in the state.

“As long as Ohio allows the puppy-mill-to-pet-store pipeline to operate unchecked, families and dogs in our state will suffer the consequences,” Humane Society state director Mark Finneran said.

Finneran urged Ohio residents to contact elected officials to support House Bill 443, which would allow municipalities in the state to regulate the sales of dogs and cats in pet stores.