Getting a new puppy is exciting. But it turned painful and costly for a Coconut Grove woman when her dog got sick. Can she get reimbursed for the unexpected vet bills? It’s this Help Me Howard with Brandon Beyer.
To see Shane now – you’d never know just how sick this springer-spaniel mix puppy was just a few months ago.
And it happened within hours of Faith Messing bringing him home from the pet store.
Faith Messing: “He vomited on me twice.”
Faith has lived in her Coconut Grove condo for more than 30 years. She had her last dog – Roxie – for more than half that time.
Faith Messing: “Oh yeah, 16-and-a-half years. We did it all together, you know, ’til the end.”
When Roxie died of cancer last year, Faith waited eight months for her heart to heal.
And then – it was time to welcome another dog into her home.
Faith Messing: “And I said, ‘Oh, it’s too quiet here. I can hear a pin; I better go find myself a dog.'”
And that’s when she found Shane. Just a few months old and on sale for a little more than $1,000 at a South Florida pet store.
Shane is short for Shayna – which means “beautiful” in Hebrew.
It was love at first sight. But almost immediately, the puppy got sick. Vomiting, and Faith says, she saw blood in his stool.
She took him to one of the veterinarians the pet store suggested.
Faith Messing: “And he said, ‘I’ll call the boss and see if I can treat the dog.'”
Within minutes, a decision was made.
Faith Messing: “And he said, ‘Go back to the store. I called the boss and she said do not treat the dog.'”
So Faith took Shane to her own vet and was told he had two bacterial infections.
She spent another $1,000 to treat him.
Faith Messing: “How could I fall in love with that face and not take care of it?”
She said since the pet store wasn’t going to treat shane – she did it herself.
Faith Messing: “Because if I didn’t step in and take the dog to the hospital, it would’ve never gotten better.”
Howard, she paid a lot money for a new puppy then immediately had a big vet bill. Any laws in place to protect her?
Howard Finkelstein: “Yes, Florida has a puppy Lemon Law. If your new pet is sick, you have three options: exchange the dog for a new one, return the dog for a full refund, or you can keep the dog and treat it and the pet store must reimburse you for all your vet bills – up to the full purchase price.”
Faith tried to get the pet store to reimburse her. When she wasn’t getting anywhere, she called us.
We sent them her receipts and a few weeks later – they refunded what she’d paid for Shane.
Faith Messing: “They did credit my charge for the exact amount of money I paid for the dog .”
Today, Shane is happy and healthy, and has a long life to look forward to, thanks to Faith.
Faith Messing: “And now he’s just happy everyday and I can’t thank you enough.”
That is one lucky dog.
Per Florida’s Pet Lemon Law, you have 14 days to document contagious disease, and up to a year for hereditary defects.
Got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how to find us. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7News.
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