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08-02-2005, 10:08 AM | #1 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 779
| Brainstorming Help... As I am sure many of you know from my further posts I naively purchased Bruce from a broker before I was well educated on the subject, and the broker deliberately decieved me in regard to his origins...Well even in the face of my threatened litigation they will not tell me the truth...I cannot afford for an attorney to do all the work in this matter, as I am just a law student, as for the legal aspects (finding law,etc) I can easily do the reasearch and provide it to the attorney myself, but as far as evidence collection goes I am not that creative...I threatened them with litigation, they did not believe me (or the attorney's letter) so now I have to go through with it...I will need to prove that more likely than not Bruce and the rest of their dogs come from mills & disreputable breeders. I have statements from others who have purchased their dogs there about health/behavioral issues and the fact that their dogs were never actually regtistered with AKC, but that it is and that is not enough. How would you guys go about finding proof that their dogs come from disreputable sources? I know all you YTers are creative, please help! |
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08-02-2005, 10:10 AM | #2 |
Minnie's Mommy Donating YT Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WA State
Posts: 916
| If there were health issues get letters from the vet stating that fact. Carol |
08-02-2005, 10:18 AM | #3 |
Maximus "Lily's Love Slave" Join Date: May 2005 Location: san ramon, ca
Posts: 2,368
| Do you have a pedigree or any form of documentation with his origins...maybe you culd try getting info that route!!
__________________ http://www.dogster.com/?148186 Maximus' Album: http://www.yorkietalk.com/gallery/sh...=1&ppuser=2303 Maximus Woves Lily |
08-02-2005, 10:19 AM | #4 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bismarck, ND
Posts: 102
| ? I tried searching other posts but can't find anything. What is wrong with Bruce?
__________________ Sheila Mom to Sugar Babie, Lee and Gina "Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole" |
08-02-2005, 10:31 AM | #5 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NJ
Posts: 4,021
| most colleges have an ombudsman, see if your school has one. they may be able to help you go forward with this. good luck! I sued the guy we got our first yorkie from and just recently settled. I found out that the Division of Consumer Affairs in NJ regulates the sale of cats and dogs and I filed a complaint with them. Your Ombudman would know if it's similar in your state.
__________________ Teri Owned by and completely devoted to Tucker... Maddie, we will always love you Bandit, you are always in my heart Proud Member SSLS |
08-02-2005, 10:43 AM | #6 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 779
| Okay I will recount Bruce's story/what has been happening so everyone knows what is going on... I had just been through a very very rough semester at school, break up, etc...I was out with my mother one day and she thought that just looking at some puppies was a sure fire way to pep me up because I had been obsessed with Yorkies for quite sometime...Anyway my parents live in a suburb of Seattle and I was there hanging out with them and my mother took me to Absolutely Puppies in Bellevue Washington. When we went in the place was very clean, the dogs were clean and had adequate food and water, and were not crated. It did not look so bad at all, and when we saw Bruce I fell in love with him completely and had to buy him...First, I asked the woman there where the dogs come from, and of course she said that Absolutely Puppies was no ordinary petshop but rather a collective of local breeders that were reputable, I was allowed to inspect the "parents," given a short health gaurantee, and told he was AKC. I asked specifically "he is not a puppy mill dog is he," my mother again asked this, and we were assured he was not. Well I purchased him and that is where the trouble began... 5 days later the first signs of trouble came when I took him to his first well puppy veterinary exam and to have his shots completed... (1) He had a slight yeast infection in his ear, okay not such a big deal, this only took $30 to fix... (2) Our vet noticed he had a slight malloclusion, and to try to prevent it from getting worse and hoping it would correct itself I had several baby teeth removed early when he was nuetered...This only cost about $100 and he did not seem to have pain, so again not such a big deal... (3) The problem continued worsening and we had 2 vet visits that otherwise would have been unnecessary, and then evaluations done by 2 canine dentists orthodontists, who were both convinced (as I am) that if not corrected the problem would become so bad Bruce would lose his ability to eat on his own and eat solids, so these evaluations cost about $600. At this point all the specialists let me know that it was a genetic defect and had likely been in his line for more than just his generation because it was so pronounced, and that a reputable breeder would not have bred this trait back into their line. I get angry and try to call absolutely puppies what do you know their storey changes he is from a reputable breeder in Oregon (not local this time) and they will not buy puppies from them anymore (didn'ty think they bought puppies I thought it was a collective)...Of course they cannot tell me who or where in Oregon he came from... (4) We choose a treatment plan that they feel will be most effective, at 8 months Bruce will have to have his jaw surgically broken at a cost of $800 and wired for 1-2 months, during which time I will have to feed him with a syringe. After that he will have to be put under again to have braces (yes braces) put on for 4-5 month at a cost of $3000-$4000. All this monetary expense is nothing compared to the pain my precious baby will feel... (5) The next problem we find out the AKC registration that I paid an extra $400 for is fradulent...and at this point really begin to worry so we research health problems mill dogs have and he goes in for a full work up which costs about $350 (and that was because my vet felt bad and gae us a discount). Now I have at least $5500 in damage as a result of their lies. This however is nothing compared to the pain and inconvenience my precious baby went through and will go through and the absolute anguish and guilt I feel that not only he has to go through this but that other dogs will have to because I gave my money to one of these little shops of horror...I literally weep everytime I think about it... Anyway the store refused all my requests for them to dislose his breeder info. even when they came from an attorney expressly threatening a law suit for fradulent misrepresentation of their product, breach of contract, and various other things. They just simply refuse to tell the truth which is all I want!!! All they have offered is to take Bruce back and refun 1/2 his purchase price. UM HELL NO!!! Now I need to put my money where my mouth is and actually file a suit, but I cannot afford to pay the attorney for every aspect and since I am a law student the lawyer agreed to let me do all the prelim stuff, I am just at a loss for how to investigate their practices! |
08-02-2005, 10:48 AM | #7 |
Mommy To 3 Poochies Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New York
Posts: 8,287
| OMG what a rotten place! I'm SO sorry for poor Bruce.
__________________ Mommy Loves Codie, Tia & Baby Cali RIP My Precious Katie - I Love You |
08-02-2005, 11:10 AM | #8 |
YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California
Posts: 2,990
| File with the better buisness bureau and you could contact teh ASPCA in the area to let them know about these "puppy mill dogs" that are being sold (the ASPCA might even be willign to help witht the lawsuit (this is something to ask reconsmom)...... do you have a contract that you signed???? what did it state as far as a health guarantee? |
08-02-2005, 11:11 AM | #9 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 4,347
| Oh, how VERY terrible!!!!!! I'll see if I can come up with anything that might be helpful. What a horror story!!! And your poor puppy!!!!!! Hang in there! |
08-02-2005, 11:14 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 4,347
| Go under Google and type in Puppy Lemon Law including your state. |
08-02-2005, 11:14 AM | #11 |
Maximus "Lily's Love Slave" Join Date: May 2005 Location: san ramon, ca
Posts: 2,368
| Paperwork wise do you have anything??? I will try and do a search on this petstore and see what I can find...the AKC papers that they registered with state that this puppy came from where?? http://www.paws.org/about/emailnetwo...005_02_11.html For the past year AFA (Action For Animals) has been investigating Absolutely Puppies (AP). They have reports from several sources that AP has sold sick puppies, including puppies with the highly contagious Parvovirus. Parvo can cause bloody diarrhea, depression and suppression of white blood cells. In very young puppies it can infect the heart muscle and lead to "sudden" death. Due to AP's secrecy with regards to the origin of the puppies they sell, AFA believes AP may be buying from puppy mills.
__________________ http://www.dogster.com/?148186 Maximus' Album: http://www.yorkietalk.com/gallery/sh...=1&ppuser=2303 Maximus Woves Lily Last edited by luzangela428; 08-02-2005 at 11:17 AM. |
08-02-2005, 11:39 AM | #12 |
YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California
Posts: 2,990
| i found this on the better buisness bureau website............ it looks like any complaints they have had have been resolved....... i think you should complain to the BBB and see where this takes you they might not be to keen to have you complain to the source that can shut them down. Here is the thing: Based on BBB files, this company has a satisfactory record with the Bureau. The Bureau has processed customer complaints on this company since the Bureau file opened in May 2003. The complaints were resolved. A satisfactory record means a company has been in business for at least 12 months, and properly addressed matters referred by the Bureau. The company does not have an unusual volume of complaints, or any government actions involving its marketplace conduct. The Bureau understands and has no concerns about the company's products, services and type of business |
08-02-2005, 11:43 AM | #13 |
YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California
Posts: 2,990
| i would also like to point our the the adress of www.absolutelypuppies.com from the BBB website does not exist, i cant bring up a webpage...... is it just my computer? can someone else try and see if they get anything |
08-02-2005, 12:34 PM | #14 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 779
| Okay here are all the documents I have: (1) AKC papers that are not for the proper dog (aka not for Bruce), listed as the breeder was one of the business owners (this is a family business), scanning of his micro chip proves these are fradualent documents. Proper AKC procedure was not followed to register, etc. I had no idea what I was doing so I just trusted them. (2) A standard contract of adhesion that accompanied his sale: Included in this contract was a provision that in the event of congenital defect (aka the problem with his jaw) I would return the puppy or just eat the cost if it was discovered after 30 days following sale (since it was a problem that worsened with time I am out of luck and there is no way I would return him), also included is that "registration papers may just serve as an example of dogs pedigree not relate to actual dog," basically they are covering there ass. The contract also has a nondisclosure of breeder policy. However, when dealing with contracts of adhesion in Washington and most states the law does not assume a duty to read each clause, especially when a consumer relied on implied terms from the seller. (3) I have all of Bruce's medical records, letters from his veterinarian and 2 canine dental specialists stating that the cause of his problems is congenital deffect most likely related to irresponsible breeding. (4) A copy of this companies articles of incorporation, which in their bylaws states the nondisclosure of breeders policy (pretty fishy to me)... (5) Communications with other purchasers that have had similar issues... (6) Statement from 2 professional trainers that his behavior was maladaptive and consistent with the behavior exhibited in mill dogs. (7) Trying to get Pet Licensing info: he came licensed in King County, and this typically require the location of his origin before he came into the county. This is also public record...However, due to the attention Absolutely Puppies has gotten from Paws there is a temporary injunction from a WA court preventing disclosure due to potential/pending litigation...Hence I may not be able to get this info until it is time to renew his license. At this point absolutely puppies is ignoring all of my further communications with them.... My goal is simple: I want to know where my dog came from, I want to stop them from misleading customers any further, and I want them to pay for what they do to dogs...As a law student and someone who knows these people are purely profit motivated I know a law suit may accomplish this. I really have enough info. now but to have a solid case I need more, and the damn place is so secretive. If I can prove they actually misrepresented Brucce's origins I could be entitled to compensatory + punitive damages X3 under Washington's fraudlent misrepresentation statute...This might have an impact on their operations since I could make a complaint for about $25,000k my attorney and I have figured so far...I just need to find out where they buy their dogs from. I have contracted the AFA since they have been doing this "investigation," but they are nearly as secretive...Thank you for everything guys! |
08-02-2005, 12:35 PM | #15 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 779
| Also I do not believe they have a website... |
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