Florida Lemon Law for Dogs

Florida has a strong puppy lemon law.

If you purchase a pet from a pet dealer, be it a breeder, puppy mill or pet shop, you seldom have recourse should the pet fall ill or show signs of hereditary diseases, unless you live in Florida. Florida has a pet lemon law that helps protect consumers against poorly bred dogs and cats as well as prevents falsely identifying the pet.

Function

The Florida Pet Lemon Law is intended to protect consumers who purchase pets from a pet dealer from fraud and from purchasing a sick pet. The pet dealer cannot misrepresent the breed, health or sex of the animal.

The seller must reimburse veterinary expenses up to the price of the animal plus replace the pet or refund the purchase price if the pet becomes sick or shows a hereditary or congenital problem within the time frame of the law.

Time Frame

The buyer is protected from a sick pet provided that the illness is documented within 14 days. The buyer also has a year to document a claim against hereditary and congenital disease.

Identification

In Florida, a pet dealer is defined as someone who sells 20 dogs a year or more than two litters in a year (which ever is greater). This can include hobbyist breeders and reputable breeders as well as pet brokers, pet stores and puppy mills.

Misconceptions

This law will not protect buyers against backyard breeders who breed an occasional litter or breeders who do not breed more than two litters in a year. Furthermore, it does not protect the buyer from sellers who advertise that the dog has registration papers but do not produce them.

Warning

While this law protects consumers purchasing from large-scale breeders, it does not protect the consumer against the occasional backyard breeder or the person selling a single pet. Shelters and municipal animal control is not covered in this law. Once the veterinary exam produces its findings, the buyer has only two days to notify the seller.

Some hereditary diseases such as hip dysplasia may not show up within a year's time, thus leaving the pet owner unprotected should a hereditary disease manifest after one year.

References

• Consumeraffairs.com: Florida Pet Lemon Law