Nov 16, 2009 8:04 pm US/Central
Designer Dogs: Potential Vet Bills, Heartache
Cute, Trendy Pups May Be Plagued With Health Problems; Know Your Rights Under State Law
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Sarah Zielinski's dog Ruby -- an expensive designer pet -- was plagued with health problems that caused the owner heartache.
CBS
Tiny dogs are all the rage now. Owners easily spend more than a thousand dollars each for them.
But customers of one pet boutique say they were sold puppies that were sick.
As 2 Investigator Pam Zekman reports, when you buy a designer dog, you can be in for a lot of expense -- and heartache.
Before Sarah Zielinski purchased Macy from a breeder of Boston terriers, there was Ruby, a downsized version.
"She was just adorable," Sarah said.
Ruby was purchased at Pocket Puppies, a North Side pet boutique that specializes in toy and teacup puppies, mixed or pure-bred that it says are usually half the size of larger toy breeds and can be as fragile as a prematurely born baby.
"They say over and over again that their dogs have a genetic guarantee," Sara said.
But after she paid $1,350 that was not refundable, she was shown language that the guarantee "doesn't cover non-life-threatening issues." And other documents severely limited the pet store's responsibility for post-purchase medical bills for those conditions.
"At the time, I didn't know the dog had any health problems," Sarah said. "We had already fallen in love with the dog."
Then the store popped up the dog's health record. It showed some, but not all, of Ruby's genetic problems, including a soft spot on her skull and kneecaps that may not stay in place.
Dr. Sheldon Rubin, president of the state Veterinary Medical Association, reviewed Ruby's records for CBS 2.
"The brain doesn't fit properly in the skull," he said. "The sockets where the eyes sit are not set deep enough, so the eyes are bulging."
He also pointed out bone deformities in the dog.
"All of the things that are wrong with Ruby are all of the things that we see that can happen with a downsized breed," Rubin said. "Is it life threatening? No. But is it going to cost you thousands of dollars later in life? Yes."
Within days after she came home, Ruby developed symptoms of kennel cough, a bacteria that experts say could have been picked up at the breeder or pet shop. The store warns that because of their tiny size and delicate nature, pocket puppies' immune systems can be compromised.
Ruby's infection escalated to pneumonia, and the dog died.
Sarah was left with $3,000 in vet bills that Pocket Puppies refused to pay -- and lots of heartache.
"To see a puppy, to see a little baby so weak and in so much pain and suffering, it was awful," she said.
Lane Boron, the owner of pocket puppies, says he was upset about what happened to Ruby and offered a store credit.
He said he has hundreds of satisfied customers. Before they take a puppy home, he says the animals must pass two physicals. If the puppy gets sick within five days, the store will pay for care, but only by its veterinarian.
Boron says the store goes above and beyond what is expected by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which licenses pet stores.
Under current state laws, you are entitled to ask for the health history of a puppy before you pay any money for it. But you have to ask.
If you want to file a complaint about a pet store you should contact the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare at (217) 782-6657.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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