FLORIDA – When Christine Messina brought home a golden retriever puppy, she expected a new companion. Days later, she told News 6 the dog was dead.
According to veterinary records, the puppy died from a severe intestinal issue shortly after Messina took it home.
Recommended Videos
“I did not get a healthy dog, I got a sick dog,” Messina said.
The man who sold the dog agreed to issue a refund, Messina claimed, but the money never came.
When Messina picked up the puppy, she received two documents: a veterinary certificate stating the dog was healthy and an American Kennel Club certificate confirming the dog’s pedigree. News 6 found both documents may be fraudulent.
Messina’s experience is exactly what state lawmakers had in mind when they passed new legislation strengthening protections for people who buy cats and dogs in Florida.
The law took effect July 1. Here is what it does:
- Cancels financing without penalty if a purchased pet is sick and the buyer returns the animal
- Removes the cap on how much veterinary care costs buyers can recover from a dealer
- Allows buyers to take sellers to small claims court and recover a minimum of $2,500 if the seller was deceptive
- Directs the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to publish information about individuals who violate animal cruelty laws
- Directs the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to write and post voluntary best management practices for dog breeders and publish guidance for the public.
There are some key legal changes:
- Vet‑check window shrinks. For most illnesses, contagious diseases or internal/external parasites (not fleas/ticks), a buyer now has 14 days after the sale (instead of 30) to get a licensed veterinarian to certify that the animal was unfit at the time of sale. The 1‑year window for congenital or hereditary defects stays the same.
- Faster notice deadlines. Once a veterinarian says the animal was unfit, the buyer must notify the dealer within 2 business days (was 7) and give the dealer the written vet certification within 3 business days of receiving it.
- Dealer must act quickly. After the dealer receives the signed veterinary certification, they have 10 business days to make a refund or provide an exchange.
- Refunds, exchanges, and costs. The buyer chooses: refund (purchase price plus accrued interest, taxes/fees, and reasonable vet costs tied to the certification/emergency care) or an exchange of equal value (plus reasonable vet costs). Vet‑cost reimbursement can’t exceed the purchase price.
- Financing and records. Dealers must disclose all financing terms before the sale. Any record given to the consumer must be kept by the dealer for at least seven years.
Who counts as a “pet dealer” now?
The threshold drops. More sellers become “pet dealers” under the statute: anyone selling more than two litters a year or more than 20 dogs or cats a year (down from more than three litters or 30 animals.)
How disputes are handled
- Dealer can ask for a second veterinary exam. If the dealer disputes your claim, they can have a licensed veterinarian they pick examine the animal.
- If you still disagree, you can sue. If no agreement is reached within 10 business days after that dealer exam, the buyer can file suit in a county circuit court or small claims court in the owner’s county.
- Punitive damages are possible. The enrolled text allows courts to award punitive damages at their discretion, and it references a floor of at least $2,500.
- Consumer‑law angle. Violating the pet‑sale rules is treated as an unfair or deceptive act under Florida’s consumer‑protection law (chapter 501), so administrative enforcement and private consumer claims could apply in addition to the refund/exchange remedies.
- Criminal side. The bill doesn’t create new criminal offenses — it just requires publishing information about people already convicted under existing animal‑cruelty laws.
The Florida Department of Agriculture told News 6 it is investigating multiple complaints tied to the marketplace where Messina says she purchased the puppy. After News 6’s investigation, that marketplace website shut down.