|
PURCHASER PROTECTION ACT
Dog Purchaser Protection Act
From the Attorney General's Office of the State Of
Pennsylvania Dogs can be our dearest friends.
That's why the unwitting purchase of an unhealthy
pet can be so devastating. In an effort to ensure
that consumers buying a dog in Pennsylvania know
their new pet has a clean bill of health,
Pennsylvania's dog sellers and breeders must now
post a visible notice that informs consumers of
their rights under the state's Dog Purchaser
Protection Act, also known as the "Puppy Lemon Law."
Sellers and breeders must also provide a written
copy of the consumer's rights at the time of the
sale.
- 1. A seller shall provide you with a health
record for the dog at the time of sale. The
health record must contain information as
required by the law.
- 2. The seller shall provide a health
certificate issued by a veterinarian within 21
days prior to the date of sale OR a guarantee of
good health issued and signed by the seller. The
health certificate and the guarantee of good
health must contain information as required by
law.
- 3. To preserve your rights under the Law,
you musty take your newly purchased dog to a
licensed veterinarian for examination within 10
days of purchase. If a veterinarian determines,
within 10 days of purchase, that your dog is
clinically ill or has died from an injury
sustained or illness likely to have been
contracted on or before the date of sale and
delivery, you have the following options:
- a.) Return the dog for a complete
refund;
- b.) Return the dog for a replacement
dog of equal value;
- c.) Retain the dog and receive
reimbursement for reasonable veterinary fees,
not exceeding the purchase price.
- These options do not apply where a seller,
who has provided a health certificate issued by
a veterinarian, discloses in writing at the time
of sale the health problem for which the buyer
later seeks to return the dog.
- 4. If, within 30 days of purchase, a
licensed veterinarian determines that your dog
has a congenital or hereditary defect which
adversely affects the animal's health or that
your dog died from a congenital or heredity
defect, you have the same options as outlined in
Section 3 (above).
5. Within 2 business days of a veterinarian's
certification of your dog's illness, defect, or
death, you must notify the seller of the name,
address and telephone number of the examining
veterinarian. Failure to notify the seller
within 2 business days will result in forfeiture
of rights.
- 6. Refunds or reimbursements shall be made
no later than 14 days after the seller receives
the veterinarian certification. Veterinarian
certification shall be presented to the seller
not later than 5 days after you receive it.
- 7. Registerable Dogs - If the seller does
not provide within 120 days all documentation to
effect registration, you may exercise one of the
following options:
- a.) Return the dog and receive a full refund
of the purchase price, or
- b.) Retain the dog and receive 50% refund of
the purchase price.
8. If registerable, the seller shall provide at
the time of sale: the breeder's name and
address, the name and registration number of the
dam and sire, and the name and address of the
pedigree registry organization where the dam and
sire are registered.
|
Read more about the
Puppy Lemon Law
|