The Washington pet retail business Puppyland and its owners have been forced to pay $3.75 million and stop using what the state Attorney General’s Office has called “illegal” advertising and sales techniques in response to a lawsuit brought in 2023.
Attorney General Nick Brown announced this resolution on Friday, which represents a major step forward in the case.
The agreement stipulates that Puppyland must pay by June 30, 2026, in installments. Until the entire amount is paid, the outstanding balance will also be subject to 12% annual interest.
The Attorney General’s Office filed a complaint against Puppyland and its owners in April 2023, starting the legal action against the corporation.
A number of unethical tactics were charged in the case, such as selling sick puppies, forcing clients to take out “predatory loans,” and utilizing more than 7,000 illegal contracts that were intended to keep clients from posting candid internet assessments of their experiences.
The Attorney General’s Office claimed that these actions violated consumer protection legislation.
In addition to its current location in Puyallup, Washington, Puppyland once had a store in Renton. In addition to being former proprietors of Puppyworld in Olympia, Washington, the defendants in the complaint have affiliations with Puppyland-branded establishments in Georgia, Idaho, and Texas.
According to the lawsuit, Puppyland, which started selling puppies in 2018, participated in dishonest business activities by giving false information regarding the health assurances that came with the sales as well as by misrepresenting the breeding standards of the puppies they sold.
According to one particularly heinous accusation, Puppyland tricked clients into accepting loan contracts with interest rates close to 200%.
According to the lawsuit, purchasers were ensnared in financial arrangements they might not have agreed to if they had been fully informed since they were not given enough time to examine or comprehend the conditions of these loans.
The action also brought to light the company’s deceptive advertising statements about the breeding conditions of the puppies.
Under the direction of former Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is currently the Governor of Washington, the case was first brought to court. During his tenure, the lawsuit aimed to alter the company’s business processes in addition to addressing financial losses.
“Puppyland took advantage of people’s love for pets to maneuver them into taking on crushing debt for dogs with serious health issues, and then they tried to silence them,” Brown stated. “This resolution will give pet buyers more transparency and require Puppyland to end its predatory sales tactics.”
The settlement agreement requires Puppyland to stop a number of dubious activities. In particular, the business is not allowed to include non-disparagement clauses in its sales contracts, which previously forbade clients from leaving honest, unfavorable evaluations. Puppyland must also cease offering loans to consumers, remove any deceptive advertising regarding the breeding standards of their puppies, and make sure that prospective purchasers are given a clear indication of the pricing ranges of the puppies for sale.
Customers may be able to get reimbursement for large veterinary expenses if they bought a puppy from Puppyland and it got sick within a year.
Affected customers are encouraged to email [email protected] to engage in the claims process. They can then get notifications and updates about any upcoming claims procedures.
The state is making a big effort in this instance to safeguard customers and hold companies responsible for dishonest business practices.
With the settlement in place, it is hoped that it would not only help the impacted customers but also function as a warning to future businesses thinking about using unethical practices of a similar nature.
The Attorney General’s Office is still dedicated to making sure that companies doing business in Washington follow the strictest guidelines for honesty and openness.
