Jacksonville pet stores under fire after reports of dead, sick puppies

STORY: Puppy from viral 'dangling' video found safe in Florida

Pet stores in Jacksonville are being accused of selling sick puppies without alerting their customers.

Pet lovers are asking the State Attorney’s Office to launch an investigation. Action News Jax spoke with two customers who purchased a puppy this week — and their dog is already in an animal hospital.

Eduardo Acevedo said he purchased a puppy last week from BFF Puppies in Orange Park. The dog is now sick with parvo, Acevedo said.

“They are trying to make him healthy, but it’s a 50-50 chance [he will live],”  Acevedo said.

Within the past couple of months, more than 40 puppies have died, pet advocate Mike Merrill said.

“They should temporarily close the facility, quarantine the animals that are there and deep-clean the entire operation,” Merrill said.

RELATED: 15 mini Australian Shepherds dumped outside animal control need fostering

A letter signed by nearly 50 people was sent to the Florida Attorney General, the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Agriculture this week. It calls for an investigation into local pet stores accused of selling sick puppies, and puppies who were exposed to sickness.

Magdalena Figueroa bought a puppy that got sick a day after a veterinarian cleared him.

“He wouldn’t eat and when the dog started drinking water, he started vomiting,” Figueroa said.

Figueroa just hopes the thousands of dollars she’s spent on treatment will get the puppy better again.

It isn’t just a Florida issue. In New York, State Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against a pet store chain for mishandling puppies.

Northeast Florida customers who purchased sick puppies can contact:
Jax Pet Store Abuse Hotline:
Phone: (904) 834-9848

Cox Media Group