WATERTOWN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — New York acting attorney general Barbara D. Underwood announced a lawsuit May 16 against Bell Pet Company LLC and owners Theodore and Sheila Bell for allegedly selling puppies without having had the dogs examined by a veterinarian, which is mandated under state law.
The defendants operate a chain of pet stores in Watertown, Albany, Poughkeepsie and Queensbury. According to allegations, the defendants also failed to abide by the state’s Pet Lemon Law, which requires companies to reimburse consumers for veterinarian expenses incurred after purchasing sick dogs.
“Pet dealers have a legal and moral responsibility to provide proper treatment to the animals in their care, and consumers deserve to have confidence that the pets they purchase are certifiably healthy,” Underwood said in a statement. “Our office is committed to upholding these legal protections for animals and consumers alike, and we won’t hesitate to hold companies to account if try to deceive New Yorkers.”
Handling the case for New York is assistant attorney general Alicia M. Lendon, under the supervision of assistant attorney general in charge Deanna R. Nelson, both of the Watertown regional office. Executive deputy attorney general Marty Mack leads the division of regional affairs.