Complaint Review: Pet Paradise Joe & Dana West - Englishtown marlboro Twp. New Jersey

PHILLY'S STORY

Our five year old daughter, Julianna, was always fearful of animals so my husband and I often frequented places were she could see animals and be comfortable with them. On Saturday, September 30, 2006 we went out to visit a pet store named Pet Paradise, 405 U.S. Highway 9 South, Englishtown, NJ.

We saw a male yellow Labrador retriever and asked a salesperson who identified herself as Tammy if we could play with the puppy in one of Pet Paradise's playrooms. The puppy was playful, but not overly playful. Just like my daughter had wanted it to be. My family fell in love with this puppy in 10 minutes. We decided to purchase our first puppy.

We were told when we went to the register that it would be a few minutes while they got the paperwork together. Upon reviewing the paperwork with Tammy we were given a Medical Record (the Medical Record) indicating that the puppy was examined by a veterinarian on September 28, 2006, just 2 days before our purchase, and was certified to be fit for sale. At the time of sale, along with the Medical Record, we received a Statement of Rights under New Jersey Law, a Pet Paradise Guarantee, a Pet Guardian Warranty Contract and a Pet Medical Record (this is the medical record from the broker that sold the puppy to Pet Paradise). We also received antibiotics, with instructions to give the puppy two pills a day for 10 days.

While Tammy was reviewing the paperwork accompanying the sale with my husband, she handed him a package of pills that Tammy said were antibiotics for the puppy. My husband questioned why she was giving us antibiotics for a healthy puppy. She told my husband and me that Pet Paradise gives antibiotics with every sale just in case the puppy has a cold. Again my husband asked about the health of the puppy because we didn't want to purchase a puppy with a cold. Tammy again assured us this puppy was healthy. Then she said please don't give a puppy a bath before it is examined by a veterinarian. We also found this advice to be odd and again said that we were concerned that this puppy was sick. Tammy again assured us the puppy was healthy.

We left Pet Paradise with our new puppy at approximately 5 pm on September 30, 2006. As soon as we got home my family named our puppy, Philly, and introduced him to his new home. We took pictures and video of Philly. Our children bonded with Philly immediately. Philly appeared to be fine for the first several hours. Philly ate some of the food we had purchased at the pet store and drank some water. We put Philly in his crate at approximately 10 pm. When Philly awoke the next morning, October 1, 2006, he seemed out of sorts. He ate a little more food and drank some more water. Some of my relatives came over to see Philly; however, Philly was unable to play. It was at that time that we noticed green mucus coming from Philly's nose. I wiped it each time with a tissue and attributed to a cold as the pet store had expected he may get. Philly slept most of the day and was lethargic when he woke. We became concerned because Philly was not eating, and green mucus was coming out of his nose more frequently. He was trying to cough and appeared as if he was unable to breathe. His nose felt warm and dry to the touch. Initially, we called the Veterinarian who signed the Medical Record, Dr. Jonathan Bach. Dr. Bach advised us to force-feed the puppy, and if he failed to respond to take the puppy to Garden State Veterinary Specialists (the Hospital). My husband and I decided to take the puppy to the Hospital immediately. So off we went in our minivan with our children and Philly to the hospital just 24 hours after we brought Philly home.

When we arrived at the Hospital, the emergency Veterinarian on staff took one look at Philly and rushed him into an isolation unit to begin treatment. This Veterinarian advised us that Philly was very sick and asked if we wanted him treated, which we of course authorized immediately. After all, Philly was now a part of our family.

The Vet showed us x-rays of Philly's lungs, which showed extensive congestion. We were told that Philly had severe pneumonia and only had a 30% chance of living. The Vet said Philly had been very sick for several days. The Vet also told us that the antibiotics we were given were very strong, and should never be given to a healthy puppy. She believed whoever prescribed these antibiotics knew Philly was very sick. We were told that Philly had to remain in isolation and that we were not able to say goodbye to him because his condition was so severe he was quarantined. We left the hospital around 9:00 p.m. and my family was devastated.

The next morning my husband contacted the owner of Pet Paradise, Dana West, to advise her of our puppy's medical condition. We told her that he was very contagious and that he was in critical condition. Mrs. West's response was that my husband and I did something to Philly to cause him to become ill as he was healthy when he left her store. She also had a few choice words for my husband and basically told him to sue her and hung up on him.

After I made phone calls to dozens of local authorities and did extensive research on-line, I found out that Pet Paradise has repeatedly sold sick animals to families all over New Jersey and refused to deal with their customers when Pet Paradise was contacted. Joe West, co-owner of Pet Paradise stated that a lot of people have tried to shut down his store in the past and was unsuccessful as we would be too.

Agents from the A.S.P.C.A. were unable to help us as an infectious disease does not fall within their jurisdiction of cruelty to animals. The New Jersey Department of Health had an investigator visit Pet Paradise several days later and said that the facility seemed to be adequate. The NJ Dept. of Health's investigator was not a veterinarian and may not have been properly certified for this inspection.

Several other agencies are looking into our complaint including but not limited to:

1. Marlboro Township Animal Control (Officer Anthony Lena)

2. The U.S. Humane Society (Kathleen Summers).

3. A Federal Agency charged with licensing pet stores (Tony Brassfield).

4. New Jersey Dept. of Consumer Affairs.

5. The Department of Health of the State of NJ.

6. The Veterinary Review Board.

Philly was in the Hospital for six days while the Veterinarians fought to save his life. My husband and I received daily updates and, although it was expensive, we felt we had to spend the money to save Philly. In one of the daily updates, we were told the puppy had fleas when he was brought in to the Hospital, which are very dangerous in such a young puppy. On Saturday, October 7, 2006, we received a call from the Hospital telling us Philly had taken a turn for the worse. The Vets had determined that, in addition to the pneumonia, Philly was infected with 2 single cell parasites and 2 types of bacteria, and that one of the types of bacteria was untreatable. We were told Philly had lost the use of one of his back legs, was suffering, and would never recover. Philly had given up his fight to survive. The Vet suggested that euthanizing Philly would be the most humane course of action. We had no choice but to authorize the Hospital to euthanize Philly. Philly our 11 week old puppy was put to rest and cremated on Saturday, 10/7/05, just one week after we brought him home.

While my husband was on the telephone with the doctor making Philly's final arrangements I told my daughter and son that Philly died survive, that he would not be coming home and that he was in Heaven. Upon learning that Philly died, our five year old daughter, Julianna, broke down sobbing uncontrollably. She kept asking how this could happen. I could actually feel her broken heart. For the next 24 hours Julianna remained in a state of depression, including vomiting. I thank God that Matthew is still too young to understand the horrific actions of Pet Paradise. He keeps asking when Philly is coming home to play tag with him again.

We believe that Pet Paradise knew Philly was sick when it was sold to us. In retrospect, it is very odd that they gave us strong antibiotics to give to a healthy puppy, and that they told us not to bathe Philly. Being first time pet owners we were nave to say the least. Since then I have done extensive research and have learned from the Humane Society that some pet stores give sick puppies large doses cough syrup in order to mask the symptoms of pneumonia and stop the puppies from coughing. I believe Pet Paradise did this to Philly to make him appear healthy on the day we brought him home.

During my research, I uncovered that Philly's journey to our family was a long one. Philly was born in Texas. Philly was immediately sold by his owner/breeder to what his owner called a puppy broker in Oklahoma. Philly was treated by the broker's doctor with cough-guard and various other remedies and then shipped off in just a day to Pet Paradise in New Jersey. Philly arrived at Pet Paradise on Tuesday, September 26th and we were advised was examined by Pet Paradise's veterinarian on Thursday, September 28th. We then brought Philly into our home two days later and one day later he was admitted to Garden State Hospital where he remained for the rest of his life. Philly was only 11 weeks old!!! He had already been around the Country, admitted to the hospital and died.

When my husband contacted the owner of Pet Paradise on October 7, 2006 to advise our puppy had died, Joe West (co-owner of Pet Paradise) told my husband that either we made Philly sick, or Garden State overmedicated Philly and killed him. Joe and Dana West showed not even one sign of compassion or remorse. Joe West even stated that he remembered our family from the day that we purchased Philly. How can you know that this was my family's first puppy who had just died one week later and not show one ounce of compassion to a grieving family?!!!

I am writing this story so that Philly's life was not lived in vein. I believe that the facts speak the truth. We too heard stories of the horrors of pet store pets. We thought to ourselves how horrible, but went about living our lives. I am now trying to tell Philly's story to as many people as I can. I am pleading with you, your family, friends, etc. to please tell Philly's story to as many people as you can. If the demand for these pet store puppies wasn't there, breeders would be able to ensure that puppies were born healthy and adopted by good, loving families. Families would adopt pets from the Humane Society or their local animal shelters. Had we been more educated we would have known the warning signs of a healthy puppy. I am not sorry that we purchased Philly. I feel that Philly was sent to our family so that his story would live on.

My family and I thank you for your time.

((( ROR REDACTED LAST NAME FOR SECURITY PURPOSES )))

Deborah

Matawan, New Jersey
U.S.A.

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