PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — For months, 14-year-old Nova Tropf begged his mom for a pet. The Pinellas County teen said he was willing to take anything. “I wanted any pet," Nova said. "I didn't care. I just wanted a pet.”
On April 10, Nova’s mom, Sabrina Tropf, bought a Corgi pup from Petland Largo as an Easter present. Nova told ABC Action News: “I was super happy. I was like this is way better than an Easter egg hunt.”
But within hours, the family said the Corgi pup they named Theo got sick. The next day, Sabrina took him to the vet Petland Largo uses to be treated for bloody stools and coughing.
Indian Rocks Beach Animal Hospital sent Theo home with medication. “The cough kind of stayed the same for a little while," Sabrina said.
When Sabrina took the pup in for vaccinations 10 days later, the paperwork showed everything listed on Theo’s physical exam as "N" for normal.
But on April 30, 20 days after Sabrina purchased Theo from Petland Largo, she said she found him struggling to breathe.
“He was neck stretching because he couldn't breathe. His eyes were rolling in the back of his head,” she said.
The family rushed Theo to Blue Pearl Animal Hospital. The puppy went into ICU, where he was placed in an oxygen chamber and treated for possible pneumonia.
“It was very scary. I thought he was going to die," Nova said.
The vet visit cost the family nearly $2,500. Records from Blue Pearl noted that “over the last week, Theo has been dealing with kennel cough.” Sabrina filed a claim for all vet costs under Petland's 14-day warranty.
Petland offered Sabrina $158.99 for veterinary visits on April 11 and April 21. But nothing for the Blue Pearl bill.
ABC Action News reached out to the company's corporate office. A spokesperson said in an email, “Petland is honoring Ms. Tropf’s warranty and has offered reimbursements.” But when Theo was treated on April 30, the company said the invoice was “out of the warranty period.”
Theo is doing much better. Sabrina has refused Petland’s offer and said she intends to file a Pet Lemon Lawclaim with state regulators. That law covers consumers who report a pet’s contagious disease within 14 days of purchase.
