HENDERSON, Nev. (KLAS) — Animal control officers have warned a Las Vegas-area pet store where a now-former employee whited out information on a sick puppy’s medical record, a city spokesperson said.
After Matt Grant purchased Kota, a Siberian Husky, in mid-August from The Puppy Store, the dog started showing signs of an upper respiratory infection, Grant said. The store is located on Sunset Road near Stephanie Street in Henderson.
On Aug. 9, a veterinarian came to the store to check on the puppies, including Kota, records said. The then-10-week-old was in good health but needed an antibiotic and nebulizer to help with a possible infection.
That part of the document was covered in white-out.
The city received a complaint about the store on Aug. 20, a spokesperson said. Animal control officers did not find any violation of state or local law, but did issue the store a “written warning” about “documentation and health check procedures,” the spokesperson said.
The store’s manager told the 8 News Now Investigators last month that “an overzealous salesperson” whited out the information on the health certificate and that the “actions were unacceptable.”
The Puppy Store’s warranty covers vet bills up to the purchase price for the animal. In Kota’s case, that’s $3,500. Grant estimates he had already paid $3,500 for Kota’s care through August.
Kota’s health continued to improve Wednesday, Grant said.
Last year, Clark County Commissioners voted to ban the sale of most pets at stores across unincorporated Clark County. The law was expected to become effective later this year. It does not apply to areas of the county with local jurisdictions, such as Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas or North Las Vegas.
Original statement from The Puppy Store:
The Puppy Store Las Vegas has been connecting families with puppies since 2008. We have had thousands of happy customers over the years, and we take great pride in the fact that our puppies are happy, healthy, and sourced from legitimate responsible licensed breeders. Every puppy is up to date with vaccinations, dewormed, microchipped, and guaranteed.
Unfortunately, in some situations like people, puppies can also get ill. We can assure you that our puppies are vet checked by a licensed veterinarian and if the puppy has any type of ailment there is no expense spared to treat the puppies and get them happy and healthy once again.
Our protocols have been written by veterinarians, our staff consists of vet assistants, and vet technicians, and our facility is overseen by veterinarians and our local animal control.
In the situation with the husky the puppy was conditionally cleared but not fully cleared by the kennel manager. Sadly, an overzealous salesperson on our staff took it upon themselves to white out notes that the doctor had made on the conditional cleared for sale health certificate. THESE ACTIONS WERE UNACCEPTABLE to The Puppy Store. We immediately terminated the employee for breaking the company’s protocols and procedures. The actions of the terminated employee DO NOT reflect the practices of The Puppy Store.
After termination of the employee, we called the vet and explained the situation and have come up with a new protocol to ensure this never happens again. This same protocol was shared with our local animal control. Animal control did come to our facility and found no fault, and no citation was given.
In regards to the Husky, we are happy to report that as of a few weeks ago the owner of the Husky mentioned that the puppy is doing well and recovering from a mild puppy cold.
We stand behind our customers and their newly adopted puppies with an amazing health guarantee which includes a 20-day viral, and a 2-year genetic health guarantee in which medical bills are reimbursed up to 100% of the price of the puppy. During the adoption process, the guarantee information is printed and given. This same information is available on our website.
In closing, we’d like to thank our community, government officials, and animal control for all their support over the years. Thank you for all you do!
David Salinas, manager, The Puppy Store
