On August 9, 2001 we purchased two golden retriever puppies from the above-mentioned breeder. At the time of this sales transaction we requested and received an OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) report for both parents which read as "good".
However, when these puppies were only 8 months of age, they were both diagnosed as having severe hip dysplasia with significant arthritis already present as per a board certified orthopedic surgeon in Plainview, New York. Upon this diagnosis we personally contacted the gentlemen that signed the OFA report to find out that indeed the mother's report had apparently been changed from "fair" to "good" on the copy provided to us. The breeder denies knowledge of this forgery.
As per the puppy lemon law this breeder has offered us the purchase price back if we return the puppies to her to be eunthanized -- we do not entertain this option as we love these puppies dearly. However, if the breeder had been honest at the time of the sale, we never would have purchased them in the first place. There were a total of 12 puppies in this litter which means that most probably there are other sick puppies as a result of her negligence and consumer fraud!
According to the findings of the orthopedic surgeon, these two puppies will most definetly require total hip replacement surgery by about age two years. The cost of these combined surgeries will be in excess of $16K.
