Florida Dog Bite Law FirmFlorida has a pet purchase statute, § 828.29 — what people usually mean when they search for a “puppy lemon law” — and it is considerably stronger than most buyers realise. It was amended in 2024 and again in 2026, so a great deal of the guidance currently online describes a superseded version.
It applies to purchases from pet dealers. A private rehoming between individuals is a different situation.
What the dealer must give you
That certificate must show “the age, sex, breed, color, and health record” and must list all vaccines and deworming medications administered, including “manufacturer, vaccine, type, lot number, expiration date, and the dates of administration.”
That level of detail is deliberate. A certificate missing lot numbers and dates is not the document the statute requires.
You must also be given, and sign, a written notice of your rights:
If nobody gave you that notice, that is itself a departure from the statute.
Two windows, and they are different lengths
Section 828.29(5) sets the timeframes, and they are not the same for every problem:
| What went wrong | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Illness, disease or parasites | 30 days after the sale |
| Congenital or hereditary disorder | 1 year after the sale |
| Misrepresentation | 1 year after the sale |
The one-year window for hereditary conditions is the provision that matters most, because hip dysplasia, heart defects and similar conditions frequently do not present within thirty days. A buyer who assumes a single short deadline often gives up on a claim that is still well inside time.
Three remedies, and the choice is yours
Under § 828.29(5) the consumer chooses. Not the dealer.
Return the animal for a full refund — “the purchase price, including any interest accrued and sales tax or fees” — plus reimbursement for reasonable veterinary costs.
Exchange for “an exchange animal of the consumer’s choice of equivalent value”, plus reasonable veterinary costs.
Keep the animal and recover reasonable veterinary costs.
That third option is the one most people do not know exists, and it is usually the one they actually want. You are not forced to choose between the dog you have grown attached to and being made whole for what treating it cost.
Punitive damages
A statutory floor, not a cap, at the court’s discretion. For a dealer operating badly at scale, that changes the arithmetic considerably.
What to keep
Everything, and from the beginning:
- The certificate of veterinary inspection, and the 14-point notice you signed
- The advertisement or listing, screenshotted — this is where misrepresentation lives
- Every message with the dealer
- All veterinary records and invoices, from the first visit
- A note of the sale date, since both statutory windows run from it
History: s. 4, ch. 2024-258; s. 2, ch. 2026-76.
This firm handles injury claims — people hurt by dogs. We do not handle pet purchase disputes. This page exists because the current version of § 828.29 is poorly documented and buyers are routinely told they have thirty days when a hereditary condition gives them a year. For a claim under this statute, a consumer protection attorney is the right call.