If your puppy is sick
Pennsylvania law protects people who buy dogs from kennels, pet shops and other sellers licensed by the state Department of Agriculture or the USDA.
What you can ask for
- Return the puppy for a refund of the price, without sales tax
- A replacement of equal value, if available
- Keep it and be reimbursed for vet fees, up to the purchase price without sales tax
Minimum age to sell a puppy
In Pennsylvania a puppy must be at least 8 weeks old to be sold.
Federal Animal Welfare Act rules (9 C.F.R. § 2.130) bar licensed dealers from shipping puppies under 8 weeks old that are not weaned, in every state.
What to do if you bought a sick puppy
- Take the puppy to a veterinarian right away and ask for the diagnosis in writing, within 10 days of the sale.
- Tell the seller in writing, with a copy of the veterinarian's statement, and keep proof that you sent it.
- Choose what you want: a refund, an exchange or keeping the puppy with the vet costs paid, as far as the law allows.
- Keep everything: the contract, the ad, messages, receipts and vet records.
- If the seller refuses, contact the consumer protection office of the Pennsylvania attorney general or file in small claims court.
Buying a puppy in Pennsylvania
We list 568 dog breeders in Pennsylvania, with phone, website, public reviews and a map.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Laws change and have exceptions: read the statute or ask the consumer protection office of your state attorney general before you act.
Summary based on the state statutes as listed by the Animal Legal & Historical Center of Michigan State University College of Law (purchaser protection laws as of 2023, minimum sale age as of 2025).
Questions
Does Pennsylvania have a puppy lemon law?
Yes. Pennsylvania law (73 P.S. § 201-9.3) protects people who buy dogs from kennels, pet shops and other sellers licensed by the state Department of Agriculture or the USDA. You have 10 days after the sale to have a veterinarian certify an illness, and 30 days for a congenital or hereditary defect.
How long do I have to return a sick puppy in Pennsylvania?
10 days from the sale for an illness or disease, and 30 days for a congenital or hereditary defect. A veterinarian has to examine the puppy and put the problem in writing within that time, and the law only covers sales by kennels, pet shops and other sellers licensed by the state Department of Agriculture or the USDA.
How old does a puppy have to be to be sold in Pennsylvania?
At least 8 weeks. The rule applies to anyone (3 P.S. § 459-603).
Does the Pennsylvania lemon law cover private breeders?
It covers kennels, pet shops and other sellers licensed by the state Department of Agriculture or the USDA. A small hobby breeder may fall outside it, so ask for a written contract with a health guarantee whoever you buy from.