If your puppy is sick
Virginia law protects people who buy dogs and cats from dealers and, in some cases, pet shops.
What you can ask for
- Return the puppy for a refund, including sales tax
- An exchange of equal value
- For pet shops and USDA-licensed dealers: keep it and be reimbursed for vet fees, up to the purchase price
Minimum age to sell a puppy
In Virginia a puppy must be at least 7 weeks unless it is with its mother 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 Virginia attorney general or file in small claims court.
Buying a puppy in Virginia
We list 336 dog breeders in Virginia, 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 Virginia have a puppy lemon law?
Yes. Virginia law (Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-6514) protects people who buy dogs and cats from dealers and, in some cases, pet shops. You have 10 days (14 days for parvovirus) after the sale to have a veterinarian certify an illness, and 10 days for a congenital or hereditary defect.
How long do I have to return a sick puppy in Virginia?
10 days (14 days for parvovirus) from the sale for an illness or disease, and 10 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 dealers and, in some cases, pet shops.
How old does a puppy have to be to be sold in Virginia?
At least 7 weeks unless it is with its mother. The rule applies to any person (Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-6510).
Does the Virginia lemon law cover private breeders?
It covers dealers and, in some cases, pet shops. A small hobby breeder may fall outside it, so ask for a written contract with a health guarantee whoever you buy from.