SHREWSBURY, MASS. (WHDH) - A Shrewsbury man accused of selling bulldog puppies that were so sick they died within hours of being bought is facing criminal charges, officials said.
Heath Morse is being sued for allegedly operating an unlicensed and unsanitary pet shop out of his home and misrepresenting the health condition of the bulldog puppies he sold to customers for thousands of dollars, Attorney General Maura Healey announced.
The complaint, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that Heath Morse illegally sold puppies out of his home without a license and without abiding by the pet shop maintenance or quarantine requirements of the state’s Animal Health Law.
“For many people, getting a dog is like adding a new member of your family – it can be a big financial and emotional investment,” Healey said in a statement. “We allege this man scammed families out of thousands of dollars, leaving them heartbroken, in serious debt, and in some cases, without the pet they paid for. We are taking this defendant to court to stop him from ever working with animals again.”
Morse, whose businesses included Heath’s Legendary Bulldogs, Dream-A-Bullz, Heath’s English Bulldogs, Heath’s French Bulldogs, and Heath’s Bulldogs, allegedly falsely advertised on various websites and social media platforms that he was a longtime bulldog breeder and that the puppies he sold were healthy, of “show-dog quality,” American Kennel Club certified, purebred, and veterinarian checked.
But Healey’s Office alleges that he routinely sold very sick dogs to Massachusetts consumers for thousands of dollars and that in some cases the dogs died within days or even hours of being purchased.
Healey’s Office also alleges that although Morse advertised that the bulldog puppies were housed in “five-star” living conditions, he was keeping puppies who were infected with contagious diseases alongside the healthy dogs in an outside-fenced in area, which was covered in their own waste.
In a statement, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commission John Lebeaux said, “By allegedly running an unlicensed pet shop, the defendant not only deceived consumers, but also put the health of many dogs at risk. Pet shop licensure is necessary so that we can ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and protect the health and safety of animals. The Department of Agricultural Resources is committed to ensuring that all Commonwealth pet shops properly care for their animals and is proud to work with the Attorney General’s Office to ensure justice in this matter.”
Healey’s complaint seeks restitution for the victims of Morse’s unfair and deceptive conduct, civil penalties, and a permanent injunction preventing Morse from ever selling puppies or falsely advertising puppies again.
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