(Long Island, NY) Nicole Stanpfli, 26 years old, developmentally disabled and emotionally disturbed, was given a puppy by her widowed grandmother and caretaker Carmela Ferrante for Christmas under the recommendation of her doctor who thought a puppy could help calm and comfort her in times of need. At the time of sale, Chloe, a toy shiatsu, came with antibiotics, however, the store assured Nicole and Carmela they had nothing to worry about.
Nicole Stanpfli, 26 years old, with her puppy Chloe, a toy shiatsu she received for Christmas under the recommendation of her doctor who thought a puppy could help calm and comfort her in times of need.
By New Year’s Eve, it was evident that Chloe was very sick so she was rushed to a local vet who diagnosed her with kennel cough and an upper respiratory infection. Carmela immediately contacted the The Puppy Boutique, the store that sold her the dog, and was scolded for bringing Chloe to a vet other than their partner’s and offered another dog instead of medical treatment. Concerned about Chloe’s health, Nicole and Chloe asked that the store, The Puppy Boutique, instead pay for treatment. Going against state law, The Puppy Boutique refused to pay Carmela’s prior bill but said they could see the store’s vet instead. Over the next two weeks, Chloe was shuffled between the store and the store’s vet and when Carmela came to pick her up, Chloe was sicker than ever before. Forced to take her home, Nicole, already troubled, became more depressed and disturbed over concern for her new-found friend, and Carmela, an elderly widow and Nicole’s sole caretaker, became stuck with hundreds of dollars in veterinary bills that are still piling up. Now, the vet says Chloe may have a congenital disorder impacting her breathing and surgery may cost thousands of dollars.
Reviews of The Puppy Boutique allege that the store utilizes puppy mills and a USDA Aphis search of Chloe’s breeder revealed that her breeder had violations during three of her last four inspections, one of which revealing an injured and suffering dog and two more revealing that no responsible adult was even available to show inspectors the facility.
Nicole and Carmela are looking for justice for their puppy and only want Chloe to get better, asking the store to pay for their medical bills and appealing to the media and lawmakers to make sure this does not happen to anyone else.
In Nicole’s words: “I’m angry and sad. I love Chloe and I just wish she would get better. It’s not right what they did. Chloe is suffering and she can’t breathe … I looked up the pet store and the internet says they use puppy mills.”
According to Carmela: “This was supposed to be a Christmas present. It’s a nightmare. Nicole is very upset and I can’t afford all of these bills. I just wanted to make Nicole happy.”
Nicole is being aided by her crisis worker, John Di Leonardo, who works for the agency Independence Residences, Inc. and counsels Nicole in times of need and assists her out in the community. An advocate for both humans and nonhumans, John Di Leonardo is also president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature (LION), an animal advocacy group that was recently thanked by Assemblywoman Rosenthal for their help in passing The Puppy Mill Bill, a law that now allows local municipalities to pass laws regulating pet stores and puppy mills, last month.
According to John: “This is exactly why we fought so hard to pass The Puppy Mill Bill and why we need to keep fighting to pass stronger laws. Our laws are still very weak. There are so many sick dogs coming out of pet stores in New York. It’s not fair to consumers or to the suffering animals. I wish I would’ve known Carmela was going to get Nicole a dog. I would’ve told her to adopt; not to shop.”
