Florida Vet, Wife Charged With Forging Pet Health Certificates

A Lakeland, Fla. veterinarian and his wife have been charged with forging pet health certificates to trick consumers into believing they were buying healthy animals.

Dr. Christopher Carrier, owner of Care Animal Clinic in Lakeland, and his wife, Wendy Carrier, who owns Petland in Lakeland, have been charged with more than 50 counts of issuing forged vet inspections.

Authorities said people thought they were buying healthy pets and had no way of knowing that the dogs had not had proper vaccinations and could become ill.

State law requires all dogs sold in Florida to have an Official Certificate of Veterinarian Inspection. Investigators said they obtained 53 altered Official Certificates of Veterinarian Inspection that were issued by Dr. Carrier for animals sold at Petland.