Action 9 helps 2 local families recover $22K

ORLANDO, Fla. — Action 9 helped two local families recover $22,000.

Just days after buying a puppy, a Rockledge woman found out it was not fit to sell, and the dog could not be saved.

“She's licking your face and I feel, I'm about to kill her and I love her,” Allison Navigato said.

Navigato had to euthanize her silver lab puppy days after buying it from Petland in Waterford Lakes.

Then she said the store refused to cover most of her losses, which included more than $6,000 to buy the puppy and vet bills.

Navigato contacted Action 9.

“You guys let others know what's going on. You raised attention to it,” Navigato said.

Todd Ulrich’s investigation found similar complaints were sent to the Better Business Bureau and Florida's Attorney General.

Two weeks after Action 9’s story aired, Petland sent the couple a $6,400 check.  That was all they were asking for.

“It's not like they're giving us extra money, they're just making us whole again,” Navigato said.

Action 9 also helped a Palm Bay man with a contractor issue.

Rafael Del Toro said he has a lot of damage on his roof. Seventeen months after Hurricane Irma, he can finally get a new roof, but not from the company he first hired to do the job.

Del Toro paid Armadillo Roofing in Melbourne nearly $17,000 as a deposit for a new metal roof.

Weeks then months passed, and nothing happened.

“Then I started making phone calls. Hey, where is my roof?” Del Toro said.

He said they kept promising that he was next. After waiting for seven months he turned to Action 9.

“I said,  I need help and that's when I decided to give your organization a call,” Del Toro said.

Action 9 found Armadillo Roofing had similar BBB complaints involving deposits for work not done.

Ulrich contacted company managers about Del Toro’s missing deposit. About a month later, he picked up refund checks for nearly $17,000.

“I'm glad you guys are listening to a small little voice in the wilderness,” Del Toro said.

Armadillo Roofing did not say what caused months in delays.

With any new roof contract, pay a minimal deposit, and try to include a completion date in the contract.

Cox Media Group