Petco to settle consumer protection suit for $1.75 million

San Diego Petco Animal Supplies has agreed to settle a $1.75 million consumer protection lawsuit, stemming from a suit filed in San Diego Superior Court that alleged Petco overcharged its customers and improperly cared for some animals.

Petco paid more than $850,000 in 2004 to resolve a similar case brought by California prosecutors.

Investigators from the Marin Humane Society determined that the county's Petco stores in Novato and San Rafael had not been adequately cleaned and maintained, as required by California's Pet Store Animal Care Act.

Prosecutors from Marin, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Mateo and Santa Barbara counties also alleged that Petco did not remove expired price tags from shelves in a timely manner, resulting in actual or potential customer overcharges. In addition, the prosecutors argued that Petco failed to adequately instruct its employees on weighing and charging for bulk sale items.

The case followed inspections of Petco stores throughout California from 2005 to 2008.