Minn. influencer shutters French Bulldog breeding business after consumer complaints and state probe

A Minnesota fitness influencer and her husband have agreed to close their French Bulldog breeding business after a state investigation and consumer complaints alleging customers were sold sick and dying puppies.

Ali Holman, 52, and her husband, Mark Holman, signed an Assurance of Discontinuance filed Sept. 2 with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office that obligates them to shutter Bold North Frenchies (BNF) and not breed animals in the state again, according to court records. The agreement followed an investigation after more than 20 customers from around the country told local station Fox 9 they received sick animals from BNF.

The Attorney General’s filing said investigators found BNF had kept little to no paperwork regarding breeding, veterinary care or the sale of dogs. The filing also said some dogs sold to retail customers died shortly after delivery and that the business failed to provide documentation to support advertised American Kennel Club registration or that the dogs were suitable for breeding.

Multiple purchasers told Fox 9 that puppies they bought from the Holmans were ill when received. Angela Thompson said a puppy she purchased went into a coma and died at a veterinarian’s office less than a day after pickup; she said a necropsy showed the animal had become septic after not receiving treatment. Other buyers reported bloody stools and veterinary diagnoses of parasitic infections such as Giardia and coccidia, and at least one buyer reported testing positive for parvovirus following contact with a puppy sold by the business.

One buyer identified only as Hope told the station she noticed bloody diarrhea when the puppy first went to the bathroom. Another buyer, Kacey Anderson, said the dog she received was "crusted, full of dried poop" and suffered severe diarrhea. A buyer in North Carolina who identified herself as Ernesta told Fox 9 she and her family tested positive for Giardia, coccidia and parvovirus after acquiring a puppy.

Several customers also accused the Holmans of neglect and poor conditions. A woman who declined to give her name said she was handed a different puppy than the one she had purchased; she said the breeder brought the dog to a parking lot wrapped in a blanket and told her it had just been bathed.

The Holmans have denied the allegations. In a statement quoted in court papers, their attorney, David J.S. Madgett, said BNF had already been dissolved and that the couple signed the Assurance to avoid costly litigation over a business that no longer existed. Madgett also said a separate Hennepin County proceeding found the Holmans were not required to produce additional documents beyond what was available.

"This resolution should be understood in its proper context," Madgett wrote, according to the filing. He added that the Holmans intended the episode to serve as consumer education about the costs and health challenges associated with certain breeds, and that they had left the industry. The court filing notes that BNF denies the Attorney General’s allegations.

The action by the state attorney general reflects growing scrutiny of pet sellers and breeders amid reports of health problems and fraudulent claims, especially for brachycephalic breeds such as French Bulldogs that are known to have breed-specific health issues. The Attorney General’s Office declined to comment beyond the contents of the Assurance of Discontinuance.

Ali Holman operates a fitness business, Core Camper, and maintains a social media presence. The Holmans told investigators they were facing financial strain and said the breeding business had ceased operations and that they were on the verge of bankruptcy, according to the filing.

The Assurance of Discontinuance is a legal agreement commonly used by state attorneys general to resolve consumer protection matters without a full trial. It typically includes stipulations by the business to cease certain practices and may include reporting or other requirements; the filing in this case emphasizes the Holmans’ promise not to breed animals in Minnesota going forward. The Attorney General’s Office said it opened the investigation after receiving multiple consumer complaints but did not announce any civil penalties as part of the filing.