November 06, 2006 08:01 AM Eastern Time 

Federal Judge Sends Louis Vuitton to the Dog House

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a case of “David vs. Goliath,” Haute Diggity Dog, LLC (HDD), a parody pet plush toy company that created Chewy Vuiton dog beds and chew toys, was granted a summary judgment in favor of HDD against Louis Vuitton Malletier (LVM) on Friday, November 3. The case, in which LVM claims trademark infringement, was found without merit.

According to documents filed by the United State District Court and judge James C. Cacheris, “This dog of a case gave the court a great amount of facts to chew upon and applicable law to sniff out. Nonetheless, having thoroughly gnawed through the record, this Court finds that no material dispute of the fact remains…”

“Our products parody famous brands,” commented Pamela Reeder, founder of Haute Diggity Dog. “Our designer-parody toys and beds have been enthusiastically received by pet lovers around the world. The judgment is further validation that Haute Diggity Dog is not violating trademarks but poking fun at our love of luxury and our pets.”

Haute Diggity Dog is a three-year-old company whose products, that include Sniffany & Co., Chewnel #5 and Jimmy Chew in addition to Chewy Vuiton, have been featured in both fashion and pet magazines and on national television. The founders and owners, Victoria Dauernheim and Pamela Reeder, have rapidly built a client list that is a “who’s who” in the dog accessory business. The entire product line can be seen at www.hautediggitydog.com.

“We believe that this is the first case involving the new Federal Anti-Dilution Act that also included trademark, trade dress, copyright and counterfeiting claims,” said Bob Mason, partner with Dallas, Texas-based Mason & Petruzzi Law Firm, who successfully represented Haute Diggity Dog. “It shows that small businesses need not be bullied, even by global giants.”

For more information about Haute Diggity Dog, a copy of the summary judgment or additional product photos, please contact Lisa MacKenzie, lisam@mackenzie-marketing.com, 503-705-3508 (cell) or 503-225-0725 (office).