A Dallas pet-sitting company that sued its former clients in small claims court over an unfavorable Yelp review has upped the ante.

Prestigious Pets is now suing in district court and asking for up to $1 million in damages because it claims to have suffered a "dramatic decrease" in business.

In response to the venue change, Michelle and Robert Duchouquette have submitted a 143-page motion asking the judge to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting their right to free speech.

“It’s interesting. The only real reason to do that is so they could up their damages award request, which they have,” said the couple’s attorney, Nicole Williams. “They’ve gone from [asking for] $6,700 to up to $1 million.”

The legal skirmish stems from a negative review that Michelle Duchouquette posted to Yelp in which she accused Prestigious Pets of overfeeding and nearly killing her fish.

—Source:  dallasnews.com