Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs today announced that eight New Jersey pet stores have been issued Notices of Violation (“NOVs”) and assessed civil penalties totaling more than $70,000 for violating New Jersey’s Pet Purchase Protection Act (“PPPA”), a law aimed at protecting consumers from unwittingly purchasing unhealthy pets and preventing stores from selling animals sourced from breeding mills and other disreputable operations.
The NOVs are the result of unannounced inspections of pet stores in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties. The inspections, carried out by investigators with the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection, revealed multiple violations of the PPPA in every store.
Violations include failing to label puppies’ cages with each animal’s breeding history and medical background and failing to properly display or issue statements informing consumers of their rights when purchasing an animal from a pet shop, including in the event an animal becomes sick or dies.
“Discovering that a new pet has a debilitating health issue can be devastating, both emotionally and financially,” said Attorney General Platkin. “New Jersey’s Pet Purchase Protection Act requires stores to provide prospective buyers with the information they need to ensure the animal they bring home was bred and maintained under healthy conditions. Stores that violate this law will be held accountable for denying consumers the ability to make educated choices in this important decision.”
“Ensuring transparency in New Jersey’s marketplace is essential, especially when it comes to buying a pet,” said Elizabeth M. Harris, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “No one should have to suffer the heartache of unwittingly purchasing a sick puppy and then being forced to choose between paying costly vet fees or losing their pet. Through our ongoing inspections of pet stores throughout the state, we will continue to identify and sanction retailers who keep consumers in the dark about the background and health of the pets they buy.”
In addition to failing to display required information on cage labels, numerous stores were cited for failing to maintain records of all vaccination and inoculations administered to each animal, the dates they were examined by a veterinarian, and/or the names of the veterinarian who conducted the examinations. Stores were also cited for failing to properly display or maintain federal inspection reports for the breeders or brokers of each animal. One store–Oh My Dog in Kearny–was cited for purchasing puppies from breeders not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The following stores received NOVs assessing civil penalties and investigative costs:
| Business Name |
Town |
County |
Civil Penalty |
Costs |
Total |
| Bergen Kennel Inc. d/b/a Mama’s and Papa’s Pet Shop |
Englewood |
Bergen |
$9,000.00 |
$538.26 |
$9,538.26 |
| Silver Nickel Puppies at Troy’s Trims & Treats |
Englewood |
Bergen |
$6,500.00 |
$538.26 |
$7,038.26 |
| Pet Crew Pet Shop |
Newark |
Essex |
$8,000.00 |
$504.26 |
$8,504.26 |
| Oh My Dog LLC |
Kearny |
Hudson |
$7,500.00 |
$579.87 |
$8,079.87 |
| Carmona Pet Shop Inc. |
Union City |
Hudson |
$7,000.00 |
$488.20 |
$7,488.20 |
| Pet Center Rescue Inc. d/b/a Pet Center |
Old Bridge |
Middlesex |
$12,500.00 |
$859.30 |
$13,359.30 |
| Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw |
Green Brook |
Somerset |
$10,000 |
$695.02 |
$10,695.02 |
| Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw |
Union |
Union |
$10,000 |
$744.91 |
$10,744.91 |
|
|
|
$70,500.00 |
$4,948.08 |
$75,448.08 |
Know Your Rights Before Purchasing a Pet:
The Pet Purchase Protection Act:
- Requires that cage labels contain the name, street address, web address, and license numbers for each animal’s breeder and broker. Labels must also include the date and place of each animal’s birth; its age, sex, and identifying markings including any tag, tattoo, collar number, or microchip information; the date of its initial medical exam and the name and address of the vet who examined it.
- Mandates on-cage display of the “Know Your Rights” sign informing consumers that stores are required to prominently display the two (2) most recent inspections of the facility in which an animal was bred and housed prior to sale. The sign must direct consumers to request any reports not displayed and inform consumers how they can obtain more information about inspections.
- Requires that an animal be examined by a New Jersey veterinarian within five (5) days of being offered for sale and that those results be included in the animal’s history and health certificate.
- Mandate that if an animal was examined more than 14 days before it is purchased, the pet must be re-examined within three (3) days of delivery to the consumer (unless the consumer declines the re-examination in writing).
- Forbids the sale of any animal purchased from a breeder or broker who doesn’t hold required state and federal licenses; has violated certain animal welfare laws in the past two years; or has refused to grant inspectors access to its facilities within the past two years.
To learn more about what’s required under New Jersey’s Pet Purchase Protection Act and what rights consumers have under the law, go to the Division’s “Purchasing a Pet,” consumer brief, which is available in English and in Spanish on the Division’s website at
https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/News/Pages/consumerbriefs.aspx
The Pet Purchase Protection Act enforcement initiative was coordinated by Investigator Donna Leslie within the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection.
