4 Bergen County Pet Stores Facing Up To $64,000 In Fines From the State

Four Bergen County pet stores were fined for failing to adhere to laws designed to protect consumers from purchasing unhealthy pets, authorities said Monday.

Fashionable Pets in Paramus, Kazmir’s Pet Shop in Hackensack, NY Puppy Club in Edgewater, and Mama & Papa’s Pet Shop in Englewood were issued fines for violating the Pet Purchase Protection Act, state Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said Monday. The act was amended earlier this year. The state Division of Consumer Affairs issued the fines.

If the shops comply with the act and address the violations, reduced penalties may be imposed. Shops that fail to address the violations face higher civil penalties, Hoffman said. The minimum fines range from $1,125 to $3,875. The maximum fines range from $4,500 to $31,000.

All of the pet shops failed to include all or some of each animal’s breeding history, including when and where it was bred, medical background, the date and name of the veterinarian who performed the animal’s initial examination, and other information on a label attached to each animal’s cage, Hoffman said.

Several pet shops were also cited for failing to properly display reports of any federal inspections conducted on breeders and brokers in the past two years. Others did not display federal inspection reports and did not display the required signs informing customers of their rights when purchasing an animal from a pet shop.

“Providing consumers with information about the breeder and the animal’s veterinary history allows consumers to make educated choices in purchasing a pet for their family,” said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman. “Pet shops that don’t provide this vital information are breaking the law and denying consumers the ability to fully research this important decision.”

(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)