Somerset County pet shop among eight cited statewide for Pet Purchase Protection Act violations
TRENTON, N.J. — Eight New Jersey pet stores, including one in Somerset County, have been cited for violating the state’s Pet Purchase Protection Act (PPPA) and ordered to pay more than $70,000 in penalties and costs, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Thursday.
The Notices of Violation (NOVs) were issued following unannounced inspections by the Division of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection at pet stores in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties. Investigators found multiple violations at each location.
Infractions included failing to label puppies’ cages with required breeding history and medical information, failing to keep vaccination and veterinary records, and not properly displaying consumer rights statements or federal breeder inspection reports.
“Discovering that a new pet has a debilitating health issue can be devastating, both emotionally and financially,” Platkin said. “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.”
Elizabeth M. Harris, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, said the rules ensure transparency for pet owners. “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,” she said. “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.”
Among those cited was Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw in Green Brook (Somerset County), which was fined $10,000 plus $695 in investigative costs. Other stores cited include locations in Englewood, Newark, Kearny, Union City, Old Bridge, and Union.
In total, penalties assessed across the eight stores amounted to $70,500, with investigative costs bringing the total to $75,448.
The PPPA is designed to protect consumers and ensure animals are not sourced from unlicensed breeders or disreputable operations. It requires pet shops to provide detailed animal histories, display consumer rights signage, and obtain timely veterinary examinations before sales.
One store — Oh My Dog in Kearny — was cited for purchasing puppies from unlicensed breeders, a direct violation of the Act.
Consumers can learn more about their rights when purchasing a pet by visiting the Division of Consumer Affairs website at njconsumeraffairs.gov.
