Eight Pet Stores Across North and Central Jersey Cited for Violating Pet Purchase Protection Act

State investigators issued over $75,000 in penalties after surprise inspections uncovered noncompliance with regulations designed to protect pet buyers and prevent unethical sourcing.

TRENTON, N.J. — Eight pet stores in six New Jersey counties have been issued Notices of Violation (NOVs) and assessed civil penalties totaling $75,448.08 for failing to comply with the Pet Purchase Protection Act (PPPA), a consumer protection law that regulates the sale of animals in retail pet stores.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced the enforcement action following unannounced inspections by the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection. The inspections took place in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties, and revealed violations in all eight stores.

“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.”

Violations and Regulatory Background

The Pet Purchase Protection Act is intended to ensure consumers are informed about the health, origin, and licensing status of animals sold in pet stores. It also seeks to prevent the sale of animals bred in unlicensed or inhumane conditions.

Violations uncovered during the inspections included:

• Failure to properly label animal enclosures with required information, such as breeder identity, health history, and inspection records.

• Failure to maintain veterinary records, including dates of examination and the names of examining veterinarians.

• Lack of clearly displayed consumer rights signage, specifically the required “Know Your Rights” information.

• Use of unlicensed breeders: One store — Oh My Dog LLC in Kearny — was specifically cited for acquiring animals from breeders not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a direct violation of the PPPA.

Penalties by Location

The following stores were cited and fined:

Total assessed:

• Civil Penalties: $70,500.00

• Investigation Costs: $4,948.08

• Overall Total: $75,448.08

Consumer Rights Under the Pet Purchase Protection Act

Key provisions of the PPPA include:

• Clear cage labeling with breeder and broker names, addresses, license numbers, and full veterinary history.

• Display of inspection reports from breeding facilities and access to recent federal inspection records.

• Veterinary examination within five days of being offered for sale, and re-examination within three days of delivery to consumers if the prior exam was more than 14 days earlier (unless declined in writing).

• Prohibition on sales from breeders or brokers who lack appropriate licenses or have a record of violating animal welfare laws within the past two years.

“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.”

The Pet Purchase Protection Act enforcement initiative was led by Investigator Donna Leslie from the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection.

Consumers can review their rights and responsibilities when purchasing pets by visiting the Division of Consumer Affairs' “Purchasing a Pet” consumer brief, available in both English and Spanish here.

This enforcement action illustrates New Jersey's continuing effort to uphold consumer protections in the retail pet industry by ensuring transparency in animal sourcing and promoting humane treatment standards through strict regulatory compliance.