New NJ attorney general Matt Platkin introdued
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday named his former chief counsel, Matt Platkin, to be the state’s next attorney general.
Paul Wood Jr, NorthJersey.com
Several New Jersey pet stores are facing fines for violating the state’s Pet Purchase Protection Act (PPPA), Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Sept. 25. The Notices of Violation and assessed civil penalties were issued to eight total pet stores around the state, totaling more than $70,000.
“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.”
He continued, “Stores that violate this law will be held accountable for denying consumers the ability to make educated choices in this important decision.”
The fines came as a result of unannounced inspections of pet stores in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties, Platkin said. The inspections revealed multiple violations of the PPPA in every store.
Vioations included failing to label puppies’ cages with each animal’s breeding history and medical background and failing to properly display or issue statements informing customers of their rights when purchasing an animal from a pet shop, including in the event an animal becomes sick or dies.
Additionally, according to Platkin, multiple stores were cited for failing to maintain vaccination and inoculation records for each animal, the dates they were examined by a veterinarian and/or the names of the veterinarians who examined them.
Stores were also cited for failing to properly display or maintain federal inspection reports for the breeders or brokers of each animal, according to Platkin. One store, Oh My Dog in Kearny, was cited for purchasing puppies from breeders not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tom Leach, executive director and spokesperson for the New Jersey Coalition of Responsible Pet Stores, said that members are “outraged by the allegations and comments” detailed in Platkin’s announcement.
“The Attorney General’s statement advances a false narrative about pet shops in New Jersey, omits key facts, and fails to provide context about the lack of finality regarding the Division of Consumer Affairs’ claims,” Leach said in an emailed statement, adding that no Coalition store has paid any penalty or costs related to these allegations. “A notice of violation is simply that – a notice – not a finding of wrongdoing,” he said
Leach continued, “The Coalition stores named in the release look forward to resolving these meritless paperwork claims that the attorney general and acting director chose to conflate with unhealthy pets and disreputable operations.”
Four of the eight stores named by Platkin are members of the Coalition, according to Leach, including Shake a Paw in Green Brook, Shake a Paw in Union, Pet Center in Old Bridge and Silver Nickel Puppies in Englewood.
Leach added, “These statements do nothing to provide New Jersey consumers with a complete and honest picture of our nation-leading Pet Purchase Protection Act or offer any evidence that the beautiful, vibrant animals sold in Coalition stores are sick or unhealthy.”
Multiple North Jersey pet stores fined
The eight stores facing fines, according to Platkin, include:
- Bergen Kennel Inc. d/b/a Mama’s and Papa’s Pet Shop in Englewood
- Silver Nickel Puppies at Troy’s Trims & Treats in Englewood
- Pet Crew Pet Shop in Newark
- Oh My Dog LLC in Kearny
- Carmona Pet Shop Inc. in Union City
- Pet Center Rescue Inc. d/b/a Pet Center in Old Bridge
- Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw in Green Brook
- Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw in Union
What is the Pet Purchase Protection Act?
The Pet Purchase Protection Act is a law that aims to protect consumers from unknowingly purchasing unhealthy pets. It also prevents stores from selling animals sourced from breeding mills and other “disreputable” operations.
According to the state Office of the Attorney General, PPPA guidelines:
- Require 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.
- Mandate on-cage display of the “Know Your Rights” sign, informing consumers that stores are required to prominently display the two most recent inspections of the facility in which the 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.
- Require that an animal be examined by a New Jersey veterinarian within five 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 days of delivery to the consumer, unless the consumer declines the re-examination in writing.
- Forbid 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.
For additional information about the PPPA, check out the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs’ “Purchasing a Pet” consumer brief at
link
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