Attorney General Paula T Dow and the New Jersey State Division of Consumer Affairs have filed suit against Allen Lavine this week in an attempt to stop him from continuing to sell sick and dying puppies and portraying his business selling these sick and dying puppies as a charity.
CBS New York reports that according to the Division of Consumer Affairs, pets sold in New Jersey must have seen a vet and have vaccine records. Customers have the right to request a refund within 14 days of purchase. Levine allegedly sold at least 10 gravely ill puppies (for $500+) without vet records and refused requests for refunds and payment of medical bills for sick puppies.
According to NJ.com, officials don't know whether Levine was breeding the puppies on site or where his "inventory" is coming from, but they're seeking to ban him from ever selling animals in NJ again. Levine's lawyer had no comment for the Star Ledger, but NJ.com quoted him as saying, "They may as well have said that I raped a child. If they were to drop the suit right now, I would have to live with this forever." What a strange and disgusting thing to say!
Please be a part of the solution. Don't purchase puppies from pet stores (unless they're committed to only selling rescue dogs, like Pocket Pooches in NYC) because most puppy stores get their "inventory" from puppy mills or from brokers who get their "merchandise" from puppy farms or back yard breeders. Petfinder.com is a great resource for helping people find rescue dogs with search options for location, breed, and age.
Best Friends Animal Society seeks to improve the world for puppies through education and programs.
The Humane Society of the United States offers this directory of pet stores who they consider "Puppy Friendly"
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