Old Bridge Pet Store Contests Fines From State, Which Alleges It Did Not Display Correct Puppy Info.

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — An Old Bridge pet store was issued a $13,000 fine after New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin alleges it violated multiple requirements surrounding the safe selling of pets in New Jersey.

Pet Center Old Bridge, located in The Shoppes at Old Bridge shopping center at 3833 Rt. 9, was fined a total of $13,359 on Aug. 21.

A surprise inspection was done at the Old Bridge store on March 19 and this violation letter was sent to the store Aug. 21, with the hefty fines. The state said the Rt. 9 pet store did not correctly display information on the puppy cages, including the animal history, vaccine information and breeder information.

The owner of the pet store, Thomas Gallo, said he is aware of the alleged violations and that he has been contesting them, which is his right as a business owner to do.

Gallo said Friday he was surprised the Attorney General published the alleged violations in a press release to the media, as he has been challenging them.

"We are outraged by the allegations and comments from Attorney General Platkin and Division of Consumer Affairs Acting Director Harris related to inspections of New Jersey’s pet shops, including PetCenter," said Gallo in a written statement Friday. "These comments advance false narratives about my store and our puppies, omit key facts, contain several errors and fail to provide context about the lack of finality regarding the Division of Consumer Affairs' claims against us."

He stressed: "PetCenter has not paid any penalty or costs related to these allegations. A notice of violation is simply that — a notice — not a finding of wrongdoing. These outrageous and false comments from our public officials do nothing to provide a complete and honest picture of New Jersey's nation-leading Pet Purchase Protection Act or to reflect the reality experienced by thousands of families that found their new family pet at PetCenter."

In the past year, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs did surprise inspections of pet stores across the state, in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. A total of eight stores across the state were fined; they are listed below.

All eight stores violated New Jersey's Pet Purchase Protection Act, said Platkin. This is a law aimed at protecting people from unwittingly purchasing unhealthy dogs from pet stores.

Nearly all of the fines stemmed from the pet stores failing to put the proper vaccine and breeder/broker information on puppies' cages, said the Attorney General. Some also failed to display statements informing consumers of their rights should the puppy get sick or die.

However, one store, Oh My Dog in Kearny­, was cited for purchasing puppies from breeders not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The state of New Jersey is trying to crack down on pet stores selling dogs sourced from puppy mills.

“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."

According to the violation letter, here is what the state said it found at Pet Center Old Bridge. Again, Pet Center is disputing much of this, and has not paid any fines:

• Failed to maintain a statement of all vaccinations given to the animal, including the identity and quantity of the vaccine and the name and address of the licensed veterinarian who gave the vaccine, plus the date of vaccinations.
• Sold an animal within the state of New Jersey without a complete animal history and health certificate signed by the pet dealer.
• Failed to list the animal litter number, in violation of the state's Pet Dealer Regulations.
• Failed to issue and maintain a copy of the mandatory "Know Your Rights" statement signed by the pet dealer.
• Failed to include an attestation by the owner of the pet shop that, as of the date of purchase, the breeders and brokers of the animals were in compliance with requirements concerning maintenance and care of the animals and sanitary operations of the kennel or pet shop, in violation of the Pet Protection Act.
• Failed to post in a conspicuous location on the animal's cage all the required animal history information, including the name and address of the veterinarian attending to the animal, in violation of the Pet Protection Act.
• Failed to post in a conspicuous location on the animal's cage all of the required animal history, including required breeder information.
• Failed to post in a conspicuous location on the animal's cage the required broker information.
• Failed to have the mandatory U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection reports for the breeders and brokers of animals for two years prior to the first day the animals were offered for sale, in violation of the Pet Protection Act.
• Failed to post the name, address and telephone number of the local health authority with jurisdiction over the pet shop to include consumer's right in the event of sickness or death of an animal, in violation Pet Protection Act.
• Failed to list the breeder's state license number, in violation of the Pet Protection Act.

Here are the eight pet stores fined this year:

• Bergen Kennel Inc. d/b/a Mama’s and Papa’s Pet Shop in Englewood in Bergen County, issued a $9,538.26 fine
• Silver Nickel Puppies at Troy's Trims & Treats in Englewood in Bergen County, issued a $7,038.26 fine
• Pet Crew Pet Shop in Newark issued a $8,504.26 fine
• Oh My Dog LLC in Kearny in Hudson County, issued a $8,079.87 fine
• Carmona Pet Shop Inc. in Union City in Hudson County, issued a $7,488.20
• Pet Center Rescue Inc. d/b/a Pet Center in Old Bridge in Middlesex County, issued a $13,359.30 fine
• Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw in Green Brook in Somerset County, issued a $10,695.02 fine. See their response: 'Entirely False, Baseless Attack,' Says Somerset County Pet Store Of Violations
• Oxford Puppy Group, Inc. d/b/a Shake A Paw in Union, issued a $10,744.91 fine.