Furry Babies Store In Aurora Could Have License Revoked By State

AURORA, IL — Furry Babies, located in Fox Valley Mall in Aurora, could have its dog-dealing licenses revoked by the state after it was found operating as a pet shop without a license.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced Thursday it issued petitions of license revocation to Furry Babies, which also has locations at malls in Rockford and Lombard.

"Under Illinois law, only pet shop operators are permitted to sell and/or offer to sell dogs at retail to the public, and all dogs sold at retail must be obtained from an animal control facility or animal shelter," officials said. "These licensed dog dealers have been found to be offering for sale and/or selling dogs at retail to the public."

The businesses were notified of the license requirements when issued restrictions on their dog-dealer licenses, according to state officials. The possible revocation is a result of routine investigations conducted by the department to ensure laws are in compliance to keep animals safe.

A pre-hearing conference is scheduled for Aug. 31.

Furry Babies was sued in 2013 based on allegations it was selling sick dogs obtained from puppy mills. In 2012, the Humane Society of the United States alleged the chain was linked to puppy mills.

The retailer has also had several incidents in which puppies were stolen from its stores, including incidents at the since-closed Joliet location.