Middletown Pet Store Facing $9,500 Fine From the State

Middletown, NJ - A pet store in Middletown, The Pet Shoppe, was hit with a total $9,500 in fines from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for failing to follow state laws designed to prevent the sale of unhealthy pets, the state office announced Monday.

In total, The Pet Shoppe, located on Highway 35, was issued 19 violations, the state announced Monday. Other pet shops across the state were cited as well, some receiving as many as 153 violations and other pet stores as few as 5.

State inspectors say The Pet Shoppe failed do several things: Put specific info on the cages of each dog, including where and when the animal was bred; disclose the name and address of anyone who brokered the sale between breeder and pet store; and finally, include the date and name of the vet who performed the animal’s initial medical exam.

All that information is required by law under the Pet Purchase Protection Act, designed to inform buyers about where their pet came from, state officials say. The law was also created to make sure only healthy animals are sold.

A store employee who picked up the phone Monday when Patch called said the owner was out of town until Wednesday, and declined to comment on the state’s findings.

If The Pet Shoppe complies with the citations, the store would pay a $2,500 fine, officials said. But if the violations are not amended, the full fine levied by the state is $9,500.