Just Pups Investigated For Illegally Importing Dogs: Police

Vincent LoSacco, the embattled owner of several Just Pups stores, illegally transported 34 dogs from Texas to New Jersey without the proper medical paperwork, police said.

A sergeant with the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals saw LoSacco taking the dogs from the van into the Just Pups East Hanover store, a health code violation, East Hanover Patch reported.

All dogs were returned to the van, and Losacco said he would take the dogs to his personal veterinarian in Bergen County, the report said. It was not clear if he did.

LoSacco has been at the center of controversy since police found 67 puppies crammed in cages in a van outside of his now-closed Paramus pet store in April.

RELATED: 50 Dogs Found In Freezing Van Outside Paramus Puppy Store: Police

The Paramus Board of Health issued more than 400 summonses against LoSacco and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office filed 134 animal cruelty charges against him and his brother after the dogs were discovered inside a near-freezing van, police said. LoSacco's brother, Leonard, admitted leaving the dogs in the van outside the store after transporting them to New Jersey from out of state, authorities said.

The majority of the Paramus summonses were dropped. LoSacco pleaded guilty to four health-code violations and must pay $19,000 in restitution.

LoSacco also got in trouble with authorities after inspectors found three dead dogs inside a freezer at the Just Pups location in East Brunswick. The East Brunswick Town Council revoked LoSacco's health license March 28 and shut the store down.

The NJSPCA filed 267 animal cruelty charges against the pet store after the dead dogs were found. LoSacco agreed in July to close the Emerson location and the Paramus store was also closed. The East Hanover store is the only one left open.

Reporting by Katie Kausch and Daniel Hubbard

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Some of the dogs that police found inside the van in near-freezing temperatures outside the Paramus Just Pups store. — Paramus Police Department