Just Pups Owner Agrees To Stop Selling Animals In N.J.

The embattled former owner of several North Jersey puppy stores has agreed to permanently stop selling animals in New Jersey and was assessed a $326,000 penalty as part of a settlement regarding allegations of consumer fraud for selling sick puppies, Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced.

Under the settlement with the state Division of Consumer Affairs, Vincent LoSacco's Just Pups stores are permanently barred from conducting business in New Jersey. LoSacco is prohibited from advertising or selling animals in the state "in any capacity," including as an owner, employee, consultant or independent contractor at a pet store, kennel or breeder, a consent judgement on the case states.

“We’re pleased to finally close the book on Vincent LoSacco’s long and troubled history of selling puppies in this state,” said Porrino. “By permanently banning him from New Jersey’s pet sales industry, we are not only protecting consumers from fraud, we are shielding families from the heartache of unwittingly purchasing a sick puppy and then being forced to choose between paying costly vet fees or losing their pet.”

The complaint filed against LoSacco alleged that LoSacco and the stores violated the state's Consumer Fraud Act and the Pet Purchase Protection Act, among other regulations. The complaint also names 10 anonymous owners and 10 corporations as defendants.

Several people reported that the pets they purchased from the stores were sick and they had to pay thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills to make them well, costs with LoSacco never reimbursed them for, according to the complaint. One woman said her dog just dropped dead.

LoSacco must pay more than $30,100 in restitution to customers and $5,800 in investigation costs. The remaining $290,000 civil penalty will be suspended if LoSacco meets the terms of the agreement.

LoSacco also misrepresented that the dogs were healthy, when they were not and said on the Just Pups website that the business could "prove that all of its puppies" were free from adverse health symptoms, which was not the case, according to the complaint.

RELATED: 3 Dead Dogs Found in Freezer of Pet Store, NJSPCA Says

LoSacco's Just Pups stores had been located in Paramus, East Brunswick, East Hanover and Emerson, but they were all closed down over the course of several months after three dead dogs were found in the freezer of the East Brunswick store in February 2016. The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed 267 animal cruelty charges against LoSacco. The East Brunswick Town Council revoked that store's license a month later.

Police found 67 puppies in near-freezing temperatures inside a van last April that was parked outside the Paramus stores. The Paramus Health Department closed that store pending an investigation, and LoSacco did not attempt to renew that store's license.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office filed 134 animal cruelty charges against LoSacco and his brother, who drove the van after an investigation.

The East Hanover Town Council in March denied Just Pups a license to operate in the town. The Emerson store closed in July 2016.

LoSacco defended himself against the various allegations and charges against him, stating that he did not do anything wrong.

Click here to read the judgement against LoSacco.

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com. Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.

Photos:

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

Vincent LoSacco reads from a prepared statement in response to animal cruelty allegations after 67 puppies were found in a van outside his Just Pups store in Paramus earlier this month. YouTube screenshot