UPDATE: East Brunswick Pet Store Among Potential Violators of Pet Protection Act

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Just Pups was cited by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Just Pups received a letter requesting an executive conference from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for potential violations of the Pet Purchase Protection Act. Patch regrets this error.

East Brunswick, NJ - Instead of wagging its tail, the state is wagging its finger at Just Pups, an East Brunswick pet shop .

Just Pups, a chain pet store with an outpost in East Brunswick, was one of several pet stores to receive a letter from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for potential violations of the Pet Purchase Protection Act, the state office announced Monday.

Just Pups is located on Rt. 18 North in East Brunswick. Just Pups also operates in Paramus, East Hanover and Emerson. Those other outposts were summoned by the state as well.

Because it is considered a chain store, the owners of Just Pups must appear in person in Trenton to discuss inspection violations, implement a compliance plan, and discuss fines, officials told Patch.

Vincent LoSacco, the owner of Just Pups, is disputing the state’s claims. He said in a letter to the state, among other assertions, that Just Pups purchases directly from dog breeders, and never from puppy brokers.

The DCA inspected pet stores across the state to make sure they weren’t violating the Pet Purchase Protection Act, designed to inform buyers about where their pet came from. The law was also created to make sure only healthy animals are sold.

Just Pups is one of 26 pet stores across New Jersey that was inspected by Consumer Affairs. Some pet shops received as many as 153 violations and other pet stores as few as 5.