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Pennsylvania Cracks Down on Puppy Mill |
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May 13, 2005
Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said the restitution, fines and operating terms are part of a consent petition filed today in Commonwealth Court against Raymond and Joyce Stoltzfus, the owners of Puppy Love Kennel. The defendants were accused of selling sick or diseased dogs that, at the time of sale, were misrepresented as healthy and fit. In addition, misrepresentations were made about the age of the puppies and their status and registration as purebreds. The Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection investigated complaints from consumers located in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Virginia who said the puppies that they purchased from the defendants required veterinary treatment for a variety of ailments including: parasites, upper respiratory infections, distemper, tapeworms, pneumonia, deafness, malnutrition, heart defects, hip dysplasia, parvo virus, kidney failure and other congenital illnesses. Consumers told Corbett's Office that Joyce Stoltzfus rarely responded to their repeated complaints about the health of their puppies. If she did respond, many consumers said she was confrontational or hostile. The Commonwealth believes the defendants routinely denied consumers their rights under the Dog Purchaser Protection Act or "Puppy Lemon" law, unless the consumer complained or threatened to complain to the Attorney General's Office. "Our consent petition forces the owners of Puppy Love Kennel to comply with the toughest restrictions ever placed on a dog seller in Pennsylvania," Corbett said. "The enhanced consumer restitution and strict sales and animal management guidelines are in place to stop this kennel from selling sick, diseased or defective animals." "The restrictions imposed go beyond what is currently required in the state and represent many of the changes that I would like to see in our existing law to further protect these young animals and their new owners," Corbett said. According to the attorney general, many of the enhanced restitution and guidelines required in the consent petition were modeled after dog protection laws already in place in New Jersey and other states. Under the terms of the consent, the defendants are required to:
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