Shake-A-Paw, the Long Island-based pet store, is being sued by New York State Attorney General Letitia James for allegedly selling sick dogs from dangerous puppy mills.
James said Shake-A-Paw gets the dogs from puppy mills and sells them even if they are sick. The store has misrepresented the dogs’ health, breed and where they came from, according to court documents. Some customers end up with costly veterinarian bills, and in other cases the dogs have died.
“The store basically has enabled misery,” James said during a news conference in front of the Shake-A-Paw store in Hicksville. “They've ignored and they've covered up the desperate need its puppies had for medical care.”
The state has sued the store to get financial compensation for customers. It has also asked the court for a restraining order to freeze the store’s assets and to remove the animals. James said local shelters are on standby to begin receiving puppies and placing them in safe homes.
“Imagine a child falling in love with a puppy,” she said, “and then the anxiety as the puppy sickens, multiple trips to the veterinarian, each with a hefty bill. Or worse, that puppy dies just days or weeks after coming home.”
Shake-A-Paw’s two locations, in Lynbrook and Hicksville, serve the tri-state area.
The state encourages anyone who thinks they bought a sick pet from Shake-A-Paw to file a complaint on the Attorney General’s website, or by calling 1-800-771-7755.
