By: ElleO
(August 4, 2017)
Following over 400 charges of animal cruelty and neglect, and hundreds of health code violations in his stores, Vincent LoSacco, has settled on the allegations brought against him.
LoSacco cannot only never work with animals again, in any position, paid or voluntary, but he also has to pay a settlement amount of $326,000. His stores were found of having committed many consumer fraud acts. The “Just Pups” franchise sold sickly puppies, failed to get the veterinary check ups two weeks prior to selling them, then did not pay for the vet fees for the puppies they sold that died or got sick within six months of purchase. These are all violations of the Pet Purchase Protection Act, the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, the Advertising Regulations and the Pet Regulations.
Once the complaints became public, communities in local towns began making petitions to investigate or shut down the puppy stores. LoSacco had four locations, all of which are now permanently closed.
● March 2016: East Brunswick store closed, after LoSacco’s license was revoked by the East Brunswick town council.
● May 2016: Paramus store closed, LoSacco did not renew his business license.
● July 2016: Emerson store closed, after the council voted against renewing LoSacco’s license.
● March 2017: East Hanover store closed, when the town council did not renew LoSacco’s business license.
Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced, “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 money LoSacco has to pay for the settlement is broken down by payments of restitution to wronged customers, civil penalty, and to cover the cost of the investigation.
Tags: Animal Cruelty, Bergen County, NJ District Attorney
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent LoSacco’s Youtube page
