Long Island pet store to pay $300,000 after selling sick puppies to customers

March 12, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Shake A Paw, a pet store in Hicksville, Long Island.
Image via Google Street View

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Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement on Monday with a Long Island pet store, Shake A Paw, that required the company to pay $300,000 in restitution to approximately 190 customers.

These customers suffered emotional and financial distress after purchasing sick puppies, some of which died shortly after being brought home. The settlement also mandates substantial changes in Shake A Paw’s business practices to prevent future misconduct.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) conducted an investigation into Shake A Paw, uncovering inhumane conditions and the sale of critically ill puppies, contradicting the store’s advertisements of selling the “healthiest” and “best of the best puppies” from “the most trusted breeders.” The investigation revealed that more than half of the puppies sold had significant health issues, including upper respiratory infections and parasites, with nearly 10 percent diagnosed with potentially fatal pneumonia.

“New Yorkers who purchase a dog are seeking loyal and loving additions to their families,” James said. “Unknowingly buying a sick puppy can be downright heartbreaking. Not only did Shake A Paw’s owners treat the dogs in their care despicably, they defrauded their customers by lying about their health, leaving many families stuck with expensive veterinary bills. Shake A Paw’s days of buying and selling sick puppies are over, and their former customers will get restitution for the losses they suffered.”

Shake A Paw was found to have sourced puppies from known puppy mills, including one listed on the Humane Society’s “horrible hundred” list of the worst breeders in the country. The store’s misleading practices extended to refusing reimbursements for customers’ veterinary expenses, in violation of New York’s Pet Lemon Law.

The settlement includes a ban on selling dogs starting in December 2024. Shake A Paw is required to comply with all local and state animal welfare laws, cease all misleading advertising, and ensure transparency regarding the health and origin of the animals it sells.