Pet store owner charged over sick puppies

Puppy 4 U LLC corporation owner Pecardy Delone was charged last week with three counts of agricultural and markets law for allegedly selling or offering to sell diseased animals from an unmarked store front at 760 Merrick Road in Baldwin.

On March 15, Nassau County police received a 911 call about a noise complaint at the pet store. When the officers arrived and were let in by the landlord, not the business owner, they found 11 puppies ranging in age from 6 weeks to 3 months with a variety of health issues, including parasites, malnourishment and cough, officials said.

After an investigation, police determined that the Puppy 4 U corporation failed to properly vaccinate and de-worm the animals; provide adequate confinement, ventilation and social distancing for them; and follow required cleaning measures for enclosed spaces.

According to Article 26, Section 357 of the Agricultural and Markets Consolidated Law, Delone faces one year in jail, up to $1,000 in fines or both if found guilty.

The Nassau County SPCA was entrusted with caring for the neglected dogs, of which one died after seven weeks. SPCA officer Gary Rogers said, “We spent $54,000 [in caring for the animals], and we are going ask the public for their help. I consider myself a professional beggar.”

Six of the 10 dogs have been medically cleared and are up for adoption.

The pandemic has created greater demand for pets, causing a shortage and inflated prices of up to 50 percent nationwide. As Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, however, a number of pet owners are returning their pandemic buys to shelters.

“You should go adopt, not shop,” Rogers said. “Bring the pet to the vet before you bring it home.”

Joined by Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, First Deputy Commissioner of Police Kevin Smith, Chief of Detectives Keechant Sewell, Detective Lt. Richard LeBrun and Assistant District Attorney Brooke Salvotore, County Executive Laura Curran said, “Animal abuse is not tolerated here in Nassau County. When there is animal abuse, that’s a sign of something else happening as well.”

Curran said that that whatever the state or federal law is that addresses animal abuse, “we will do everything that we can do to make sure that it’s enforced and that people will be held accountable when they break those laws.”

Experts have expressed concerns that current federal and state laws are unenforceable, though.

On July 21 last year, the State Senate passed Bill S4234A, which would ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits by retail pet shops and authorize these spaces for the adoption of shelter dogs; however, this bill has been held up in the Assembly, which has yet to vote on it. The Assembly adjourned for this year on June 10 without taking up the measure.

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, who voted for the Stop the Puppy Mill Pipeline bill, said in response to the Puppy 4 U case, “Profits should never matter over the humane treatment of our friends. Often, these stores are funnels for puppy mills, and this recent bust solidifies why families should utilize shelters when seeking to add a dog or other pet to their family.”

California, Maryland and more than 350 cities across the U.S. have passed similar laws to prevent commercially bred puppies from being sold in pet stores. According to the ASPCA, New York has one of the country’s highest concentrations of pet stores that sell puppies, and many of the pets come from puppy mills.

The proposed ban on pet stores has drawn criticism from the agricultural industry, including Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council President and CEO Mike Bober, who cited an uptick in pet store closures and of consumers being driven to illegal and unregulated sellers.

Delone’s attorney could not be reached for comment at press time.