City investigates New York kennel over animal abuse report

The city is investigating an Upper East Side dog vendor after a Humane Society bite reportedly discovered abused puppies either dead in the store or being sold sick to unsuspecting customers.

American Kennels on East 62nd Street – where an English Bulldog sells for $ 7,000 – had “at least one dead puppy, sick puppies sold to customers, and up to 20 puppies at a time in the store’s ‘sick rooms’.” , according to a Humane Society Report of the United States.

An undercover investigator with a camera worked in the store near Lexington Avenue from October through December and documented the disturbing conditions, the association said.

The sick dogs were hidden in the back of the store or in the cold basement, and some suffered for weeks from apparent infections, pneumonia, abscesses, diarrhea or parasites without receiving veterinary care, says the doctor. animal welfare group.

American Kennels employees allegedly force-fed seriously ill puppies, including a toy poodle that weighed around a pound, and treated sick dogs with medication the store kept on hand. Many dogs were kept in cages filled with excrement, the Humane Society reported.

When the sick rooms were full, the dogs – many of them from puppy mills, investigators said – were moved to the sales area and knowingly sold to unsuspecting families. Some of the puppies were returned, only to be placed back in the unclean spaces instead of being taken immediately to a vet, according to the report.

A potential client was disgusted by the transaction.

“I looked at their reviews and saw how many people bought abused and sick puppies who often died days or weeks later. I am devastated that places like this exist, ”the commentator wrote in a Dec. 11 post on uppereastsite.com.

Upper West Side resident Alexander Adam told the Post he shelled out over $ 3,000 for a female Shiba Inu on November 19, 2020, and thousands more in vet fees to try to save the life of the dog, which died of distemper. days later.

Adam, 30, had bought the dog as a birthday present for his girlfriend and the couple named him Yuca. “The dog had mucus coming out of his nose. I asked one of the [shop] owners what is it and he said ‘it’s nothing.’ ”

The UWS resident said he had filed complaints with the Humane Society and the state attorney general’s office following the tragedy.

“It still haunts us. We have his ashes by our bed, ”said Adam.

In business since 1954, American Kennels promotes itself as a local institution and “the world’s premier puppy and kitten kennel, providing healthy and happy pets to our customers around the world.”

The Kennel’s Instagram page trumpets that it “ONLY represents USDA Certified ‘A’ Grade 🐩🐕 Breeders & all of our pets are microchipped for lifelong verification and safety.”

The nonprofit animal welfare group disagrees.

“The neglect, filth and lack of proper veterinary treatment that these frightened young puppies are forced to endure in this store is unacceptable,” said Kitty Block, CEO of Humane Society.

The city’s consumer and worker protection department confirmed to The Post that it is currently investigating.

“We can take a case to court and a judge would make a decision which could order fines or restitution or other measures like ordering them to stop selling,” agency spokeswoman Abigail Lootens told the Post.

“We have reviewed the disturbing Humane Society report, sent our own inspectors to American Kennels, and intend to enforce all applicable consumer protection laws,” said Commissioner Peter A. Hatch. “We encourage all customers who have been deceived by American Kennels to file a complaint with us.”

In addition, the city’s health department “issued a cease and desist order” on Dec. 16, according to spokesman Michael Lanza, who added: “The department is continuing to investigate and is placing the dog welfare as our top priority.

American Kennels denied the allegations, saying, “A puppy has passed away, with every effort to save his life. … We do not sell sick puppies and we pay vet bills as required by law for one year after purchase for any congenital defect.