Purchasing Pets

Shopping

Requires that cage labels contain the name, street address, web address, and license numbers for each animal’s breeder and broker. Labels must also include the date and place of each animal’s birth; its age, sex, and identifying markings including any tag, tattoo, collar number, or microchip information; the date of its initial medical exam and the name and address of the vet who examined it.  

Mandates on-cage display of the “Know Your Rights” sign informing consumers that stores are required to prominently display the two (2) most recent inspections of the facility in which an animal was bred and housed prior to sale. The sign must direct consumers to request any undisplayed reports and inform consumers concerning how to obtain more information about inspections;  

Requires that an animal be examined by a veterinarian within five (5) days of being offered for sale and that those results be included in the animal’s history and health certificate.  

Mandates that if an animal was examined more than 14 days before it is purchased, the pet must be re-examined within three (3) days of delivery to the consumer (unless the consumer declines the re-examination in writing).  

Forbids the sale of any animal purchased from a breeder or broker who doesn’t hold required state and federal licenses; has violated certain animal welfare laws in the past two years; or has refused to grant inspectors access to its facilities within the past two years. 

Consumers Rights, if there is a problem

Consumers may be entitled to restitution if an animal becomes seriously ill or dies within 14 day  period that the animal was unfit for purchase under New Jersey’s Pet Purchase Protection Law.  It is the consumer’s responsibility to have the animal examined by a veterinarian and to obtain the written certification. This certification is required in order to apply for restitution and must be presented to the pet store where the animal was purchased.
Consumer Restitution
Different types of restitution are available to the consumer.  

• It is the consumer’s decision regarding the form of restitution to accept.
• The restitution choices include returning the animal and receiving a refund or a replacement animal, or keeping the animal and being reimbursed for veterinary fees.
• After the consumer selects the preferred form of restitution, the pet store must provide the restitution within 10 days. 

The dog in the photo on the right is named Savanna and she was adopted from the Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro, NJ