HALL OF SHAME

Following is a partial list of pet dealers (breeders and brokers) on whom we’ve received numerous complaints or the actions by the pet dealers towards buyers were too egregious to ignore.  Contact us for more info about these dealers and others before you buy, or you could end up regretting your puppy purchase!  A number of unlicensed NJ puppy brokers advertise on Puppy Find.com and Breeders.net - beware of anyone selling multiple breeds or using several phone numbers - they could be puppy brokers and/or puppy millers, some going as far as posing as "rescues".

Dawn Abrams - Shamong, Burlington County
For more info about this dealer, clickhere

Jacqueline Belcher Levan - formerly of Sussex County, now in Monroeton, PA

Breeds Weimaraners and Vizslas, d/b/a/ Jacqueline's Velcro Vizslas. Numerous complaints on file (under Jacqueline Belcher) of sick and genetically defective Weimaraners. 

Ruthann Hughes  - Wayne, Passaic County (Cockapoo Puppies) 

*** UPDATE February 2010 *** Ruthann Hughes is out-of-state for an undetermined length of time. According to the Wayne Township Zoning Officer, no puppy sales are to be conducted from the Black Oak Ridge Road property as it's not zoned for a business. 

Longtime unlicensed broker, Ruthann Hughes sells Cockapoos, Shih Tzus and Yorkies under the name HUGABURS COCKAPOOS. Multiple complaints lodged over the years; puppies sold with numerous health and/or genetic problems. Hughes is alleged to acquire puppies from PA puppy mills for resale. Dispenses unmarked veterinary medication to buyers at the time of sale.

Hughes appeared in Wayne Municipal Court October 8, 2008, was found guilty of the local zoning ordinance, imposed a $2,000 fine, ordered again to stop selling dogs and told to reduce the number of dogs in her home to five.

Hughes again defied a December 2008 court order to cease and desist and continues to sell dogs out of her home.  Local authorities are aware of her activities but Hughes couldn’t care less what they say or do as she will continue to broker dogs from PA puppy mills. 

Angela Ladopoulos - Woodbridge, (formerly Prestigious Puppies.com) nowLittle City Pups

States on the website that she "does not take responsibility for the health of the puppies, that is the sole responsibility of the breeder and the new buyer." *** Please be aware that the purchase is between the seller/broker (Little City Pups) - NOT the breeders - and the buyer. New Jersey's puppy lemon law covers only NJ sales, not those in other states! 

Allan Levine - Millstone Township, Freehold, or Clarksburg, Monmouth County

***Update May 2010***

At a hearing on May 4, 2010, in Millstone Municipal Court, Allan Levine pled guilty to one count of violating the Millstone kennel ordinance.  Several other charges were dropped in a plea deal that resulted in a $1,000 fine, agreeing with a cease & desist order and allowing random, unannounced inspections of his property by the local health officer.

Millstone in April 2009 amended its kennel ordinance with these key provisions:

Kennel shall mean any place wherein or whereon:
2) dogs are distributed or delivered to, or otherwise acquired by, any person on a regular basis, except a pet shop; or
3) dogs are kept with the intent to distribute or deliver to, or facilitate the acquisition by, any person on a regular basis, except a pet shop.

The definitions of kennel set forth in 9-2.1c.2) and 9-2.1c.3) shall apply to such distribution, delivery or acquisition of dogs, by any means, including but not limited to sale, charitable contribution or pledge, or transaction free of charge.

9-2.2 f.  No license for a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall be granted to any person or immediate family member of such person when such person or their immediate family member has a conviction of any crime or offense as set forth in N.J.S. 4:22. et seq.

9-2.8 Violations and Penalties.  Any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this section, any part thereof or the rules or regulations promulgated by the State Department of Health shall be liable to a penalty of one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars for a first offense, one thousand five hundred ($1,500.00) dollars for a second offense and two thousand ($2,000.00) dollars or imprisonment for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days for each subsequent offense. 

Levine denied being a pet dealer and stated on his sales contract that money collected for puppies was a 'donation'. Levine is alleged to acquire puppies from PA puppy mills for resale. Buyers report he dispensed unmarked veterinary medications at the time of sale and offered to treat sick puppies at his house. Under a newly amended township ordinance, Levine is not allowed to sell puppies from his Monmouth Road location. 

Elizabeth Mandarino, Bedminster, Somerset County, formerly d/b/a Emma Rose's Diva Pup

Sold hundreds of puppy mill puppies at huge markup over the Internet and via her website divapup.com. Did not comply under the NJ puppy lemon law for selling defective puppies until the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, by way of an administrative hearing, forced her to pay up.

Donna Marie Dueben/Truex/Roberts, Shamong, Medford, Indian Mills, Vincentown, Burlington County

For more info about this dealer, clickhere. For NJ Consumer Affairs Decision on this pet seller, clickhere.

William ‘Bill’ Roberts, Woodbury, Franklinville, Gloucester County

Roberts is a longtime South Jersey puppy reseller who was charged with animal cruelty for selling sick puppies in April 2008 following a raid by the NJ SPCA, which confiscated 28 puppies. Roberts is still selling PA puppy mill puppies (he delivers to you for a fee) as he awaits trial, advertising under the numbers 856-207-1974 and 609-685-0208.