Hudson Valley Pet Store Owner Barred From Selling Animals

It has been a hot topic for a few years and it looks like this could finally be the end for a former pet store owner that had a store in Wappingers Falls.

According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, Richard Doyle, who owned the American Breeders Puppies & Kittens pet store in Wappingers Falls has officailly been barred from selling pets and will pay $20,000 in fees and penalties.

New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office annouced that Doyle, sold animals with serious health conditions and falsified information about his pet suppliers at his pet stores in Wappingers Falls, Mohegan Lake and Larchmont.

The investagation into Doyle and his pet stores began back in 2015 and revealed that Doyle , who is not a veterinarian, performed surgery on animals in the back of his store, he ordered high school aged employees to give injections to hide diseases and had them lie to inspecting veterinarians and let sick animals die rather than pay for treatment.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman told the Journal that, "By shutting down stores that mistreat animals and sell sick animals, we can help ensure that consumers are purchasing healthy pets, while protecting the animals themselves from those who break the law to turn a profit."

Doyle will now be required to pay $15,000 in restitution to customers who purchased sick animals at any of his stores and will have to pay $5,000 in fines to the state.