SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Miami-Dade Animal Services have temporarily revoked the license of a South Florida pet store Tuesday.
The Cute Puppies store currently has a sign outside the front door that reads "Closed to public." According to Animal Services, the store is being shut down due to over 50 violations.
Officials said the crates the puppies were being kept in do not comply with proper standards. Miami-Dade Animal Services recently changed their regulations at the beginning of the year. They said they have been visiting stores like Cute Puppies for months. They have been to this particular store over 10 times, but they said, that new regulations are not the issue.
Animal Services came to the store after eight months to verify that the puppies were crated properly and had the right documentation. The store did not have the documentation, so the license was revoked, and the store has since been closed.
The owner and her boyfriend are both upset with the actions taken against them, but Animal Services said that this is about keeping the puppies safe and protected. "It's unlawful for pet stores in Miami-Dade County to offer puppies or kittens for sale that were not obtained from an animal rescue organization, a hobby breeder, an animal shelter or an out-of-state breeder that complies with Miami-Dade County's local standards for housing of animals," said Kathleen Labrada of Miami-Dade Animal Services.
"Today, we received a whole bunch of fines," said the owner's boyfriend, Lenny Rivas. "Fifty-seven fines of having failure of meeting the enclosure. It actually says, 'Failure to meet enclosure standards.' It's incredible."
The owner committed 25 violations for proper documentation and 53 of those puppies were in crates that were too heavy and were not properly absorbent. Animal Services brought in 30 crates so those animals would be better taken care of. The license, however, has been revoked, and the owner has already appealed it, but has seven days to find a home for all the puppies she was harboring, and at least $26,500 in fines and compile all the feline documentation before reopening her pet store.
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