The Pet Shoppe

The Pet Shoppe
1284 NJ-35
Middletown, NJ 07748
(732) 706-5000

Date and time of CAPS investigation: 8/6/19; 1350

Approximate number of puppies observed at time of investigation: 20

Puppies were kept in open-topped pens, about six in each of two rows in the back of the store, with solid walls, and floorings that were half linoleum and half large-grain cat litter, the litter separated from the linoleum with short plastic sheets. Each pen held about two puppies, and at the back of each pen were cage cards for each puppy showing breeder and broker information, as well as consumer rights information that was so small it was virtually impossible to read without entering the pens. Consumer rights signs were also posted behind the counter at the front of the store.

The owner (Caucasian female, about 48 years old, 5’7″, 135 lbs, with long brown hair) told me that once a year she visits breeders and has been to “a lot of them.” I asked her if breeding dogs are kept in cages, and she then turned on the NJ Pet Shop Coalition video to show me the conditions of her breeders’ kennels. I then asked her if all of her breeders have pens instead of cages like shown in the video, and she said all the ones she’s visited have indoor/outdoor pens and a space to run, and they don’t use wire cages. She later said that she can 90% guarantee dogs aren’t in cages, but added she can’t vouch for breeders she hasn’t visited. She also told me she didn’t know if breeders skip heat cycles or how long they breed dogs for.

I asked her about a specific breeder named Randy Schweitzer, noted on a puppy’s cage card, and she said she knew nothing about him.

Breeder info:

The following were obtained from cards on puppies’ pens in the store:

1. Daniel/Roselyn Stoll, 10253 E 300 N, Loogootee, IN 47533, 32-A-0293, broker: Blue Ribbon Puppies, 8478 N 1000 E, Odon, IN 47562, 812-787-1185, 32-B-0233
2. Elam Fisher, 5905 Morgan Creek Rd, Williamsburg, IN 47393, 32-A-0298, broker: Blue Ribbon Puppies, 8478 N 1000 E, Odon, IN 47562, 812-787-1185, 32-B-0233
3. Melvin Knepp, 7509 N 1000 E, Montgomery, IN 47558, 32-A-0441, broker: Blue Ribbon Puppies, 8478 N 1000 E, Odon, IN 47562, 812-787-1185, 32-B-0233
4. David Graber, 9515 E 875 N, Odon, IN 47562, 32-A-0401
5. Randy Schweitzer, 547 294th Rd, Milford, NE 68450, 47-A-0534
6. Louis A/Linda Graber, 9460 E 675 N, Montgomery, IN 47558, 32-A-0241, broker: Blue Ribbon Puppies, 8478 N 1000 E, Odon, IN 47562, 812-787-1185, 32-B-0233
7. Margaret Odle, 1942 Rd 15, Howard, KS 67348, 48-A-51547 (incorrect USDA# on card), broker: Pinnacle Pet, 11863 Kenobi Ln, Neosho, MO 64850, 43-B-3750
8. Laura Wills Knepp, 10435 E 50 N, Loogootee, IN 47553, 32-A-0683, broker: Blue Ribbon Puppies, 8478 N 1000 E, Odon, IN 47562, 812-787-1185, 32-B-0233
9. Andrew Garber, (address numbers illegible on photo) Martin Rd, Bradford, OH (zip code illegible in photo), 31-A-0??4 (USDA # partially illegible in photo)

Evidence contradicting owner’s statements:

1. The owner’s statement that the NJ Pet Shop Coalition video represents her breeders is misleading. The store’s 2018 breeder list shows the store uses Alvin Herschberger (31-A-0589) as a breeder through the broker JAK’s Puppies Inc. CAPS investigated Herschberger on 7/16/19 and dogs living in elevated indoor/outdoor cages with wire floorings.