Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced that, on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, the Animal Cruelty Task Force charged VINCENT LoSACCO, the owner of “Just Pups” pet store in Paramus, New Jersey with 134 counts of animal cruelty in violation of N.J.S.A. 4:22-17(a)(3) and 4:22-17(a)(4). Leonard LoSACCO, the owner’s brother and an employee of Just Pups, was also charged with the same offenses.

On Monday, April 4, 2016, at approximately 2:59 a.m., two Paramus police officers discovered a van parked in the back parking lot of “Just Pups” located on Route 17 South. Upon closer inspection, the officers overheard crying and whining sounds and detected a strong, foul odor emanating from the van. Inside the van, the officers discovered 67 puppies stored in small cages. Several puppies were covered in feces and many of them did not have adequate access to food or water. The cages contained as many as four puppies and were so small that the larger puppies could not stand up inside them. In addition, at the time of the discovery, the temperature inside the van was measured at 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The puppies were subsequently transported to Oradell Animal Hospital, where they were evaluated and/or treated.

Further investigation by the Paramus Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force determined that Leonard LoSACCO drove the van from Missouri, where he had picked up the van load of puppies. The trip lasted several days and Leonard arrived back at the Paramus store early Sunday afternoon (4/3/16). With Vincent LoSACCO’s knowledge, Leonard LoSACCO parked the van in the far back parking lot and left the area, with the anticipation that the puppies would be unloaded the next day.

Acting Prosecutor Grewal states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would also like to thank and commend the Paramus Police Department for their diligent and thorough investigation.

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