Long before the NY Attorney General’s office had to get involved, people were complaining about the cruel conditions at Best Breeds (aka National Breeders) on Mamaroneck Avenue.
Now, Richard Doyle, accused of performing surgery without veterinary training, and falsifying documents in order to sell sick and dying dogs, is now barred for life from dealing pets. Doyle will also pay $20,000 in penalties.
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman says Doyle owned and operated three retail pet stores in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: American Breeders, Inc. in Wappingers Falls, NY; Puppies and Kittens in Mohegan Lake, NY; and Best Breeds, Inc. in Mamaroneck.
The Office of the Attorney General began investigating Doyle’s businesses in 2015 after receiving numerous complaints from consumers who said animals purchased from him were sick.
Consumers reported that their own veterinarians found the animals to be suffering from serious health conditions such as parvo, giardiasis, pneumonia, intestinal parasites and kennel cough. In addition, the investigation revealed that Doyle falsified the names and license numbers of his suppliers in order to make it appear as though he purchased animals from reputable sources.
“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,” said Schneiderman.
“Disturbing cases like these reaffirm my commitment to encouraging those in search of a new pet to adopt from a local shelter, rather than purchasing an animal. This gives an animal in need a home, and gives the consumer the peace of mind that they are receiving a healthy pet.”
The Attorney General’s office says it also uncovered a number of disturbing practices carried out by Doyle and his staff in an effort to make sick animals appear healthy and maximize sales. For example, it was found that Doyle – who is not a veterinarian, regularly performed surgery on animals in the back rooms of his stores. Doyle also ordered high school aged employees to routinely administer injectable medications and intravenous fluids to mask rather than cure diseases and infections in sick animals. Doyle would then lie or ask his young employees to lie to the inspecting veterinarians regarding the illnesses so the veterinarians would not mark the animals unfit for sale.