DYKER HEIGHTS – STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL Letitia James on Tuesday announced a lawsuit against the Puppy Boutique pet store in Dyker Heights, for allegedly selling hundreds of puppies, in violation of the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act.
This law, which took effect in December 2024, bans the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York pet stores, but does not affect breeders or rescues. James is seeking to immediately stop Puppy Boutique from selling dogs.
According to James, Puppy Boutique uses several different websites and social media accounts to advertise puppies, and allegedly continued doing so after the law went into effect. Multiple cease-and-desist letters were sent; in January 2025 by James’ office and in June 2025 by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
In response, Puppy Boutique claimed to be working with a rescue to adopt dogs at its storefront. However, this non-profit was unregistered and allegedly sourced dogs directly from breeders, including known puppy mills, which breed large numbers of dogs in unhealthy and unsanitary conditions.
In March 2025, James’ office conducted an undercover investigation, contacting Puppy Boutique about buying a Maltese puppy. A representative allegedly confirmed that puppies were available and provided prices. This person then allegedly sent several texts, including photos of the puppies, a link to an Instagram page to view other dogs, prices, and store hours. James’ office quoted the rep as saying puppies “can be taken home the same day as you come down.”
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