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Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said that his Consumer Protection Division has reached a settlement with online retailer Maryland Puppies Online, LLC and the company’s owners, Sara and Nathan Bazler, regarding the sale of dogs.
The settlement includes civil penalties and bans the company from selling dogs in Maryland.
It was alleged that Maryland Puppies continued to sell puppies after the “No More Puppy Mills Act” banned these sales in the state in January 2020, Frosh said.
The company sold animals both from its Maryland retail location and through its website, in violation of the law.
Under the settlement, Maryland Puppies is barred from offering, selling, or transferring dogs in or from Maryland.
As part of the settlement, Maryland Puppies agreed to refund payments made by Maryland consumers that purchased dogs with certain conditions since Jan. 1, 2020, or pay for treatment of certain conditions.
The settlement also requires Maryland Puppies to pay a civil penalty of $75,000, which increases to $250,000 if the company or its owners breach the agreement.
“The No More Puppy Mills Act was enacted to protect animals from mistreatment by puppy mill operators,” Frosh said. “In many puppy mill operations, dogs are treated poorly, are raised in unhealthy living conditions, and suffer poor health.
“With this settlement in place, eligible consumers can receive refunds if the puppies they bought had a disorder or were seriously ill, the owners will pay a hefty penalty for violating the law, and are prohibited from offering dogs for sale in Maryland.”
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