Sick puppies recovering; pet store owner charged

MINEOLA, N.Y. - A storefront in Baldwin that is locked and boarded up is formerly the site of Puppy 4 You. The owner, Pecardy Delone, is facing criminal charges. He is accused of selling sick puppies.

 "Can you imagine the outcry if this was children? If these were babies that were here?" Nassau County SPCA's Gary Rogers said. "And basically that's what they were."

After spending tens of thousands of dollars on vet bills, Nassau County SPCA said four of the puppies seized are medically cleared for adoption. A handful of others are still recovering.

The investigation started back in March but Astrid Lanza knew something was wrong even before. Her maltipoo puppy, Tori, was visibly ill just hours after Lanza purchased her for $1,500. A letter from her veterinarian states the dog was unfit for sale, had pneumonia, was infested by parasites, and was malnourished. The dog died a few weeks later. Lanza still hasn't gotten her money back.

"Not only did you spend the money but you're going through emotional distress," she said. "It's heartbreaking."

But Delone's attorney, Robert Schalk, has a different story.

"Mr. Delone had no knowledge [of] what was going on in his store that day because he allowed other people to use his storefront," he said.

A bill to ban the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet stores passed in the state Senate but didn't get voted on in the Assembly before the end of the session. It will likely be reintroduced next year.

Delone has a court appearance on Wednesday. He faces possible fines or jail time if convicted.

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