NYC’s black-market mobile puppy mill is still on the move — and it’s bigger and bolder than ever.
This week, four men were seen hawking shaggy, brown designer pups for $1,500 each out of a white Mercedes SUV in broad daylight in the middle of the bustling Diamond District.
The sighting on West 47th Street was at least the fifth time in less than a year the same shady puppy peddlers — in the same luxury van with covered license plates parked in a no-standing zone — shamelessly sold two-month-old puppies without being confronted by cops or even traffic agents.
A NYPD traffic cop casually strolled past the puppy-selling van Thursday, seemingly oblivious to the illegal activity.
The NYPD confirmed 911 was called on the dog-sellers around 4pm, but by the time officers arrived the men had fled.
This week’s operation was more brazen than the one The Post witnessed in the fall. A second vehicle was involved, and two more sellers were in on the scheme, bringing the total to four. The number of animals increased to 12 from the eight seen in October.
This time the sleeping puppies were placed in two crowded baby carriages, as passersby were encouraged to pet or pick them up. The midday temperature was a blazing 84 degrees.
It’s illegal to sell dogs on the street. In December 2024, Albany enacted the landmark Puppy Mill Pipeline Act, mandating New Yorkers only adopt from shelters or buy directly from responsible breeders, typically outside the city.
The crime is punishable by fines of up to $1,000 handed out by the state Attorney General’s Office.
Also forbidden since in the city is backyard breeding, which the sellers claimed they do, boasting about the pups hailing from two litters, when a Post reporter posing as a potential customer started asking questions.
“We breed them,” one of the sellers proudly admitted. “We just love our dogs.”
As passersby swarmed the baby carriages, the sellers told them the dogs were miniature poodles with an asking price of $1,500. One seller offered his phone number and Instagram account to an interested customer.
One of the men, who identified himself as Tyshawn Walker, made a sales pitch to the Post reporter. But when confronted with the illegality of his operation, he bizarrely backtracked, claiming he was there simply to do free puppy yoga.
“We don’t sell them, we do puppy yoga. . . . We don’t charge for puppy yoga,” he said, vaping as he held one of the dogs.
The ASPCA said it was aware of the situation but had not received a request from NYPD to assist in corralling the dog traffickers.
“The NYPD is the primary agency that enforces animal cruelty laws across the five boroughs,” a spokesperson told The Post. “The ASPCA is on standby to support the NYPD with this situation should they request our services.”
“Selling puppies out of a car trunk is an immediate red flag,” slammed Brian Shapiro, state director for Humane World for Animals. “These sales violate city and state laws that protect both pets and consumers.”
