In February, 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources received a detailed complaint from an individual who purchased a female Cavapoo puppy from Prestige Doggy Boutique. Upon entering the pet store, the customer immediately noticed a strong smell of urine. The puppy was in a 2×2×4 metal crate with no solid base for flooring. She was clearly distressed and scared. When she was removed from the crate, she began limping, favoring her right hind leg. Feeling uncomfortable with leaving her there and lacking confidence that the owner would provide proper veterinary care, the customer purchased the puppy and took her to a veterinarian. An x-ray determined she suffered a hairline fracture to her right hind paw due to getting caught in the wire cage flooring of her crate, requiring a cast for one month.
Records show the breeder is Darlene Hoover of Clyde, NY. In 2012, her husband Jason Hoover had his breeding license revoked. Records from Humane World show that previous to the cancellation of his license, 6 female dogs died within a week of giving birth to puppies and he didn’t bother to contact the attending veterinarian to determine cause of death. Over a decade later, Darlene sells puppies through Greenfield Puppies, an online broker who also sells puppies from Amish puppy mills.