NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — A judge ordered a National City pet store to stop selling puppies by the end of the week while the court decides whether or not it is violating a state law.

Judge Eddie Sturgeon ruled in favor of placing a preliminary injunction on National City Puppy. The decision means that, while the case is pending, the store is not allowed to sell puppies.

Bryan Pease, an attorney for the Animal Protection and Rescue League,  argued that the store is violating AB 485. The state law, passed last year, bans the sale of puppies unless they are from a rescue organization.

Pease questioned the source of the puppies, which are brought in from out of state.

“If you’re out of state or out of the country, you’re not under the jurisdiction of the Food and Ag code. So, by definition, such an agreement could not have been made in pursuit to one of those Food and Ag code sections,” Pease said in court.

A store manager from National City Puppy was also questioned. “They made sure they complied with the law based on how the law was written,” Robert Robles said from the stand.

In November, the owner of National City Puppy, David Salinas, gathered enough signatures to overturn a city ordinance that would strengthen the existing state law. The referendum will appear on the March ballot so voters can decide.

Salinas has until Friday to appeal the preliminary injunction.