Bailing Out Benji is a national nonprofit organization that exists to provide transparency into the puppy mill industry. We forensically audit government health records and inspection reports in order to connect puppy mills and commercial dog breeders to the various outlets in which they sell. We pay for many of these documents and then make them available for free on our website and to the public in order to provide the transparency that the public deserves before buying a puppy.
To see our pet store and online broker research, click here.
According to the USDA: An inspection report documents an inspector’s observations and professional assessments of compliance at facilities regulated under the AWA. Below we have compiled a list of all of the USDA dog breeders and brokers that have had violations in Quarter 4 of 2022.
This time period is from October 1st, 2022 to December 31st, 2022.
Editors note: USDA inspectors have 5 days to give a copy of their inspection to the licensee and 30 days to publish their reports online. There may be additional facilities we add to this list once more inspection reports are added to the database.
Omitted from these violations are missed inspections. The list below also only reflects dog and cat breeders and brokers (licenses A and B).
This list of violations below was obtained from the USDA APHIS search engine. Any pet store connections were obtained from various state departments of agriculture.
You can view our previous 2022 violation reporters here:
Official USDA Warnings, Complaints, and Decisions
Bobbie Lyell and Charleen Lyell Royal Heritage Kennel LLC AKA Cutie Pie Puppies AKA Oakwood Farms. Hartville, Missouri- This facility also received violations in Quarter 3 of 2022. At the time of their November 28, 2022, USDA attempted inspection, Royal Heritage Kennel received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to access and inspection of records and property. This facility received an Official USDA Warning October 19, 2022, due to a violation received on August 8, 2022. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 2 states. Royal Heritage Kennel 11.28.22 USDA Warning Royal Heritage Kennel
Daniel Wingard, Valleyhill Pups. Bristol, Indiana- Wingard received an Official USDA Warning stemming from violations they received on August 30, 2022. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Pennsylvania. USDA Warning Daniel Wingard
Henry Sommers, Happy Puppys. Cincinnati, Iowa- Sommers also received violations in Quarters 1, 2, and 3 of 2022. At the time of their November 1, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Sommers received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Henry Sommers received a citation and notification of penalty on December 22, 2022, for violations procured during the time period between 2019 and 2022, receiving a penalty of $12,600. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least one state. Henry Sommers 11.1.22 USDA Settlement Agreement Henry Sommers
Jan Harper. Welch, Oklahoma- At the time of their October 6, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Herper received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. This facility received an Official USDA Warning November 22, 2022, due to a violation received on October 6, 2022. Jan Harper 10.6.22 USDA Warning Jan Harper
Loren Yoder. Riverside, Iowa- Yoder received violations in Quarters 1, 2, and 3 of 2022. Yoder received an Official USDA Warning stemming from violations they received on September 12, 2022 and has since cancelled their USDA license. USDA Warning Loren Yoder
Patricia Bingham. Alvin, Texas- At the time of their December 20, 2022 USDA Inspection, Bingham received 2 direct violations and 10 non-critical violations pertaining to: Attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care; records; contingency planning; housing facilities; indoor housing facilities; primary enclosures; watering; cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control; and employees. Bingham also received a 21 day suspended license due to their violations. Patricia Bingham 12.20.2022 Patricia Bingham USDA suspension
Sadie Yoder and Daniel Yoder. Jasper, New York- Yoder received an Official USDA Warning stemming from violations they received in Quarter 3 on August 19, 2022. USDA Warning Sadie & Daniel Yoder
Teresa Graham, Graham’s Kennels. Garvin, Oklahoma- Graham received an Official USDA Warning stemming from violations they received in Quarter 3 on August 24, 2022. USDA Warning Teresa Graham
Direct Violations this Quarter (violations at the time of inspection having serious or severe adverse effects on the welfare of the animals):
Carol Stoner, Stoner’s Fun Loving Pets. Wheatland, Missouri- At the time of their October 27, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Stoner received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. We have record of this pet store selling to at least one pet store in Connecticut and to the broker Pinnacle Pet. Carol Stoner 10.27.22
Elisa Brandvik. Ozark, Arkansas- Brandvik also received violations and an Official USDA Warning in Quarter 3 of 2022. At the time of their November 7, 2022, USDA routine inspection Brandvik received 2 direct violations and 3 non-critical. The direct violations pertain to compatible grouping and cleaning sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. The non-critical violations pertain to housing facilities and outdoor housing facilities. Elisa Brandvik 11.7.22
Gary Brown and Carolyn Brown. Van Buren, Arkansas- At the time of their December 1, 2022, USDA routine inspection Brown received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 4 non-critical violations pertaining to primary enclosures, veterinary care for dogs, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Note: Has violations in 2021. Gary Brown & Carolyn Brown 12.1.22
Marty Clinton. Vanzant, Missouri- At the time of their December 14, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Clinton received 1 direct and 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate care and housing facilities. Marty Clinton 12.14.2022
Paul Swartzentruber and Josie Swartzentruber, PJ’s Puppy Nursery. Buffalo, Missouri- At the time of their November 21, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Swartzentruber received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Paul Swartzentruber & Josie Swartzentruber 11.21.22
Steve Kruse, Stonehenge Kennel. West Point, Iowa- Kruse also received violations in Quarters 1, 2, and 3 of 2022. At the time of their December 13, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Kruse received 1 repeat direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (8 dogs affected). Kruse also received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities, primary enclosures, feeding, and veterinary care for dogs. . Note: Has violations in 2021, 2020, and 2019. Steve Kruse 12.13.22
Critical Violations this Quarter:
Cowtown Frenchies & Bluebonnet Bulldogs LLC. Granbury, Texas- At the time of their October 6, 2022 USDA inspection, this facility received 1 direct violation, 1 critical violation and 3 non-critical violations pertaining to: interference with APHIS officials,; attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care; housing facilities; and indoor housing facilities. Cowtown Frenchies 10.6.2022
Randy Schweitzer, Route 6 Kennels. Milford, Nebraska- At the time of their November 18, 2022, USDA inspection, Schweitzer refused to allow the inspector to take photos during the inspection. This refusal caused the inspection to stop and resulted in a critical violation. This same scenario happened in Quarter 2 of 2022. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store and through broker Becky Busboom. Randy Schweitzer 11.18.2022
