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 2023.
This time period is from October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
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, unless those missed inspections are habitual. 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 Quarterly Violation Reports here.
If you have any questions about the breeders listed on this report or our methodology for obtaining this information, please email our research analyst: Alexis Bell, research@bailingoutbenji.com
This time period is from October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
Official USDA Warnings, Complaints, and Decisions
Angela Weaver. Howe, Oklahoma- Weaver received a non-critical violation for an attempted inspection. Weaver has received 6 violations this year for 6 attempted inspections. They have not been inspected since 2021 when they were licensed and have had a total of 7 attempted inspections since then. Weaver received an Administrative Complaint due to her failure to provide access for inspection six times since December 16, 2022. Angela Weaver 11.1.23 Angela Weaver Administrative Complaint
Barb Troyer (15 adult dogs and 26 puppies). Walhonding, Ohio- At the time of their October 20, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Troyer received 1 critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 3 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, and veterinary care. Troyer received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation received on October 30, 2023. Barb Troyer 10.30.23 USDA Warning Barb Troyer 12.14.23
Cory Mincey, Cory’s Cuties AKA Puppy Love Kennel. Elkland, Missouri- Mincey received an Administrative Complaint stemming from violations he received between 2019 and 2020. This facility has also been banned from selling puppies for 8 years by the state of Missouri. Cory Mincey Administrative Complaint
Ed Van Doorn, Squaw Creek Kennels (114 adult dogs and 50 puppies). Barnes City, Iowa- At the time of their November 1, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Ed Van Doorn received 1 critical violation for health certification and identification, and 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and veterinary care for dogs. Van Doorn received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation received on November 1, 2023. Bailing Out Benji filed a complaint against Van Doorn on January 9, 2023, due to concerns that he is neutering dogs on his own and signing off on Certificates of Veterinary Inspection even though he is not a licensed veterinarian, which is fraudulent practice under Iowa’s Veterinary Practice Code. The Mahaska Co. Sheriff’s Office responded that they and the County Attorney’s Office opened an investigation of this facility and its owner. Ed Van Doorn 11.1.23 USDA Warning Ed Van Doorn 12.14.23
Elena Mikirtichev & Andrey Mikirtichev, Dream Coon (80 adult cats, 55 kittens, 5 dogs). North Chesterfield, Virginia- After receiving more than 50 USDA violations in 2023, the Mikirthichev’s had their license suspended, animals saved and can no longer hold a USDA license. Elena Mikirtichev and Andrey Mikirtichev Consent Decision
Elisa Brandvik. Ozark, Arkansas- Brandvik received an Administrative Complaint stemming from violations received in 2022 and 2023. Elisa Brandvik Administrative Complaint
Henry Detweiler, Detweilers Kennel (21 adult dogs and 7 puppies). Fairbank, Iowa- Detweiler also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2023. At the time of their October 26, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Detweiler received 1 direct violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs and 3 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification, use of tags, and records. On December 4, 2023, during another routine inspection, Detweiler received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Detweiler received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation received on October 26, 2023. This facility has since canceled his USDA license. Henry Detweiler 10.26.23 Henry Detweiler 12.4.23 USDA Warning Henry Detweiler 12.7.23
John Garman (108 adult dogs and 59 puppies). Plymouth, Ohio- Garman also received violations in Quarter 3 of 2023. At the time of their October 18, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Garman received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and 2 non-critical violations pertaining to contingency planning and veterinary care for dogs. Garman received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation received on October 18, 2023. This facility has since canceled their license. John Garman 10.18.23 USDA Warning John Garman 11.30.23
Leroy E. Yoder, Mohawk Kennels. Walhonding, Ohio- Yoder received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation received on July 17, 2023. USDA Warning Leroy E. Yoder
Martha Schrock & Joseph Schrock. Fairchild, Wisconsin- The Schrocks received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation they received on July 26, 2023. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in Indiana and Massachusetts. USDA Warning Martha Schrock & Joseph Schrock 10.12.23
Michelleen Horning, F&M Corgis. Mulberry, Kansas- Horning received an Official USDA Warning stemming from a violation received on September 28, 2023. USDA Warning Michelleen Horning 11.30.23
Reuben E. Graber, True Dream Pawz (27 adult dogs and 27 puppies). Hillsboro, Wisconsin- Graber also received violations in Quarters 1 and 3 of 2023. At the time of their November 8, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Graber received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, exercise for dogs, and veterinary care for dogs. Graber received a Citation and Notification of Penalty stemming from a violation he received on February 4, 2023. We have record of this facility selling to a pet store in Minnesota. Reuben E. Graber 11.8.23 Reuben E Graber Notice of Penalty
Wuanita Swedlund (102 adult dogs and 55 puppies). Cantrill, Iowa- At the time of their December 21, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Swedlund received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. During a focused inspection on December 21, 2023, Swedlund received 1 critical violation pertaining to handling of animals and 8 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, records, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. Bailing Out Benji filed a complaint against Swedlund with the Van Buren county sheriff and county attorney on Janaury 25, 2024, due to the concerning story of neglect and torture happening at Wuanita Swedlund’s facility as her care has resulted in the death and mutilation of multiple puppies. The Van Buren Chief Deputy responded back that the facility was being investigated. In 2024, Swedlund also received a USDA warning for their violations. Wuanita Swedlund 12.21.23 (1) ; Wuanita Swedlund 12.21.23 ; USDA Warning Waunita Swedlund
Direct Violations this Quarter (violations at the time of inspection having serious or severe adverse effects on the welfare of the animals):
Charles McGinnis & Debbi McGinnis, Monarchs Kennel (27 adult dogs and 4 puppies). Bolivar, Missouri- The McGinnis’s also received violations in Quarters 1 and 2 of 2023. At the time of their October 3, 2023, USDA routine inspection, the McGinnis’ received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. On November 2, 2023, during another USDA routine inspection, the McGinnis’ received 1 direct violation pertaining to watering and 4 non-critical violations pertaining to records, housing facilities, and outdoor housing facilities. On November 7, 2023, during another USDA routine inspection, the McGinnis’ received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities again. Charles McGinnis & Debbi McGinnis 10.3.23 ; Charles McGinnis & Debbi McGinnis 11.2.23 ; Charles McGinnis & Debbi McGinnis 11.7.23
Donna Taber, Jet Kennels (85 adult dogs and 45 puppies). Wasola, Missouri- Taber also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2023. At the time of their November 8, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Taber received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Donna Taber 11.8.23
Lois Baker (45 adult dogs and 9 puppies). Andrews, North Carolina- Baker also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2023. On December 20, 2023, Baker received 1 non-critical violation for an attempted inspection. At the time of their December 20, 2023, USDA routine inspection, Baker received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 2 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification and housing facilities. Lois Baker 12.1.23 Lois Baker 12.20.23
Critical Violations this Quarter:
Karen Miller, Rowe Eden Kennels AKA Woffer Kennels. Middlebury, Indiana- On November 29, 2023, Miller received 1 critical violation for denying an inspector access to inspect the kennel building. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 5 states and to the broker JAKS. Karen Miller 11.29.23
