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.
To read more about our methodology and see the most recent audits performed on the USDA, click here.
Our methodology:
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 1 of 2024.
This time period is from July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024.
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 July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024.
Official USDA Warnings, Complaints, and Decisions
Angela Weaver. Howe, Oklahoma- Weaver has received a $5000 fine according to a USDA Decision & Order document on the USDA website for violating the Animal Welfare Act. Weaver has since cancelled their USDA license after failing two re-licensing inspections, she has not procured another license at the time of this report being released. USDA Decision & Order Angela Weaver 9.30.24
Brenda Callen, Waggletails Kennels. Frontenac, Kansas- Callen received an Official USDA Warning July 3, 2024 after receiving a direct violation May 21, 2024, pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. This faciltiy received 1 direct violation and 14 non-critical in 2024 and 8 non-critical in 2023. Callen has since cancelled her USDA license and has not procured another at the time of this report being released. USDA Official Warning Brenda Callen 7.3.24
Cory Mincey, Cory’s Cuties AKA Puppy Love Kennel. Elkland, Missouri- Mincey cancelled their license in 2019 after receiving 2 direct violations and 9 non-critical that year. Since her licensing in 2015 till 2019 when she cancelled said license, Mincey had a history of violations. Mincey received a USDA Decision & Order August 21, 2024, which revoked her license and was a continuance of the USDA Administrative Complaint she received on November 30, 2023 for the violations she received in 2019 before cancelling her license. USDA Decision & Order Cory Mincey 8.21.24
Gail McGonigal, Puppies & Paws Kennel. Alicia, Arkansas- McGonigal received an Official USDA Warning September 26, 2024, after receiving a direct and a critical violation February 27, 2024 pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care under their Class B Dealer license, which was cancelled and replaced by a Class A breeder license, and after receiving a direct violation June 24, 2024 under their newer Class A license pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care again. McGonigal has since cancelled their Class A USDA license as well and has not procured another at the time of this report being released. USDA Official Warning Gail McGonigal 9.26.24
Harvey Miller (E), Locust Grove Kennels. Greenwood, New York- Miller received an Official USDA Warning September 26, 2024, after a direct violation June 27, 2024, pertaining to watering. Miller also received other violations in 2024 and 2023. He is listed below for non-critical violations he received this Quarter. USDA Offical Warning Harvey E. Miller 9.26.24
Joyce Cairns, Unicorn Kennels. Glasco, Kansas- According to a USDA Decision & Order document, Cairns’s USDA license has been revoked in response to violations she received in 2022 (totaling 5 direct violations) for failure to provide adequate veterinary care and failure to meet standards for enclosures. Note: Cairns did voluntarily cancel her USDA license in 2022. USDA Decision & Order Joyce Cairns 8.22.24
K&M Pets LLC. Saginaw, Michigan- K&M Pets LLC received an Official Notice of 21 Day Suspension August 29, 2024, for failure to meet Animal Welfare Act standards and failure to meet the minimum standards for animals between August 14, 2024 and August 19, 2024. USDA Official Notice of Suspension K&M Pets LLC 8.29.24
Mary Moore, D&M Kennel. Uniontown, Kansas- An Administrative Complaint was filed against Moore July 1, 2024, after violations received between 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Moore received 5 direct violations and 33 non-critical and 5 non-critical in 2022. Moore received a USDA Decision & OrderJuly 9, 2024 in continuance of her Administrative Complaint, which Ordered that her license be revoked. Note: her license was voluntarily cancelled August 14, 2023 but the USDA revoked the license after this Decision & Order. We have records of this facility selling to several pet stores in previous years. USDA Administrative Complaint Mary Moore 7.1.24 USDA Decision & Order Mary Moore 7.9.24
Critical Violations This Quarter:
Crist Miller (R), CS Mini Poodles. Coshocton, Ohio- At the time of their July 9, 2024 routine inspection, Miller received 1 Critical violation pertaining to housing facilities, 1 Direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 1 non-critical violation. Miller had another inspection in July and one in October with no violations, he then cancelled his USDA license and has not procured another at the time of this report being released. Crist Miller 7.9.24
K&M Pets LLC. Saginaw, Michigan- At the time of their August 14, 2024, routine inspection, K&M Pets received 5 direct violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, handling of animals, space requirements, and feeding. At the time of their August 14, 2024, focused inspection, they received 1 critical violation pertaining to procurement of dogs, cats and other animals and 6 non-critical violations. At the time of their August 19, 2024, focused inspection, they received 2 critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and records, and 4 non-critical violations. On September 24, 2024, K&M Pets received 1 non-critical violation during an attempted inspection. This facility has puppies and exotic animals. K&M Pets 8.14.24 K&M Pets 8.14.24 (1) K&M Pets 8.19.24 K&M Pets 9.24.24
Direct Violations This Quarter:
Angela Weaver. Howe, Oklahoma- Weaver received 28 violations in Quarter 1 & 2 of 2024 after accruing 6 violations for attempted inspections between 2023 and 2022 and after the USDA gained injunctive relief to enter her property. Weaver Received 1 non-critical violation during a routine inspection July 12, 2024, and 1 non-critical violation during a re-license inspection August 15, 2024. During her second re-license inspection September 26, 2024, Weaver received 1 Direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 2 non-critcal violations (one being a repeat violation). Weaver has received a $5000 fine according to a USDA Decision & Order document on the USDA website for violating the Animal Welfare Act. Weaver has since cancelled their USDA license after failing two re-licensing inspections, she has not procured another license at the time of this report being released. Angela Weaver 7.11.24 Angela Weaver 8.15.24 Angela Weaver 9.26.24
Christian Lapp (B), Busy Bee Farm. Fort Plain, New York- Lapp also received violations in Quarter 4 of 2023. At the time of their July 16, 2024, routine inspection, Lapp received 1 direct violation pertaining to sheltered housing facilities and 2 non-critical violations. Lapp’s next inspection on July 30, 2024, had no violations. Christian Lapp 7.16.24
Donna Taber, Jet Kennels. Wasola, Missouri- Taber also received violations in Quarters 1 & 2 of 2024 (including multiple direct) and in 2023 (also including multiple direct). At the time of their September 19, 2024, attempted inspection, Taber received 1 non-critical violation. At the time of their September 23, 2024, routine inspection, Taber received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (15 dogs affected) and 1 non-critical violation. This facility has since cancelled their USDA license and have not procured another at the time of this report being released. Donna Taber 9.19.24 Donna Taber 9.23.24
Jacob Miller, Clover Hill Acres LLC. Coshocton, Ohio- At the time of their June 28, 2024, re-license inspection, Clover Hill Acres received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and 1 non-critical violation. Clover Hill Acres LLC 6.28.24
Joseph Schrock. Cadott, Wisconsin- At the time of their September 24, 2024, routine inspection, Schrock received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. This facility also received violations in 2022. Joseph Schrock 9.24.24
Lorna Dismang, Louise Hite, & Kimberly Ireland, Indian Ridge Kennel LLC AKA I-R Kennels. Pleasant Hope, Missouri- At the time of their August 1, 2024, routine inspection, Indiana Ridge Kennel received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (4 dogs affected). This facility cancelled their USDA license with this violation and then procured another recently under Lorna Dismang and the kennel name I-R Kennels. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in Florida. Indian Ridge Kennel 8.1.24
Nelson Hochstetler & Matthew Hochstetler, Treeline Farm. Arthur, Illinois- At the time of their July 23, 2024, routine inspection, Hochstetler received 2 non-critical violations. At the time of their September 11, 2024, routine inspection, Hochstetler received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. After the direct violation, Nelson Hochstetler cancelled his USDA license. Matthew Hochstetler then procured a license at the same address and is currently licensed. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores across the country. Nelson Hochstetler 7.23.24 Nelson Hochstetler 9.11.24
Owen Yoder (E), Maple Lane Kennel. Millersburg, Ohio- At the time of their July 25, 2024, re-license inspection, Yoder received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Yoder received no violations during a second re-license inspection July 29, 2024.Owen Yoder 7.25.24
Sam Gingerich, Brookview Kennels. Arcola, Illinois- At the time of their August 14, 2024, routine inspection, Gingerich received 1 direct violation pertaining to watering and 5 non-critical violations. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in Arizona. Sam Gingerich 8.14.24
