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 direct or critical violations in Quarter 3 of 2025, as well as those who have received official warnings or fines. You will also find the statistics on the non-critical violations, but those will no longer be listed out individually in our reports.
This time period is from July 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025.
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.
We also include statistics on missed inspections, so we can monitor those facilities that are habitual offenders. 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, 2025, to September 30, 2025.
** Due to the Government shutdown, inspection reports for the month of September have not been released and are therefore excluded from this report. Once the reports are released, we will add them to this report and revise our analysis accordingly. Though this Quarter is incomplete, we thought it was important to continue sharing what is happening at the USDA level with cat and dog breeders and dealers.
2025 Quarter 3 Violation Breakdown
93.03% of violations this quarter received by dog and cat breeders and dealers were Non-Critical. The USDA defines a non-critical violation as a noncompliance that is not designated as a direct NCI and is something that is not having a serious or severe impact on the welfare of an animal at the time of inspection.
5.70% of violations this quarter received by dog and cat breeders and dealers were direct.
1.27% of violations this quarter received by dog and cat breeders and dealers were critical.
2025 Quarter 3 Non-Critical Violation Breakdown:
There were 80 USDA-licensed cat and dog breeders and dealers who received non-critical violations this quarter.
27.2% of non-critical violations this quarter pertained to Veterinary Care for Dogs.
23.8% of non-critical violations this quarter were for Attempted Inspections.
8.8% of non-critical violations this quarter pertained to Cleaning, Sanitization, Housekeeping, and Pest Control.
8.2% of non-critical violations this quarter pertained to Housing Facilities.
6.1% of non-critical violations this quarter pertained to Records.
5.4% of non-critical violations this quarter pertained to Primary Enclosures.
Top violations among the Non-Critical, Direct, and Critical Violations this Quarter:
There were a total of 81 USDA-licensed cat and dog breeders and dealers who received violations this quarter.
29.1% of 2025 quarter 3 violations pertained to Veterinary Care for Dogs.
22.1% of 2025 quarter 3 violations pertained to Attempted Inspections.
8.9% of 2025 quarter 3 violations pertained to Housing Facilities.
8.2% of 2025 quarter 3 violations pertained to Cleaning, Sanitization, Housekeeping, and Pest Control.
5.7% of 2025 quarter 3 violations pertained to Records.
5.1% of 2025 quarter 3 violations pertained to Primary Enclosures.
Official USDA Warnings, Complaints, and Decisions
Amos A. Borntreger Jr, Happy Canine Kennel. Augusta, Wisconsin- Borntreger received an Official USDA Warning on August 27, 2025, after receiving a Critical violation on June 16, 2025, pertaining to housing facilities. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in Connecticut, Nevada, and New Jersey. USDA Official Warning Amos A. Borntreger Jr 8.27.25
Danny L. Miller, Indian Trail Paws LLC. Dundee, Ohio- Miller received an Official USDA Warning on September 8, 2025, after receiving a Direct violation on June 25, 2025, pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Miller also received a USDA violation in 2024, and state non-compliances in 2024 and 2022. At the time of this report being released, Miller has cancelled his USDA license and has not procured another. He remains state-licensed. USDA Official Warning Danny L. Miller 9.8.25
Edna Yoder & Andy A. Yoder, A&E Kennel. Sugarcreek, Ohio- Edna Yoder received an Official USDA Warning on August 8, 2025, after receiving a Direct violation on June 10, 2025, pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. This facility also received USDA violations in 2023 and state non-compliances in 2024 and 2022. The license to which this warning and direct violation is attached to was cancelled, and another license under Andy A. Yoder’s name was opened in July 2025. This facility has held a total of four licenses over the years; three have been cancelled at the time of this report being released. USDA Official Warning Edna Yoder 8.6.25
Direct Violations this Quarter (violations at the time of inspection having serious or severe adverse effects on the welfare of the animals):
Becky Goodman & Leonard Goodman, Goodman’s Good Dogs. Ringling, Oklahoma- The Goodmans also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2025 (including 2 Direct violations that resulted in an Official Warning) and in 2023. At the time of their September 4, 2025, routine inspection, the Goodmand received 2 Direct violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and watering, and 3 non-critical violations pertaining to feeding, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. We have records of this facility selling on the online marketplace Puppies.com. Becky Goodman & Leonard Goodman 9.4.25
Christy Graber, Kountry Lane Kennel. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- Graber also received a USDA violation in 2022. At the time of their August 21, 2025, new site inspection, Graber received a Direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and a non-critical violation pertaining to exercise for dogs. Graber appears to have 3 sites according to USDA records. We have records of this facility selling to a pet store in Minnesota. Christy Graber 8.21.25
Ella Mae Brubaker, Northwood Kennel. Thorp, Wisconsin- At the time of their July 22, 2025, routine inspection, Brubaker received 2 Direct violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and watering, and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to exercise for dogs. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. Ella Mae Brubaker 7.22.25
John Nolt, J & A Acres LLC. Withee, Wisconsin- J&A Acres also received USDA violations in Quarter 2 of 2025 and in 2023, and state non-compliances in 2022, which included a state official warning. At the time of their August 20, 2025, routine inspection, J & A Acres received a Direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. J & A Acres LLC 8.20.25
Marjorie Walker & Ivan Price, Price’s Pets. Niangua, Missouri- Walker also received USDA violations in Quarter 2 of 2025, 2024, 2023, and state non-compliances in 2022, 2021, and 2020. At the time of their August 18, 2025, routine inspection, Walker received 2 Direct violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and sheltered housing facilities, and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to feeding. Marjorie Walker 8.18.25
Norman Yoder, Green Meadow Farm. Apple Creek, Ohio- Yoder also received USDA violations in 2021 and state non-compliances in 2024, 2023, and 2022. At the time of their July 31, 2025, routine inspection, Yoder received 1 Direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and 18 non-critical violations. We have records of this facility selling to a pet store in Florida. Norman Yoder 7.31.25
Critical Violations this Quarter:
Jonathon Wickey, Wilbur Creek Puppies. New Haven, Indiana- At the time of their August 5, 2025, routine inspection, Wickey received 1 Critical violation pertaining to housing facilities, and 2 non-critical violations pertaining to contingency planning and veterinary care for dogs. Jonathon Wickey 8.5.25
Marion J. Miller & Susie Miller. Baltic, Ohio- At the time of their July 28, 2025, routine inspection, Miller received 1 Critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Miller also received state non-compliances in 2024. We have records of this facility selling on the online marketplace, Greenfield Puppies. Marion J. Miller 7.28.25