Connecticut Pet Store / Puppy Mill Connection

©Bailing Out Benji 2019
All research and information was done by the volunteer team at Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!
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“We don’t buy from puppy mills.”

“All of our puppies come from small, local breeders.”

“We visit every breeder we buy from.”

We have all heard these sentences come from the mouths of pet store owners and their employees. They paint this beautiful picture of puppies running by a pond and parents frolicking in the fresh, green grass… Sadly, 99% of the time that is a bold faced lie. The pet store owners know it, the employees might know it- but the customer is completely in the dark.This is why we are here.

Bailing Out Benji is a small nonprofit that started in Ames, Iowa and now has volunteer teams all over the country who are dedicated to raising awareness about the puppy mill industry.

So what is the truth? What is the public supposed to believe when the nice store owner and employees paint such a believable and beautiful picture? Again… This is why we are here.

Volunteers from Bailing Out Benji devote their free time to researching puppy mills to create puppy mill maps for the worst states, as well as raise awareness about notorious pet stores and breeding operations with huge violations. This includes obtaining CVI data (Certificates of Veterinary Inspections) and making those reports public.

To make this easier, we will be breaking our article down by each pet store and connecting them to the various puppy mills they use.

 

This research can be  extremely costly, please consider making a donation to help us continue exposing the puppy mill industry. Every dollar helps us!

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A 2 Z Pet Shop- 185 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477

  1. Angie McDuffee and  Wanda Kretzman, Clearwater Kennel, doing business as:  AJ’s Angels Inc, Cushing Minnesota– 648 adult breeding dogs. On March 2, 2015, the USDA filed a complaint against Clearwater Kennels for several violations of the Animal Welfare Act. A settlement agreement was reached and this agreement was signed by the judge on March 11, 2016. Prior, on March 9, 2016, Clearwater Kennels (owner Wanda Kretzman) cancelled its USDA license. Also on March 9, 2016, a USDA license was granted to AJ’s Angels to operate the kennel on the same property. The owner of AJ’s Angels is the daughter-in-law of Wanda Kretzman. They have a history of violations including: buying from non-USDA breeders with no paperwork.This facility has also been named one of the worst puppy mills in the country. 
  2. Floy and Leah Green, Bark N Woof Kennel. Roach, Missouri- 158 adult breeding dogs. To view USDA photos of how the dogs live, click here.
  3. Norma Dake. Climax Springs, Missouri- 11 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including: emaciated mother dog had not been taken to the vet, excessive feces in kennels. Dake was named one of the worst puppy mills in the entire country.  
  4. Jonas Miller, Shady Kennel LLC. Keytesville, Missouri- cannot access records. 
  5. Lloyda Tharp, Jandemar Cattery. Bolivar, Missouri- 29 adult breeding cats with recent violations including having five cages stacked on top one another with no solid flooring so the animal waste, urine, litter spilled foods were falling into the cages below. 
  6. Ann Quinn, Dreamaker Kennels. Niangua, Missouri- 55 adult breeding dogs. 
  7. John and Sandy Blake, SanJon Kennel. Louisburg, Missouri- 87 puppies. To view a footage of the owners directly contradicting the statements made by pet stores, click here.
  8. Betty Lawson, Fly’N Goose Ranch. Mountain Grove, Missouri – 85 adult breeding dogs, down from 102 adults.
  9. Samuel and Mahlone Beachy, Clark Missouri- 84 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including: puppy paws passing through wire flooring, rusty feeders and water receptacles, tall weeds in kennels, growth/tumors hanging from dogs, dogs with eye issues, and green algae in water. To view USDA inspection photos, click here. 
  10. Norman Gingerich. Sturgeon, Missouri- unable to access records.
  11. Nettie Letterman, Niangua Missouri- 52 adult breeding dogs. 
  12. Lloyd Buck. Marshfield, Missouri- 62 adult breeding dogs. 
  13. Lea and Rodney Allison, Allison’s Boxer Heaven. 14 adult breeding dogs. 
  14. Edward and Evelyn Weber, Rockledge Farm. Ava, Missouri- 64 adult breeding dogs, down from 105 adults. 
  15. Daniel M Gingerich, Clark Missouri- 45 adult breeding dogs. 
  16. Nocona Thompson, Never To Many Paws. Mountain Grove, Missouri- 28 adult breeding dogs. 
  17. Deborah and Nelson Allen, Judges Branch Kennel. Urbana, Missouri- 106 adult breeding dogs. 
  18. Carol Novak, Evergreen Acres. Phillipsburg, Missouri- 95 adult breeding dogs. To view USDA inspection photos where you can see the dogs living outside without wind or rain breaks, click here. 
  19. Susan Martin and Jeff Heger, Heger’s Husky Haven. Granby, Missouri- 25 adult breeding dogs. 
  20. Shelia and Tommy Napier, Napiers Kennels. Hartville, Missouri- 52 adult breeding dogs. 
  21. Joyce Cahoj. Fair Play, Missouri- 13 adult breeding dogs. 
  22. Shirley Cook. Urbana, Missouri- 91 adult breeding dogs, down from 121 adults. 
  23. Aaron NM Schwartz, Schwarzs Kennel. Tunas, Missouri- unable to access records. 
  24. Rick and Shelley Kuhn, RSD Kennel. Hartville, Missouri- 54 adult breeding dogs. 
  25. Debra and Rex Hopkins. Poplar Bluff, Missouri- 40 adult breeding dogs. 
  26. Pam Miller, Stonehart. Monett, Missouri-  26 adult breeding dogs.  
  27. Connie Decker. Dora, Missouri- 48 adult breeding dogs. 
  28. Regina Lafferty, Heath and Jennifer Kirkland. Ava, Missouri- 9 adult breeding dogs. 
  29. Angela Kochs, Rocky Creek Inc. Niangua, Missouri- 255 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including: Injured dogs on property without being seen by vet or having plans to. This breeder was also listed as one of the worst puppy mills in the country. 
  30. Paul A Henson, Hensons Dogwood Kennels. Cassville, Missouri- 12 adult breeding dogs. 
  31. Verla and Rodney Blosser. Buffalo, Missouri- 98 adult breeding dogs. 
  32. David S Zook, Green Valley Kennel, Seymour, Missouri- 67 adult breeding dogs, down from 103 adults. 
  33. Dolan Headings. Buffalo, Missouri- unable to access records. 
  34. Juanita Kimbrough, Maxinta Kennel AKA Maxanita’s Havanese . Drexel, Missouri-  77 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including: Outdoor dogs with no shade, strong urine smell and flooring not impervious to moisture. To view USDA photos and how this breeder keeps her dogs, click here.
  35. AK Shepherd, Winslow Arkansas- 20 adult breeding dogs. 
  36. Anita Gustin, Kings River Kennel. Berryville, Arkansas- 143 adult breeding dogs, with a history of violations including: Received official warning from USDA for seven dogs in need of veterinary care; filthy conditions; dogs with green discharge coming from their eyes; dogs with bloody stool; dental issues; overgrown nails; filthy kennels. This breeder was named one of the worst puppy mills in the entire country. Twice. 
  37. Shelba K Canfield, Brooklyn Hill Kennels. Scranton, Arkansas- 129 adult breeding dogs. 
  38. Donna Gunn, Whispering Pines Kennel. Cove, Arkansas- 89 adult breeding dogs, down from 105 adults. 
  39. Terri Schneiders and Johanna Abernathy,  Quapaw, Oklahoma– 86 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including: Food storage with rodent droppings and insects; feces surrounding enclosures; loose metal with sharp edges in enclosures; no exercise program; food and water receptacles not cleaned/sanitized; fly infestation.To view USDA inspection photos of this facility, click here and here.
  40. Chris Duvall. Jay, Oklahoma-  39 adult breeding dogs. 
  41. Brian Swafford, Stilwell, Oklahoma- 32 adult breeding dogs. 
  42. Angela Fromm, Dogue DeRanch Fromm Faust. Miami, Oklahoma- 24 adult breeding dogs. Dogs are kept outside in kennels and are not raised as pets. To view USDA photos, click here.
  43. Jerry James. Stilwell, Oklahoma- unable to access records. 
  44. John Allen. Atoka, Oklahoma-unable to access records. Does not appear to be USDA licensed. 
  45. Leanna and Nelson Yoder, Hardwood Kennel. Coalgate, Oklahoma- unable to access records. 
  46. Barbara Gilbertson. Mcalester, Oklahoma- 24 adult breeding dogs. 
  47. Marie Doherty, Doherty’s Family Pets. Fulton, Kansas- 276 adult breeding dogs.To view USDA inspection photos of this awful puppy mill, click here.
  48. Crystal and Linda Purifoy. New Boston, Texas- 12 adult breeding dogs. 
  49. Lucas and Jared Feldhaus, Howard, South Dakota- 13 adult breeding dogs. 
  50. Mose D Nisley, Millcreek Kennel and Forever Home Puppies. Millersburg, Ohio- 63 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including; very underweight dogs, cage sizes are too small, and dogs with eye issues. This breeder was named one of the worst in the entire nation.
  51. Aaron Beachy. Baltic, Ohio- unable to access records. 
  52. Wilma and Raymond Miller. Apple Creek, Ohio- unable to access records. 
  53. John Jamison, Stoney Creek Kennels. Arcanum, Ohio- 49 adult breeding dogs. 
  54. Christ A Yoder, Creekside Kennels. Fresno, Ohio- 42 adult breeding dogs. 
  55. Tammy Closser. Milton, Iowa- 12 adult breeding dogs. 
  56. Judy Maassen, J. Maassen Inc AKA Adorable Puppy. Rock Valley, Iowa – 309 adult breeding dogs and 139 puppies at the time of last inspection, with a history of violations including: admitting to shooting dogs as a routine form of euthanasia, swelling between toes from standing on hard wire cages, rusted wire and excessively chewed enclosures. This breeder has been named one of the worst puppy mills in the country. 
  57. Mark and Gina Steffensmeier, MG Cattle Inc. Salem, Iowa- 214 adult breeding dogs and 179 puppies with violations including dogs living in dark, concrete buildings with a history of violations including: spider webs all over, chewed walls/doors of dog houses, tarter buildup on teeth, red gums, dogs with cloudy eyes. To view inspection photos, click here.
  58. Jake Kruse, K&E Kennels Inc, doing business as Kruse Farm Enterprises Inc. Salem, Iowa- 212 adult breeding dogs. To read more about the Kruse Puppy Mill Legacy in Iowa, click here
  59. Jan and Ken Budden, JK Puppies AKA Creek Bottom Kennel. Maurice, Iowa- 85 adult breeding dogs. Changes USDA number to escape past violations. 
  60. Annette Moeller, West Point Iowa- 192 adult breeding dogs. Moeller runs a puppy mill in the worst county in Iowa. To read more about the county, click here.
  61. Gealea Nichols and Michelle Kruse, T&M Ent, Donnellson, Iowa- 91 adults 454 puppies with a history of violations including: dogs in small kennels, puppies feet passing through the floor of kennels, dogs standing in water and excessive feces.

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 All Pets Club- 361 Boston Post Road North Windham, CT 06256

  1. Lorilee Thomas, Puppies Extraordinaire. Whiting, Kansas- 642 adult breeding dogs and 288 puppies with a history of violations including: dogs with hair loss, wires poking into kennels, excessively long toe nails, evidence of mice, etc. To view USDA inspection photos from this kennel, click here.
  2. Derek Dougherty. Agra, Kansas- 17 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including: Dogs with hair loss, scabs, excessive fly bites on head/ears (Boxers, Cattle dogs), no shade, no water in some bowls, other bowls had green algae, crazy weeds, excessive flies bothering the dogs. 
  3. James and Kathy Stewart, Rocky Ridge kennels. Pittsburg, Kansas- 117 adult breeding dogs.
  4. Teresa and Bob Berthelson, Homestead Kennel. Lincoln, Kansas- 69 adult breeding dogs. 
  5. John Blaes, JB Premier Pets. Cherryvale Kansas- 175 adult breeding dogs with painful wirebottom flooring kennels. To view USDA inspection photos, click here and here. 

 

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Puppy Kisses: 128 Federal Rd, Danbury, CT 06811-

This pet store is also owned by a family in Missouri that operates a fake rescue in order to sell puppy mill puppies in pet stores. 

  1. Bob Mehmert, West Point Iowa- 44 adult breeding dogs with a long history of violations including: severely matted dogs, rusted and broken wire poking into kennels, dogs with eye issues, filthy kennels, and filthy feeding receptacles. To view USDA photos of this facility, click here. 
  2. Choice Puppies, AKA The Hunte Corporation, Goodman Missouri- Until late 2016, the Hunte Corporation was one of the largest puppy brokers in the entire country. It was said to have sold over 100,000 puppies to pet stores each year. Hunte (now Choice Puppies) is the largest supplier of Petland stores across the United States. To view an undercover video taken at Hunte, click here. 
  3. Leslie K Graber and  Amos Wagler, Flat Creek Farm. Loogootee, Indiana- 69 adult breeding dogs. 
  4. Alvin Martin, L&D Farms AKA  A&E Farm  AKA Pine Hollow Farm LLC. Withee, Wisconsin- 348 adult breeding dogs, 218 puppies with a long history of violations including: mother dogs who are extremely thin; dogs with eye issues; licensee used expired medications; and filthy kennels. This facility has been named one of the worst puppy mills in the country three separate times. 
  5. Jesse Miller, Hillsboro Wisconsin- 20 adult breeding dogs. 
  6. Robert and Darla Hilton, Broken Bow Oklahoma- 118 adult breeding dogs with a history of violations including  Horse cattle medications used on dogs,  Chain link divider lifted out of ground and twisted,  grime accumulations in enclosures. 
  7. Gina and Charlie Potts, Redneck Kennel. Idabel, Oklahoma- 12 adult breeding dogs 
  8. Angie McDuffee and  Wanda Kretzman, Clearwater Kennel, doing business as:  AJ’s Angels Inc, Cushing Minnesota– 648 adult breeding dogs. On March 2, 2015, the USDA filed a complaint against Clearwater Kennels for several violations of the Animal Welfare Act. A settlement agreement was reached and this agreement was signed by the judge on March 11, 2016. Prior, on March 9, 2016, Clearwater Kennels (owner Wanda Kretzman) cancelled its USDA license. Also on March 9, 2016, a USDA license was granted to AJ’s Angels to operate the kennel on the same property. The owner of AJ’s Angels is the daughter-in-law of Wanda Kretzman. They have a history of violations including: buying from non-USDA breeders with no paperwork.This facility has also been named one of the worst puppy mills in the country. 
  9. Caroline Schulte, Tornado Alles Kennel.  Freeburg, Missouri- 124 adult breeding dogs, 100 puppies at the time of last inspection with a history of violations including: Heavily matted eyes; When mats were removed dog squints and blinks. Eye is red; No bedding for outdoor shelter.
  10. Michelle Baker, Baker’s Kozy Kennels. Huntington, Arkansas- 48 adult breeding dogs. 

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** We are still compiling data on more stores. Be patient with our progress! **

For more ways you can help the dogs trapped in puppy mills,click here.

For more information, please visit our main page Bailing Out Benji . We also have educational materials that you can print to hang up in your own area.

©Bailing Out Benji 2019

** To those consumers that have bought a family member from any of the area puppy stores, and are wondering about their actual background -please feel free to fill out the form below with any questions or paperwork that you have and we will confidentially research the breeder your pup came from.