Blog - Bailing Out Benji

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023

Henry Sommers of Happy Puppys Charged with Animal Neglect

For immediate release:

On January 31st, 2023 , Henry Sommers, dog breeder and owner of Happy Puppys, in Cincinnati, Iowa was arrested at the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two counts of Animal Neglect with Serious Injury (Aggravated Misdemeanors); three counts of Animal Neglect with Injury (Serious Misdemeanors); and two counts of Animal Neglect without Injury (Simple Misdemeanors).

This comes after Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa based nonprofit organization, filed a complaint with the Appanoose County Sheriff and County Attorney on January 9th, 2023. Bailing Out Benji urged the department to press charges and immediately seize the animals in Sommers’ care due to his ongoing violations with the USDA. Many of the violations appeared to be in clear violation of Iowa’s animal cruelty code 717B.

You can view Sommers’ recent USDA violations, violations from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and fine from the USDA below.

Happy Puppys USDA Violations

Happy Puppys IDALS inspections 2022

Sommers USDA Penalty 10.14.2022

On January 11th, 2023, an investigation into Sommers was opened by the Appanoose County Sheriff. By Friday, January 13th, 2023 the 4 remaining dogs at the Sommer’s property were seized and taken to a local shelter for evaluation.

According to the Sheriff’s Office:

“During the investigation, officials observed two adult Yorkshire dogs and two Yorkshire puppies that were living in an unhealthy environment.

All four dogs were relinquished to a local animal shelter and later taken to an area Humane Society. The dogs were further examined by a licensed Veterinarian who determined that the animals were being neglected, and as a result of the neglect, the animals sustained injuries in violation of Iowa Code 717B.

During the investigation, officials learned that Sommers had previously relinquished other Yorkshire dogs that had sustained injuries as a result of neglect that required surgical procedures.”

You can read the full statement from the sheriff’s office here.

Sommers Press Release

Bailing Out Benji is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is dedicated to ending puppy mill cruelty through research, education and advocacy. Our team provides transparency into puppy mills, puppy brokers and puppy stores by forensically auditing government health records and inspection records and making that information public. Our research is used from classrooms to policy rooms across the country in order to make necessary changes in the lives of countless animals protect consumers against this predatory industry.

January 31, 2023March 9, 2023

2022 USDA Violations- Quarter 4

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:

2022 Quarter 3

2022 Quarter 2

2022 Quarter 1

This time period is from October 1st, 2022 to December 31st, 2022.

Arkansas

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

Frank Foster. Hindsville, Arkansas- At the time of their October 27, 2022, USDA routine inspection Foster received 7 non-critical violations pertaining to indoor housing facilities, primary enclosures, exercise for dogs, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling puppies to at least one pet store in Connecticut. Frank Foster 10.27.22

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

Golden Meadows Farm. Newhope, Arkansas- At the time of their December 21, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Golden Meadows Farm received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Golden Meadows Farm 12.21.22

Judy Willis. Jasper, Arkansas- At the time of their November 29, 2022, USDA routine inspection Willis received 5 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, housing facilities, outdoor housing facilities, watering, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in New York. Judy Willis 11.29.22

Monica Beery, Benjamin Beery, and Kimberly Beery. Harrison, Arkansas- At the time of their November 3, 2022, USDA routine inspection Beery received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Note: Has multiple violations in 2021 during separate inspections, and violations in 2019 and 2017. Monica Beery, Benjamin Beery, & Kimberly Beery 11.3.22

Colorado

Patricia Shellabarger, Rio Alto Kennels. Moffat, Colorado- At the time of their October 4, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Shellabarger received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Note: Has violations in 2014 and every year until 2018. Patricia Shellabarger 10.4.22

Illinois

Larry Hochstetler, Shady View Puppies. Arthur, Illinois- At the time of their December 14, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Hochstetler received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in North Carolina. Larry Hochstetler 12.14.22

Indiana

Ben H Graber. Odon, Indiana- At the time of their October 18, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Graber received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Ben Graber 10.18.22

Daniel K Graber & Anna Mae Graber. Odon, Indiana- At the time of their October 19, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Graber received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Connecticut and the broker JAKS. Daniel K. Graber & Anna Mae Graber 10.19.22

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

David Lee Lapp. Hagerstown, Indiana- At the time of their October 19, 2022, USDA attempted inspection, Lapp received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to access and inspection of records and property. At the time of their November 22, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Lapp received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. David Lee Lapp 10.19.22 David Lee Lapp 11.22.22

Jacob X Schwartz Jr. Geneva, Indiana- At the time of their November 2, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Schwartz received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Michigan. Jacob X. Schwartz Jr 11.2.22

James A Knepp. Loogootee, Indiana- At the time of their October 3, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Knepp received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to contingency planning. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 3 states. James A. Knepp 10.3.22

Mark Lynch, LBL Kennels. Reelsville, Indiana- At the time of their October 17, 2022, USDA-focused inspection Lynch received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care (a repeat violation for Lynch), and primary enclosures. Note: Has violations in 2021. Mark Lynch 10.17.22

Uncle Bill’s Pet Center AKA Pet Centers of Indiana. Indianapolis, Indiana- At the time of their November 7, 2022 ‘new site’ inspection, Pet Centers received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to Veterinary care for dogs.Uncle Bill’s Pet Center 11.7.2022

William Knepp. Washington, Indiana- At the time of their October 18, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Knepp received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to attending the veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, housing facilities, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. William Knepp 10.18.22

Iowa

Daniel Kauffman, Dee Kay Bulldogs. Bloomfield, Iowa- At the time of their October 18, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Kauffman received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 5 states. Note: Cancelled first license (42-A-1572) under which his last inspection was in 2019 and was not inspected again until under a new license (42-A-1690) in 2022. Daniel Kauffman 10.18.22

Eli Schrock, Hillview Kennels. Drakesville, Iowa- At the time of their November 1, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Schrock received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 8 states. Eli Schrock 11.1.22

Henry Detweiler. Fairbank, Iowa- At the time of their November 22, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Detweiler received 6 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, and veterinary care for dogs. Henry Detweiler 11.22.22

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

Jodie Manning, Blue Bird Ranch. Monona, Iowa- At the time of their November 1, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Manning received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Connecticut and to the broker JAKS. Note: This is a new licensee. They had violations in Quarter 1 of 2022 under a now-cancelled license (42-A-0645) under Julie Halverson’s name. Jodie Manning 11.1.22

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

Scott Swanson, S & J Kennel (Site 2). Ollie, Iowa- Swanson also received violations at their site 2 in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their November 3, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Swanson received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Virginia. Note: Has violations in 2021. Scott Swanson 11.3.22

Stephen Schrock, Shady Lawn Kennel LLC. Bloomfield, Iowa- At the time of their October 20, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Shady Lawn Kennel received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to primary enclosures. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 5 states. Shady Lawn Kennels LLC 10.20.22

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

Kansas

Judy Koehn, Bow-Wow Mound. Burns, Kansas- At the time of their October 4, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Koehn received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification and records. We have records of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 3 states. Judy Koehn 10.4.22

Melissa Morris. Olathe, Kansas- At the time of their December 1, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Morris received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Melissa Morris 12.1.22

Roger Shilling, Prairie Ridge Kennel. Westphalia, Kansas- At the time of their November 29, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Shilling received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Roger Shilling 11.29.22

Michigan

Nathan Steury. Camden, Michigan- Steury has also received violations in Quarters 1, 2, and 3 of 2022. At the time of their October 24, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Steury received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to minimum age requirements. Note: Has violations in 2021 and 2020. This facility has recently canceled their USDA license and operates under a new name “Peaceful Paws Puppies, LLC”. Nathan Steury 10.24.22

Mary Margarets Pups LLC, Laura Ann Gordon. Ada, Michigan- At the time of their December 20, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Mary Margarets Pups received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to records and watering. Mary Margarets Pups LLC 12.20.22

Missouri

Betty Lawson, Fly’N Goose Ranch. Mountain Grove, Missouri- At the time of their November 2, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Lawson received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to outdoor housing facilities. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 3 states. Betty Lawson 11.2.22

Beverly Hargis, Hargis’ Sunshine Kennels. Hallsville, Missouri- At the time of their October 31, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Hargis received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Note: Has violations in 2021. Beverly Hargis 10.31.22

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

Carolyn Lansdown, TLC Kennels. Hartville, Missouri- Lansdown also received violations in Quarter 3 of 2022. At the time of their October 20, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Lansdown received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Carolyn Lansdown 10.20.22

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

Charlene Green, Timberline Paws. Grant City, Missouri- At the time of their November 15, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Green received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to records, housing facilities, outdoor housing facilities, and primary enclosures. Charlene Green 11.15.22

Chester Williams and Debbie Williams, Loveable Puppies. Greentop, Missouri- At the time of their November 28, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Williams received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 4 states and to the broker JAKS. Debbie Williams & Chester Williams 11.28.22

Daniel Kurtz. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their December 14, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Kurtz received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities. Daniel Kurtz 12.14.22

Deborah Earnest AKA Debbie Earnest, Debco. Stover, Missouri- Debco also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their November 17, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Debco received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to procurement of dogs, cats, and other animals, indoor housing facilities, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Debco 11.17.22

Edna’s S.S. Kennel, Elva Nolt and Edna Nolt. Barnett, Missouri- At the time of their November 16, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Nolt received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities and veterinary care for dogs. Elva M. Nolt & Edna Z. Nolt 11.16.22

Harold Martin, Big Creek Kennel AKA Bridge Creek Kennel. Edina, Missouri- At the time of their December 6, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Martin received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to outdoor housing facilities.Harold Martin 12.6.22

Marilyn Byerley, MB Kennel. Mountain Grove, Missouri- MB Kennel also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their November 14, 2022, USDA routine inspection, MB Kennel received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification and indoor housing facilities. MB Kennel 11.14.22

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

Mary Smith, Smiths Kennels. Salem, Missouri- Smith also received violations in Quarters 2 and 3 of 2022. At the time of their November 2, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Smith received 2 repeat non-critical violations pertaining to watering and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least 6 states. Mary A. Smith 11.2.22

Melvin Hershberger. Lamar, Missouri- At the time of their December 15, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Hershberger received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Melvin Hershberger 12.15.22

Noah J Miller. Keytesville, Missouri- At the time of their November 14, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Miller received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to outdoor housing facilities and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in New Hampshire. Noah J. Miller 11.14.22

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

Nebraska

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

New Mexico

Thomas Emard. La Plata, New Mexico- At the time of their November 3, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Emard received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification and records. Thomas Emard 11.3.22

New York

Esle Yoder. Fort Plain, New York- At the time of their October 4, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Yoder received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Esle Yoder 10.4.22

Happy Teddy. Rochester, New York- At the time of their November 29, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Happy Teddy received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Happy Teddy 11.29.22

Rainbow Creek Kennels. South Butler, New York- At the time of their October 5, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Rainbow Creek Kennels received 5 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, contingency planning, primary enclosures, watering, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Note: Has a history of violations dating back from 2022 to 2014. Rainbow Creek Kennels 10.5.22

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

Yost Miller, Green Lane Solutions. Whitesville, New York- At the time of their November 9, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Green Lane Solutions received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to exercise for dogs. Note: Has violations in 2021 and 2019. Green Lane Solutions 11.9.22

Ohio

Eli Yoder, Meadow Brook Kennel. Baltic, Ohio- At the time of their November 17, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Yoder received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to records and housing facilities. Note: Has violations in 2021 and 2020. Eli Yoder 11.17.22

David R. Yoder, Waterfall Puppies. Dundee, Ohio- Waterfall Puppies also received violations in Quarter 3 of 2022. At the time of their November 22, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Waterfall Puppies received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to requirements and application, primary enclosures, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in Connecticut. Note: This inspection is the facility’s 2nd re-license inspection, must be in compliance by the next inspection, or will have to forfeit the license fee and reapply for a license after 6 months. Waterfall Puppies 11.22.22

Puppy Blvd. Dundee, Ohio- At the time of their November 22, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Puppy Blvd received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to requirements and application, housing facilities, exercise for dogs, and veterinary care for dogs. Puppy Blvd 11.22.22

Oklahoma

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

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

Tracy Gordon and Chad Gordon. Kansas, Oklahoma- At the time of their November 2, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Gordon received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to requirements and application. Tracy Gordon & Chad Gordon 11.2.22

Pennsylvania

Lester Martin, L&M Kennel. New Holland, Pennsylvania- At the time of their November 15, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Martin received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Lester S. Martin 11.15.22

Loren Nolt, Evergreen Kennel. East Earl, Pennsylvania- At the time of their October 4, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Nolt received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Massachusetts. Loren Nolt 10.4.22

Matthew Stoltzfus, Millwood Puppies LLC. Gap, Pennsylvania- On November 29, 2022, Millwood Puppies received a violation for an attempted inspection pertaining to access and inspection of records and property; submission of itineraries. At the time of their December 8, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Millwood Puppies received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Millwood Puppies LLC 11.29.22 Millwood Puppies LLC 12.8.22

Michael Fisher. Loysville, Pennsylvania- At the time of their November 14, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Fisher received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Michael Fisher 11.14.22

Stephen Stoltzfoos, Fairmont Acre Kennel. Ephrata, Pennsylvania- At the time of their October 6, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Stoltzfoos received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Stephen Stoltzfoos 10.6.22

South Dakota

Vickie Hines, Lar-Kie Kennel. Woonsocket, South Dakota- Hines also received violations in Quarters 2 and 3 of 2022. At the time of their October 5, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Hines received 2 repeat non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Note: Has a history of violations dating back from 2022 to 2017. Vickie Hines 10.5.22

Tennessee

David Kiviniemi, Animal City Pet Center. Murfreesboro, Tennessee- At the time of their October 20, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Kiviniemi received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to contingency planning. David Kiviniemi 10.20.22

Texas

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

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

Virginia

Andrey Mikirtichev and Elena Mikirtichev. North Chesterfield, Virginia- Mikirtichev also received violations in Quarters 1, 2, and 3 of 2022. At the time of their December 8, 2022, USDA attempted inspection, Mikirtichev received 1 repeat non-critical violation pertaining to access and inspection of records and property. Note: Has violations in 2021. Elena & Andrey Mikirtichev 12.8.22

Madeline Carol Gray, Gray’s Cooper Ridge Kennel. Nickelsville, Virginia- At the time of their December 9, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Gray received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Madeline Carol Gray 12.9.22

Pet World LTD. Newport News, Virginia- Pet World also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their October 6, 2022, USDA routine inspection of site 1, Pet World received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to indoor housing facilities, veterinary care for dogs, and sanitation. At the time of their October 6, 2022, USDA attempted inspection of site 3, Pet World received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to requirement and application and access and inspection of records and property. Pet World LTD 10.6.22 Pet World LTD Attempted Inspection 10.6.22

RMRS Manufacturing & Distributing Inc AKA Pet & Aquatic Warehouse. Lynchburg, Virginia- At the time of their October 5, 2022, USDA routine inspection, RMRS received 1 repeat non-critical violation pertaining to primary enclosures. Note: The last inspection for this facility was in 2014. RMRS Manufacturing & Distributing Inc 10.5.22

West Virginia

Roger Nottingham Sr., The Berner’s Ranch. Gassaway, West Virginia- At the time of their October 25, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Nottingham received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Roger Nottingham Sr 10.25.22

Wisconsin

Carla Brovont, Paws N Play Kennel. Elroy, Wisconsin- At the time of their November 28, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Brovont received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and primary enclosures. We have record of this facility selling to PuppySpot. Carla Brovont 11.28.22

Christy Borntreger and Eli Borntreger, Shady Valley Kennels. Tomah, Wisconsin- At the time of their December 12, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Borntreger received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. We have record of this facility selling to the broker JAKS. Note: Has violations in 2021, including 1 direct violation. Christy & Eli Borntreger 12.12.22

Christy Graber, Kountry Lane Kennel. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- At the time of their November 2, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Graber received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Minnesota. Christy Graber 11.2.22

Junior Yutzy. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- Yutzy also receive multiple violations in Quarters 2 and 3 of 2022. At the time of their December 7, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Yutzy received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to primary enclosures, veterinary care for dogs, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Junior Yutzy 12.7.22

Miriam Hoover, Farm House Kennel. Stanley, Wisconsin- Hoover also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their October 26, 2022, USDA routine inspection, Hoover received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Iowa and to the broker JAKS. Miriam Hoover 10.26.22

You can view our previous 2022 violation reporters here:

2022 Quarter 3

2022 Quarter 2

2022 Quarter 1

To stay updated on puppy mill news and action alerts in your state, sign up to receive our emails below.

Follow us on social media for immediate updates!

To learn about legislation that is happening on the local, state and federal level, click the image below.

November 13, 2022November 26, 2022

What is a puppy mill?

What is a “puppy mill”?

A “puppy mill” is a breeding facility that puts the profit ahead of the welfare of the dogs (and cats rabbits and other small animals). Think of it as a factory farm for puppies.

The adult animals are bred every heat cycle until their bodies give out. They are forced to live in cramped cages their entire lives, their paws never touching the ground. These parent dogs are not always fed healthy food or clean water and they are very rarely (if ever) seen by a vet for illness or injury.

A puppy mill can be obvious, or it can be well hidden.

What are the worst states when it comes to puppy mills?

The Midwest has the highest concentration of puppy mills, although there are other mills across the country. The Midwest is commonly referred to as “The Puppy Mill Belt”. Missouri and Iowa are the highest offenders when it comes to the sheer number of mills, but Ohio and Pennsylvania are horrible when it comes to unlicensed mills and violations. Puppy mills operations are easily hidden among agriculture buildings.

If puppy mills are so bad, why do they exist?

One of the most common questions we receive is, “Why are puppy mills legal”? The answer, plain and simple, is that the USDA and state agencies allow them to exist. Not every USDA licensed dog breeder runs a horrible operation. But they are all required to follow the same very lax laws the USDA set forth in the Animal Welfare Act. According to the AWA:

-Cage size: must be 6 inches larger than the size of the dog, on all sides
-Up to 12 dogs can be housed in one cage
-Dogs never have to be let out of their cages. Breeders only need to have an exercise plan
-There is no limit to the number dogs a breeder can have—many have over 1,000
-There is no age limit for breeding dogs. If a dog is able to produce puppies for ten years, that’s how long they could be in the facility.

– The inspections are “risk based”. Meaning if there are no violations, the breeder might not see an inspector for a few years.

– The AWA does NOT cover emotional well-being.

And there are a 115 inspectors to inspect for every single USDA facility… in the entire United States. That includes breeding facilities, factory farms, zoos, circuses, transport vehicles, testing facilities, labs and more…. 115 people to cover over 12,000 facilities. Do you think that is enough?
For more information on the AWA, click here.

Where are puppy mill puppies sold?

Thousands of puppies are sold from puppy mills each year– and the general public is completely unaware of where they just got their new puppy. The breeder will “meet you half way”, so you don’t have to make the full trip, the breeder will ship the puppy on an airplane to you, or buyer doesn’t even know the purchaser because the transaction was made through a pet store. The BEST way to avoid purchasing a puppy from a puppy mill, is to adopt. But that isn’t always something the public is willing to do. So the next best way to make sure you are not buying from a puppy mill is to check out the parents, see the facility (all of it) and resist temptation from saving a puppy from a place that you deem non-reputable. You are only creating a hole for the breeder to fill with more puppies.

Pet Store: According to the ASPCA: Breeders who sell puppies to pet stores must hold a USDA dealer license, and many states also require breeders to obtain a license to have a dog-breeding kennel. So the statistic is that 99% of puppies in pet stores are from puppy mills. They come from breeders that have enough dogs to constantly keep the cages full of puppies. And the stores will sell puppies like they would a pair of jeans, to anyone with a credit card. They don’t care where that puppy is going or how it will end up. The fact of the matter is, no reputable breeder would sell through a third party. They would want to know exactly where the puppy is going, and more often than not, they require an application and the puppies are required to come back to them if the family can not care for them any longer.

Do you have a pet store near you? Click here to see the the paper trail between your local pet store and the puppy mills they buy from. Bailing Out Benji and our volunteers have been doing the research so we can show you exactly where those puppies came from.

Internet: Fancy websites and Craigslist are a very easy way to sell a lot of puppies and keep people off of the property at the same time. The ASPCA and the HSUS both agree that you should never ever buy a puppy from the internet (alone). You MUST see the property where the puppies are born and raised. Anyone can design a fancy website, but you should look for these red flags.

– If the breeder has several breeds of dogs available.

– If they ship puppies to you

– If they offer to meet offsite.

– If they are selling their puppies on CraigsList

– If they won’t allow you to see their property

Newspapers: Classified Ads are way that puppy mills get rid of their puppies. You would have no way of knowing what kind of breeding facility they run, because they ad is only a few sentences long.

Dog Auctions: Dog Auctions are horrible events in which breeding dogs and puppies are sold to the highest bidder. The dogs are very rarely in good condition. The breeders selling the dogs may be going out of business, they could be getting rid of a certain breed, or they could be getting rid of the dogs that are too old. For an inside look on an auction, click here.

Don’t the puppies deserve homes too? What happens to them if they don’t sell?

This is another one of the most common questions that we are asked. The puppies always sell, because there is always someone that doesn’t know about the pet store/puppy mill connection. What will happen, and what has been happening, is that the public is becoming slowly more aware. This means that the puppies are staying longer in the stores, showing that there isn’t a high demand for them. When the puppies sit longer, the store puts them on sale and keeps dropping the price until they are sold. If they aren’t selling quickly, the store will order less for next month and *hopefully* the breeder will see that the demand is dropping and there isn’t a need for as many dogs on their property. But this all starts with YOU. YOU shouldn’t buy that puppy.

Are there puppy mills near me?

At Bailing Out Benji, we work tirelessly to educate about the horrors of puppy mills, without sharing the graphic photos. One way we have been successful in educating about and exposing these puppy mills is by showing YOU, the consumer, what is really in your back yard. Through the USDA website and, when easily accessible, state department of Agriculture websites, we have pinpointed and color-coded the puppy mills that are lurking in the United States. To view our puppy mill maps, click here. You can also view our new interactive website here.

To view all of our completed puppy mill maps, click on our link above

How can I help?

There are many ways you can help the dogs trapped in puppy mills. They vary from being active, to just being an advocate.

1. If you SEE something, SAY something. If you were someone that unknowingly stumbled upon a bad breeding facility to purchase a puppy, you need to report it! You can either report it to the USDA, your state agency, your local rescue or shelter, or you can contact us and we can point you in the right direction!

2. Be an educator. One of the best ways you can help is by educating your friends, family and coworkers. By sharing this article and making a status about where you shouldn’t buy a dog could deter someone you know! Our organization firmly believes that educating the general public will be the end to puppy mills. Join our growing list of teams and help us fight the industry through education and advocacy!

3. Be an advocate. Look in your area for pet stores that sell puppies and educate about your local problem. Hang up flyers (we can help!) or even start a local protest (we can help with that too!) Getting the word out locally, will break the lies of the pet store and will bring more awareness about puppy mills to your community.

4. Contact your legislators. By letting your legislators know what you care about, it tells them how to vote. You can send a quick email to your legislator and just ask them where they stand on common sense animal issues, especially puppy mills. You may be shocked to find out that not everyone is an advocate for the animals.

5. Don’t give pet stores that sell puppies your money. By boycotting a pet store that sells puppies, you are showing them that you can’t support their business. You can even tell the owner why you are choosing not to shop at their store anymore. To view a list of pet stores across the country that are selling puppy mill dogs, click here.

6. Look for a reputable breeder in your area. If you are set on buying a puppy and you haven’t checked your local rescues or shelters, then ask your local canine club about reputable breeders. Just remember to always check out their facilities!

7. USE SOCIAL MEDIA….. Spread the Word. Use the hashtag #ShowMeTheMommy on social media to stress the importance of asking to see the parent dogs before purchasing a puppy. You can also use #EndPuppyMills and #BailingOutBenji !

8. Stay updated. Like our facebook page , twitter and instagram. Stay updated on how you can help in your area. Don’t forget to SHARE!

We are a small nonprofit organization that makes big changes with very few resources. Our research is used by the leading animal welfare organizations across the country, because what we do is so unique and important. To make a one time donation or to sign up to be a sustaining supporter to allow us to continue our various programs that expose the puppy mill industry, click the donate button below.

November 2, 2022November 10, 2022

2022 USDA Violations- Quarter 3

To see our pet store and online broker research, click here.

This time period is from July 1st, 2022 to September 30th, 2022.

Omitted from these violations are missed inspections and teachable moments. 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:

Quarter 1 Violations

Quarter 2 Violations

This time period is from July 1st, 2022 to September 30th, 2022.

Alabama

Hoof or Paw. Detroit, Alabama- Hoof or Paw also received violations and an Official USDA Warning in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their September 12, 2022, USDA inspection, Hoof or Paw received 5 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification, housing facilities, outdoor housing facilities, primary enclosures, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. This facility appears to be a rescue or shelter organization. At their September 12, 2022, focused inspection, Hoof or Paw received 1 direct violation pertaining to watering. Hoof or Paw 9.12.2022 and Hoof or Paw 9.12.2022 Focused

Arkansas

Cindy Garner and Dwayne Garner. Booneville, Arkansas- At the time of their September 12, 2022, USDA inspection, Garner received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to contingency planning and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in at least three states. Cindy Garner 9.12.2022

Dorothy O’Bar, Jodot Farm. Booneville, Arkansas- At the time of their August 16, 2022, USDA inspection, O’Bar received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to contingency planning, housing facilities, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling puppies to at least one pet store in Maine. Dorothy O’ Bar 8.16.2022

Elisa Brandvik. Ozark, Arkansas- At the time of their August 1, 2022, USDA inspection, Brandvik received 4 non-critical and 1 direct violation pertaining to primary enclosures, watering, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. At the time of their August 11, 2022 inspection, Brandvik received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on September 8, 2022, due to the violations on August 1, 2022. Elisa Brandvik 8.1.2022 Elisa Brandvik 8.11.2022 USDA Warning Elisa Brandvik

Jerrie Joyce Gray. Searcy, Arkansas- At the time of their September 19, 2022, USDA inspection, Gray received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to contingency planning. Jerrie Gray 9.19.2022

Katherine Reece and Don Reece, Reece Kennel Cattery. Danville, Arkansas- At the time of their August 26, 2022, USDA inspection, Reece received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to access and inspection of records and property; submission of itineraries. Katherine & Don Reece 8.26.2022

Mia Prince, AR Premium Pets. Center Ridge, Arkansas- At the time of their August 24, 2022 USDA inspection, this facility received 1 non-critical violations pertaining to access to water. AR Premium Pets 8.24.2022

Michele R. George. Hindsville, Arkansas- At the time of their September 8, 2022, USDA inspection, George received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to sheltered housing facilities. Michele George 9.8.2022

Phil Weymouth and Yolanda Weymouth. Subiaco, Arkansas- At the time of their September 13, 2022, USDA inspection, Weymouth received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to contingency planning. Phil Weymouth & Yolanda Weymouth 9.13.2022

Shelba Canfield, Brooklyn Hill Kennels. Scranton, Arkansas- At the time of their September 13, 2022, USDA inspection, Canfield received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to contingency planning and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling puppies to pet stores in at least two states. Phil Weymouth & Yolanda Weymouth 9.13.2022

Sherry Crossno and Steve Crossno, Painted Bluff Farm. Dardanelle, Arkansas- At the time of their August 24, 2022, USDA inspection, Crossno received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to contingency planning. Sherry Crossno & Steve Crossno 8.24.2022

Indiana

Daniel F. Wingard, Valleyhill Pups. Bristol, Indiana- At the time of their August 30, 2022, USDA inspection, Wingard received 1 direct and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. This facility received an Official USDA Warning October 5, 2022 due to violations received on August 30, 2022. We have record of this facility selling puppies to at least one pet store in Pennsylvania. Daniel Wingard 8.30.2022 USDA Warning Daniel Wingard

Harvey Wagler. Odon, Indiana- At the time of their June 15, 2022, USDA inspection, Wagler received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Harvey Wagler 6.15.2022

Kevin Wagler, K&R Farms. Montgomery, Indiana- At the time of their September 15, 2022, USDA inspection, Wagler received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Kevin Wagler 9.15.2022

Willis Knepp. Montgomery, Indiana- At the time of their August 2, 2022, USDA inspection, Knepp received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification, and veterinary care for dogs.Willis Knepp 8.2.2022

Iowa

Alicia Krogmann. Mount Vernon, Iowa- At the time of their July 6, 2022, USDA inspection, Krogmann received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store that has locations in Illinois and Iowa. Alicia Krogmann 7.6.2022

Alta Z Martin. Ionia, Iowa- At the time of their August 2, 2022, USDA new site inspection, Martin received 9 non-critical violations pertaining to requirements and application, attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, housing facilities, and veterinary care for dogs. At the time of their August 18, 2022, new site inspection, Martin received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. At the time of their August 30, 2022, new site inspection, Martin received 1 non-critical violation again pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Alta Martin 8.2.2022 Alta Martin 8.18.2022 Alta Martin 8.30.2022

Brian Felton. Centerville, Iowa- Felton also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their August 9, 2022, USDA inspection, Felton received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. We have record of this facility selling puppies through at least one broker. Brian Felton 8.9.2022

Carolyn Anderson, Anderson’s Yorkies. Mason City, Iowa- Anderson has received 38 USDA violations so far in 2022, as they also received violations in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2022. At their July 19, 2022, USDA focused inspection, Anderson received 5 non-critical and 1 critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, housing facilities, watering, and veterinary care for dogs. At the time of their August 22, 2022, focused inspection, Anderson received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Carolyn Anderson 7.19.2022 Carolyn Anderson 8.22.2022

Edwin Burkholder and Lucille Burkholder. Riceville, Iowa- Burkholder also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their July 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Burkholder received 8 non-critical violations pertaining to records, housing facilities, exercise for dogs, and veterinary care for dogs. Edwin & Lucille Burkholder 7.28.2022

Elliot Remick. Mount Pleasant, Iowa- At the time of their August 15, 2022, USDA inspection, Remick received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to requirements and application. Performing regulated activities without a USDA license. Elliott Remick 8.15.2022

Heather Anderson. Farmington, Iowa- at the time of their July 13, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Anderson received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to primary enclosures. The inspection was a re-license inspection for a Class A license.Heather Anderson 7.13.2022

Henry Sommers, Happy Puppy. Cincinnati, Iowa- Sommers also received violations in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their August 16, 2022, USDA inspection, Sommers received 8 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, housing facilities, primary enclosures, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling puppies to at least one pet store in Nevada. Henry Sommers 8.16.2022

Ida Kauffman, Backyard Kennels. Hazelton, Iowa- Kauffman also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their August 16, 2022, USDA inspection, Kauffman received 8 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, housing facilities, sheltered housing facilities, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to puppy stores and a major puppy broker in at least four states. Ida Kauffman 8.16.2022

Loren Yoder. Riverside, Iowa- Yoder also received violations in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their September 12, 2022, USDA inspection, Yoder received 1 direct and 6 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, primary enclosures, and feeding. Loren Yoder 9.12.2022

Lloyd Yoder, Meadow View Premier Puppies formerly known as Valley View Premium Puppies. Riverside, Iowa- This facility also received 21 violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their September 12, 2022, USDA inspection, Meadow View Premier Puppies received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to records and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. On the same date, Valleyview Premium Puppies received 1 violation pertaining to records. This facility cancelled their license under the name “Valley View Premium Puppies” and began a new license under Meadow View Premier Puppies after receiving numerous violations this year. Meadow View Premier Puppies 9.12.2022 Valley View Premium Puppies 9.12.2022

Samuel Borntreger. Northwood, Iowa- Borntreger also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their September 7, 2022, USDA inspection, Borntreger received 6 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, primary enclosures, and veterinary care for dogs. Samuel Borntreger 9.7.2022

Steve Kruse, Stonehenge Kennel. West Point, Iowa- Kruse also received violations in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their August 17, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Kruse received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and housing facilities. Steve Kruse 8.17.2022

William Davenport. Thayer, Iowa- At the time of their July 26, 2022 USDA Inspection, Davenport received 2 violations pertaining to requirements and application and access and inspection of records. William Davenport 7.26.2022

Kansas

Danell Rife and Joseph Rife. Westphalia, Kansas- At the time of their July 27, 2022, USDA inspection, Rife received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Danell Rife 7.27.2022

Greg Jones. Parsons, Kansas- Jones also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their August 30, 2022, USDA inspection, Jones received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Greg Jones 8.30.2022

Michigan

Catitude. Calumet, Michigan- At the time of their August 23, 2022 USDA Inspection, this facility admitted that they were conducting regulated activity without a license. That violation led to an official warning from the USDA. Cattitude 8.23.2022 USDA Warning Cattitude

Nathan Steury. Camden, Michigan- Steury also received a violation in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their July 27, 2022, USDA inspection, Steury received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Nathan Steaury 7.27.2022

Minnesota

John Henry Miller. Utica, Minnesota- At the time of their July 19, 2022, USDA inspection, Miller received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to minimum age requirements for resale. Miller sells to pet stores in at least 4 states and through one major dog broker. John Miller 7.19.2022

Mississippi

Lynn Thompson, Furry Little Angels AKA Lynn Creek Chihuahuas. Brooksville, Mississippi- Thompson also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their September 16, 2022, USDA inspection, Thompson received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to contingency planning and veterinary care for dogs. Lynn Thompson 9.16.2022

Missouri

Bernetta Williams. Norwood, Missouri- At the time of their August 2, 2022, USDA inspection, Williams received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and time and method of identification. Bernetta Williams 8.2.2022

Bobbie Lyell and Charleen Lyell, Royal Heritage Kennel. Hartville, Missouri- At the time of their August 8, 2022, USDA inspection, Royal Heritage Kennel received 1 direct and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and handling of animals. This facility received an Official USDA Warning October 19, 2022, due to violations received on August 8, 2022. We have record of this facility selling puppies to pet stores in at least two states. Royal Heritage Kennel LLC 8.8.2022 USDA Warning Royal Heritage Kennel LLC

Carolyn Lansdown and Clifford Lansdown, TLC Kennels. Hartville, Missouri- At the time of their July 13, 2022, USDA inspection, Lansdown received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate care. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on August 28, 2022, due to the violation on July 13, 2022. Carolyn Lansdown 7.13.2022 USDA Warning Carolyn Lansdown

Jacob Zook (ES), Zooks Kennel. Tunas, Missouri- At the time of their July 14, 2022, USDA inspection, Zook received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to time and method of identification. Jacob ES Zook 7.14.2022

John Reiff AKA Anna Mary Reiff, Rocky Branch Kennel. Latham, Missouri- After being listed as one of the worst puppy mills in the nation in 2017 and 2014, Reiff cancelled their previous license and began a new one at the same address but under a different name. At the time of their September 14, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Reiff received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to removal and disposal of tags, records, and primary enclosures. John Reiff 9.14.2022

Mary Ann Smith, Smiths Kennels. Salem, Missouri- At the time of their July 19, 2022, USDA inspection, Smith received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities, watering, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling puppies to pet stores in at least 6 states.Mary Ann Smith 7.19.2022

Melissa Bilbruck. Bates City, Missouri- Bilbruck received an Official USDA Warning stemming from violations they received on June 9th, 2022. USDA Warning Melissa Bilbruck

Ruben Rissler and Eva Mae Rissler, R&R Kennel. Barnett, Missouri- At the time of their September 7, 2022, USDA inspection, Rissler received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this breeder selling puppies through at least one dog broker. Ruben Rissler & Eva Mae Rissler 9.7.2022

Stephen A. Bennett. Theodosia, Missouri- At the time of their September 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Bennett received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, and veterinary care for dogs. Stephen Bennett 9.28.2022

Tina Martin and Troy Martin, TNT Puppies. Holden, Missouri- At the time of their September 21, 2022, USDA inspection, Martin received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Tina Martin & Troy Martin 9.21.2022

Montana

Jack’s Pet Center. Great Falls, Montana- At the time of their June 30, 2022, USDA inspection, Jack’s Pet Center received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities. Jack’s Pet Center 6.30.2022

Nebraska

John Troyer, Andrew Troyer, and Jim Troyer, Troyer Kennel. Milford, Nebraska- At the time of their August 24, 2022, USDA inspection, Troyer received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. John, Andrew, & Jim Troyer 8.24.2022

New York

Aaron Zimmerman. Dundee, New York- Zimmerman also received violations during Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their July 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Zimmerman received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Aaron Zimmerman 7.28.2022

Barbara Ann Miller, Millers Country Puppies. Panama, New York- At the time of their August 1, 2022, USDA inspection, Millers Country Puppies received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Millers Country Puppies 8.1.2022

Daniel Yoder and Sadie Yoder. Jasper, New york- At the time of their August 19, 2022, USDA inspection, Yoder received 1 critical and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities and attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on October 5, 2022, due to violations received on August 19, 2022. Sadie & Daniel Yoder 8.19.2022 USDA Warning Sadie & Daniel Yoder

Ohio

Andy Nisley, Nunda Valley Kennels. Howard, Ohio- Nisley received an Official USDA Warning during Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their September 13, 2022, USDA inspection, Nisley received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. Andy Nisley 9.13.2022

David R Yoder, Waterfall Puppies. Dundee, Ohio- At the time of their September 27, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Waterfall Puppies received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to primary enclosures, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. Waterfall Puppies 9.27.2022

Dennis Hershberger, Hershey Puppy Pals. Charm, Ohio- At the time of their September 29, 2022, USDA inspection, Hershberger received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Dennis Hershberger 9.29.2022

Dennis Mast and Susan Mast Yoder, Alpine Lane Paws LTD. Dundee, Ohio- At the time of their August 22, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Alpine Lane Paws received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to housing facilities. Alpine Lane Paws LTD 8.22.2022

Harvey Troyer, Sunrise Kennel. Baltic, Ohio- At the time of their September 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Troyer received 5 non-critical violations pertaining to records, primary enclosures, and veterinary care for dogs. Harvey Troyer 9.28.2022

Henry Wengerd. Dundee, Ohio- At the time of their September 26, 2022, USDA inspection, Wengerd received 5 non-critical violations pertaining to housing facilities, feeding, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. Henry Wengerd 9.26.2022

Melvin E. Troyer, Dutch Fork Harness Horses. Apple Creek, Ohio- At the time of their September 26, 2022, USDA inspection, Troyer received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to records and veterinary care for dogs. Melvin Troyer 9.26.2022

Mose Miller, Maple View Miller AKA Maple View Kennel. Baltic, Ohio- At the time of their September 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Miller received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Mose Miller 9.28.2022

Nathan Bazler and Sarah Bazler, Little Puppies Online AKA Dogs to the Rescue Ohio. Mount Vernon, Ohio- This facility received an Official USDA Warning on August 17, 2022 due to violations stemming from a December 21, 2021 USDA inspection. Official USDA Warning Little Puppies Online

Ronnie Coblentz, Woodland Puppies LLC. Millersburg, Ohio- At the time of their September 27, 2022, USDA inspection, Woodland Puppies received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to exercise for dogs and veterinary care for dogs. Woodland Puppies LLC 9.27.2022

Oklahoma

Chris McGill, Horseshoe Lane AKA Chris’s Kennel. Mcalester, Oklahoma- McGill received an Official USDA Warning due to violations received on May 19, 2022. You can view those violations in our Quarter 2 report. USDA Warning Chris McGill

Cynthia Paula Jack, Coal Creek Kennel. Stringtown, Oklahoma- Jack also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their June 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Jack received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Cynthia Paula Jack 6.28.2022

Teresa Graham, Graham’s Kennels. Garvin, Oklahoma- At the time of their August 24, 2022, USDA inspection, Graham received 2 direct violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and indoor housing facilities. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on October 5, 2022, due to violations received on August 24, 2022. Teresa Graham 8.24.2022 USDA Warning Teresa Graham

Pennsylvania

Amos King and Rebecca King. Blain, Pennsylvania- At the time of their August 11, 2022, USDA inspection, King received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Amos & Rebecca King 8.11.2022

John Jay Lapp, Peaceful Acres Puppies LLC. Millerstown, Pennsylvania- At the time of their August 2, 2022, USDA inspection, Peaceful Acres Puppies received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to records. Peaceful Acres Puppies LLC 8.2.2022

Jonas Stoltzfus, True Dreem Kennel. Rebersburg, Pennsylvania- At the time of their August 10, 2022, USDA inspection, True Dreem Kennel received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to exercise and veterinary care for dogs. Tru Dreem Kennel 8.10.2022

Tennessee

Barbara Bridges, The Dog House. Enville, Tennessee- At the time of their August 9, 2022, USDA Inspection, Bridges received 3 non-critical violations pertaining to time and method of identification, and veterinary care for dogs. Barbara Bridges 8.9.2022

Washington

Puget Sound Doodles LLC. Lyman, Washington- At the time of their September 20, 2022, USDA inspection, Puget Sound Doodles received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Puget Sound Doodles LLC 9.20.2022

Wisconsin

Andrew Miller. Abbotsford, Wisconsin- At the time of their September 7, 2022, USDA inspection, Miller received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to time and method of identification. Andrew Miller 9.7.2022

Daniel L. Yoder, Rainbow Ridge Kennels. Cashton, Wisconsin- At the time of their July 20, 2022, USDA inspection, Yoder received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling puppies through at least one dog broker. Daniel Yoder 7.20.2022

Esther Schlueter, El Ranchito Pets INC. Cazenovia, Wisconsin- At the time of their July 27, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, El Ranchito Pets received 2 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, and veterinary care for dogs. We have record of this facility selling to at least one pet store in Wisconsin. El Ranchito Pets INC 7.27.2022

Harley E. Bontrager. Cambria, Wisconsin- At the time of their July 27, 2022, USDA inspection, Bontrager received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Harley E. Bontrager 7.27.2022

Jill Kane and Clinton Kane, Tri Valley Resources LLC. Spring Green, Wisconsin- At the time of their September 28, 2022, USDA inspection, Tri Valley Resources received 1 non-critical violation pertaining to primary enclosures.Tri Valley Resources LLC 9.28.2022

Junior Yutzy. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- Yutzy also received violations in Quarter 2 of 2022. At the time of their August 24, 2022, USDA inspection, Yutzy received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, primary enclosures, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Junior Yutzy 8.24.2022

Paul Zimmerman. Boyd, Wisconsin- At the time of their July 5, 2022, USDA re-license inspection, Zimmerman received 4 non-critical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, primary enclosures, and veterinary care for dogs. Zimmerman also missed his follow up inspection on September 6, 2022. Paul Zimmerman 7.5.2022

You can view our previous 2022 violation reporters here:

Quarter 1 Violations

Quarter 2 Violations

To stay updated on puppy mill news and action alerts in your state, sign up to receive our emails below.

Follow us on social media for immediate updates!

To learn about legislation that is happening on the local, state and federal level, click the image below.

September 29, 2022September 29, 2022

Meet the Team: Peggy Race

In honor of Puppy Mill Awareness month, I am super excited to announce our newest segment of Tails and Truths, “Meet the Team!”

Bailing Out Benji’s primary goal has always been to raise awareness of mass breeding and its connection to pet stores. What started as an incredibly small grassroots effort has grown to a National level with volunteers across the country!

We want to take a moment to introduce our supporters to the members of our team. The individuals who help us raise awareness each and every day. While they all possess the passion and dedication to ending puppy mills, they are uniquely different as human beings and we want to recognize and celebrate them!

There are hundreds of volunteers to recognize so it was difficult to decide where to start. However, there is one volunteer whom I personally helped to find Bailing Out Benji through a random, interesting way that will always mean a lot to me.

Peggy Race and I have a mutual business friend who told her about my book. After reading it, she reached out to me and we met for coffee.

After reading the book and learning more about puppy mills, Peggy wanted to get involved and help. At the time, I was not affiliated with Bailing Out Benji but knew that they were branching out and could tell Peggy would be a valuable asset. I told her about the organization and introduced her to Mindi.

Here we are years later and Peggy has become a vital part (Co-Leader) of the Wisconsin team of Bailing Out Benji!

Peggy happily agreed to sit down and share more about herself as our first Meet the Team interviewee!

When did you start volunteering for BOB? I believe it was somewhere around March or April 2017

What state do you represent? Wisconsin

What made you want to be a part of BOB? I was at a point in my life where I was searching for purpose. I was gifted the book, Bark Until Heard. After reading it, I was shocked at what I learned, yet inspired to learn more about puppy mills and to make a difference for the dogs. Prior to reading the book, I had heard about puppy mills but in a sense, I kept a blind eye to the truth. The book connected with me on another level and my journey towards becoming an advocate began.

How did you hear about BOB? After reading Bark Until Heard and learning that the author lived in northern Illinois at that time, I reached out to her and we set up a time to meet. During that get together, Becky mentioned Bailing Out Benji and threw that out as a way I might possibly get involved. Becky connected me to Mindi and the rest is history!

How would you describe what you do for BOB? I am one of the team leads for the WI chapter. I, along with my co-lead, Christin Schubert, hold volunteer meetings to welcome new members. We also schedule and attend tabling events. Periodically, I write up a newsletter for our email supporters. Since 2020, I’ve helped with various pet store ordinances and have provided literature to advocates who are interested in learning more on how they can introduce an ordinance in their town.

What do you enjoy most about BOB? Tabling events are one of my favorite activities. Covid put a dent in those over the past couple years and turned our focus to ordinances. In general, I like attending various events and sharing our message. While I might be educating others, I also find the events educational; especially learning from the experiences of others, whether they purchased a pet store puppy or fostered/adopted a surrendered mill dog.

Describe your life (family, significant other, children, pets, job, hobbies — whatever makes you, you!) My family is basically myself and my three dogs. I’m divorced from my first husband and widowed from my second. Today, my life’s focus is on dogs. I have a thirteen-year-old border collie, who I used to compete in CPE agility events with. I also have a 5-1/2-year-old Cocker Mix who I adopted from the National Mill Dog Rescue in Colorado. Deputy was eight months old at the time NMDR took him in. He came from a breeder in Kansas who shut down his business after the state would no longer license him.

My most recent adoptee is Serafina, a six-year-old Yorkie mix. She was a breeder release dog from an Amish breeder in Central WI. Serafina is a foster fail. I foster dogs through Albert’s Dog Lounge, a senior and special needs rescue. She was my eighth foster dog. I love the outdoors and I’m pretty active. My dogs get a couple long walks each day. Deputy and I are currently involved in agility lessons. Outside of dog activities, I would consider writing to be a hobby. I self-published a rhyming picture book inspired by Deputy to help share the message about puppy mills to the younger generation. My memoir was released in August 2021 by Black Rose Writing. I am currently a volunteer writer with Best Friends Animal Society, writing stories about dogs or cats who have been adopted through Best Friends.

For the past 34 years, I’ve been employed by a company that manufactures whole food supplements. I enjoy partaking in volunteer vacations where I can spend time with dogs. I’ve volunteered several times at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (Utah). I’ve also taken volunteer vacations to the National Mill Dog Rescue (Colorado) and the Animal Rescue Corps (Tennessee), helping care for some of the puppy mill dogs relinquished from the Daniel Gingrich operation in Iowa

What do you think is the most important message about puppy mills the public needs to hear? The pockets of everyone that plays a role in the puppy mill pipeline are being lined by the purchases made by consumers. People need to realize that the cute little puppy in the pet store window, not only has parents who are confined in small areas for their entire breeding life, those puppies are nothing more than a money-making product for the puppy mill pipeline. The mass produced; factory farmed animals need us to be their voice. Since we live in a democratic society, we have been granted the opportunity to be part of legislative change. An opportunity that could alter the world of puppy mills as they exist today.

Additional Comment: I also think that people should look beyond the cute little face in the pet store window. I wonder how many people even question the living conditions of a puppy in the pet store. They spend their day on living/lying on pvc coated grid style cage flooring. I remember seeing puppies in Janesville Furry Babies in baby cribs without fresh water available…although, I was told the employees offer water frequently. In Petland, puppies are usually left to drink from rabbit type watering bottle where they get small drops of water rather than lapping up water from a bowl as a dog should. While that is all visible to the pet shop consumer, I have to wonder what conditions are like and the care that is provided after the store closes.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing us in ending mass breeding? In a sense, I think its two-fold. Mass breeding is legal and therefore, without strict legislation and enforcement, it will remain that way. But I do believe the biggest challenge is the profitability side of the industry. If the industry suddenly starting losing dollars, we would see puppy mills start fading away. Changing consumer perception is not always an easy road to traverse.

What keeps you inspired/motivated to keep fighting? The animals who are still trapped and need our help.

What is one (or more) of the favorite things you have done, participated in, helped with, etc since becoming a part of BOB? That’s a tough one. Certainly being part of a team that helped pass the first pet store ordinance in the state of Wisconsin in my hometown of Whitewater was very exciting. That helped get the ball rolling in Wisconsin and to date, seven cities now have these local ordinances on the books. Being that I’m a person who loves to learn and enjoys finding out the finer details of various things, I have a couple of other very memorable situations that stick with me. Back in 2019, in my quest to learn more about the entire commercial dog breeding industry, I attended a dog auction in Iowa. The auction was a kennel dispersal. I believe the breeder had 2 or 3 different breeding facilities and was closing that one down. Being able to walk through an actual puppy mill and see the various housing units….several small dogs in cages and whelping pens for the moms and pups, really drove home the message that these dogs are viewed as nothing more than factory farmed animals. In fact, I am still haunted by the image of a cocker spaniel who ran circles in its cage as it chased its shadow on the ground. It truly broke my heart to see how confinement just can drive a dog stir crazy. During that trip, I was accompanied by Christin Schubert (co-team lead) and my sister Paula Brown (also a BOB volunteer). The day prior to the auction, Mindi C. (she did not attend the auction) met us and drove us past several larger Iowa puppy mills. Ironically, one of those mills had more dogs housed on the property than the number of residents in the city. Driving past, I snapped a couple photos of dogs living in wire cages that protruded off the end of a run-down barn. Three weeks later, Christin and I went to Racine Petland, once again doing our homework, and the owner handed her a lethargic looking Cavapoo puppy. I did, what any consumer should do and asked about the parents. The owner brought out a binder and told us who the breeder was. Lo and behold, the puppy had come from the same property that Mindi had driven us past, the one I had photos of. Not only that, Petland Racine plays breeder videos in their store and on their website. They make the breeder properties they source from look spacious and immaculate. When I asked to see the video of that breeder’s property, I was told they didn’t have one but they told me they had personally visited the property and “it was as beautiful as the videos playing in the store.” I was dumbfounded when I heard that. I followed up with Mindi the following day, asking how can the store can legally do that, she said, that’s one of the reasons why we have the slogan, “Don’t buy the lies.”

Any goals, dreams, hopes you want to share? Of course, I would like nothing better than to see a Statewide Pet Store Ordinance in Wisconsin. Even with that, it would not help the parent dogs who sit trapped in WI mills producing puppies to be sent out of state to other less regulated communities. Ideally, there would be federal limits placed on the number of breeding dogs any person could own as well as limits to breeding cycles. My hope is that one day we will live in a humane world and I believe that future lies with today’s youth.

Any messages you want to pass on? Anyone can make a difference. I’m a shy, introvert and it took me over a year to get up the courage to approach my council representative regarding a pet store ordinance. Once I got over that first hurdle (my own mental roadblock) things just naturally transpired. I would say, that if you believe in something, then believe you have what it takes to make a difference….you don’t need to be an advocate. Just educating one person can make a difference. Because every person who educates another individual creates an opportunity where that knowledge can be exponentially shared.

Thank you, Peggy, for all of your truly amazing contributions to Bailing Out Benji! Your tireless efforts have really helped to educate so many people in Wisconsin and have helped put an end to selling mass bred puppies in many areas of the state!

Your books are helping to share the truth and your love of fostering is saving animals’ lives. We are so very proud to have you on our team!

Peggy’s books, since she humbly did not mention them, are Deputy Paws and the Puppy Mill Cause and Desiree, The Music of My Soul. I have read both and they are equally brilliant and beautiful.

If you are a current volunteer for Bailing Out Benji, I would love to feature you! Please email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com for more information!

If you want to learn more about becoming a volunteer with Bailing Out Benji, click here.

August 2, 2022November 6, 2022

2022 USDA Violations: Quarter 2

Bailing Out Benji is a national nonprofit organization that independently audits government health records and inspection reports in order to connect puppy mills 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.

——————

This time period is from April 1st, 2022 to June 30, 2022.

Omitted from these violations are missed inspections and teachable moments. 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 reporting on USDA violations in our Quarter 1 report here and our latest reporting on Quarter 3 here.

This time period is from April 1st, 2022 to June 30, 2022.

Alabama

George Cagle, Southern Grace Kennels. Detroit, Alabama- At the time of their May 16, 2022 USDA inspection, Cagle received 1 Direct violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. This facility cancelled their USDA license after these violations, but continue to breed and sell animals. Southern Grace Kennels 5.16.2022. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on June 16, 2022 due to violations received on May 16, 2022. USDA Warning Southern Grace Kennels

Hoof or Paw. Detroit, Alabama- At the time of their May 9, 2022 USDA inspection, Hoof or Paw received 2 non-critical and one critical violation pertaining to housing facilities, outdoor housing facilities and primary enclosures. One of these violations occurred because of the death of an animal. This facility appears to be a rescue or shelter organization. Hoof or Paw 5.9.2022 This facility received an Official USDA Warning on June 16, 2022 due to violations they received on May 9, 2022. USDA Warning Hoof Or Paw

Colorado

Lavern Coblentz, Green Mountain LLC. La Jara, Colorado- At the time of their April 20, 2022 USDA inspection, Coblentz received 1 violation pertaining to housing facilities. Green Mountain 4.20.2022

Illinois

James Yoder, Wagging Tails LLC. Ava, Illinois- At the time of their May 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Yoder received 2 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and housing facilities. Wagging Tails 5.25.2022

Lamar Miller and Loretta Miller, JC Puppies. Arcola, Illinois- At the time of their April 18, 2022 USDA inspection, Miller received 1 violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Lamar Miller 4.18.2022

Sailfin Pet Shop. Champaign, Illinois- At the time of their May 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Sailfin Pet Shop received 1 violation pertaining to primary enclosures. Sailfin Pet Shop 5.25.2022

Indiana

Envigo RMS, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana- This research facility holds a Class A Breeder license. At their May 3, 2022 focused inspection, Envigo received 1 USDA violation pertaining to primary enclosures. Envigo 5.3.2022

Martin Miller. Lagrange, Indiana- At the time of their May 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Miller received 2 violations pertaining to veterinary care for dogs and time and method of identification. Martin Miller 5.25.2022 . We have record of this breeder selling puppies through USDA broker JAKS Puppies.

Iowa

Becky Haberman and Brian Haberman, Sunny Hill Puppies AKA Shady Oaks. Northwood, Iowa- At the time of their April 15, 2022 USDA inspection, Haberman received 7 violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, outdoor housing facilities, feeding, and watering. Becky Haberman 4.15.2022

Brian Sterrenberg, Brian’s Kennels AKA PurebredPups.com. Joice, Iowa- At the time of their April 20, 2022 USDA inspection, Sterrenberg received 3 ‘teachable moment’ notes that other licensees received violations for. These moments recorded were pertaining to records and attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care . Brian Sterrenberg 4.20.2022

Carolyn Anderson, Anderson’s Yorkies. Mason City, Iowa- Anderson has received 31 USDA violations so far in 2022, as they also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At their May 26, 2022 USDA inspection, Anderson received 15 violations, including 1 critical violation, pertaining to time and method of identification, records, handling of animals, housing facilities, compatible grouping, exercise for dogs, and veterinary care for dogs. Carolyn Anderson 5.26.2022

Donald Conrad, Conrad’s Kennel. Keota, Iowa- At the time of their April 20, 2022 USDA inspection, Conrad received 1 violation pertaining to records. Donald Conrad 4.20.2022

Edwin Burkholder and Lucille Burkholder. Riceville, Iowa- At the time of their May 5, 2022 USDA inspection, Burkholder received 6 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, records, and housing facilities. Edwin Burkholder 5.5.2022

Eli Gingerich and Edna Gingerich. Drakesville, Iowa- At the time of their May 17, 2022 USDA inspection, Gingerich received 2 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and housing facilities. Eli Gingerich 5.17.2022. We have record of this facility selling to puppy stores and a major puppy broker in at least six states.

Harley Yoder. Chariton, Iowa- At the time of their April 26, 2022 USDA inspection, Yoder received 1 violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Harley Yoder 4.26.2022. We have record of this facility selling to puppy stores and a major puppy broker in at least seven states.

Henry Sommers, Happy Puppy. Cincinnati, Iowa- Sommers also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their April 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Sommers received 2 direct and 5 noncritical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, housing facilities, watering and veterinary care for dogs. Henry Sommers 4.25.2022. We have record of this facility selling puppies to a pet store in Nevada.

Ida Kauffman, Backyard Kennels. Hazleton, Iowa- At the time of their April 5, 2022 USDA inspection, Kauffman received 5 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, records and veterinary care for dogs. Ida Kauffman 4.5.2022. We have record of this facility selling to puppy stores and a major puppy broker in at least four states.

Jason Beyer and Sarah Beyer, J&S Puppies. Tama, Iowa- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Beyer received 3 noncritical and 1 critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, handling of animals and primary enclosures. Jason Beyer 4.12.2022. This facility also received an Official USDA Warning on May 26, 2022 due to violations they received on April 12, 2022. USDA Warning J&S Puppies

Larry Albrecht, Coldwater Kennel. Greene, Iowa- Albrecht also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their May 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Albrecht received 4 USDA violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, primary enclosures, and compatible grouping. Larry Albrecht 5.25.2022. We have record of this facility selling to puppy stores in at least three states.

Lavern Nolt, Twin Birch Kennels. Charles City, Iowa- Nolt also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their June 21, 2022 USDA inspection, Nolt received 4 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, records, and veterinary care for dogs. Lavern Nolt 6.21.2022

Lawrence Nolt. Charles City, Iowa- At the time of their April 28, 2022 USDA inspection, Nolt received 3 USDA violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, primary enclosures, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Lawrence Nolt 4.28.2022

Linda Thompson, Rolinda Acres Country AKA Thompson’s Puppies. Waterville, Iowa- Thompson also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their June 16, 2022 USDA inspection, Thompson received 1 violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Linda Thompson 6.16.2022. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on April 14, 2022 due to violations they received on March 10, 2022. USDA Warning Linda Thompson

Loren Yoder. Riverside, Iowa-Yoder also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their June 8, 2022 USDA inspection, Yoder received 2 violations pertaining to housing facilities. Loren Yoder 6.8.2022

Menno Gingerich, Skyline Puppies. Albia, Iowa- Gingerich also received 4 USDA violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At their June 27, 2022 USDA inspection, Gingerich received 7 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification, housing facilities, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control, and veterinary care for dogs. Menno Gingerich 6.27.2022

Ray Eash, Ridge Road Kennels LLC. Blakesburg, Iowa- At the time of their April 13, 2022 USDA inspection, Eash received 1 violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Ridge Road Kennels 4.13.2022

Raymond Nisley, Barkin Acres Kennel. Edgewood, Iowa- At the time of their April 26, 2022 USDA inspection, Nisley received 2 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Raymond Nisley 4.26.2022. We have record of this facility selling a puppy to King’s Neptune, an Illinois store, through broker JAKS Puppies after this violation and after the state law went into effect prohibiting this.

Samuel Borntreger. Northwood, Iowa- At the time of their April 11, 2022 USDA inspection, Borntreger received 5 violations pertaining to records, housing facilities, and primary enclosures. Samuel Borntreger. 4.11.2022

Scott Swanson, S&J Kennel. Keota, Iowa- At the time of their June 6, 2022 USDA inspection, Swanson received 6 violations pertaining to housing facilities, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control and veterinary care for dogs. Scott Swanson 6.6.2022. We have record of this facility selling puppies to pet stores in Virginia.

Steve Kruse, Kruse Kennels AKA Stonehenge Kennels. West Point, Iowa- Kruse also received USDA violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their June 22, 2022 USDA inspection, Kruse received 1 direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Steve Kruse 6.22.2022

Woody Wiley. Cantril, Iowa- This facility also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their May 24, 2022 USDA inspection, Wiley received 1 USDA violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care. Woody Wiley 5.24.2022

Kansas

Eric Laderer and Vickie Laderer. Fulton, Kansas- At the time of their May 11, 2022 USDA inspection, Laderer received 4 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, housing facilities, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Eric Laderer 5.11.2022

Greg Jones. Parsons, Kansas- At the time of their June 2, 2022 USDA inspection, Jones received 2 violations pertaining to records and veterinary care for dogs. Greg Jones 6.2.2022

Jim Kramer, Auction House. Arcadia, Kansas- This facility received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. On April 14, 2022, this facility also received an Official USDA Warning due to violations they received on February 26, 2022. USDA Warning Jim Kramer

Mary Moore, D&M Kennel. Uniontown, Kansas- At the time of their May 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Moore received 5 violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control and veterinary care for dogs. Mary Moore 5.25.2022

Mississippi

Lynn Thompson, Furry Little Angels AKA Lynn Creek Chihuahuas. Brooksville, Mississippi- At the time of their May 6, 2022 USDA inspection, Thompson received 6 violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, and veterinary care for dogs. Lynn Thompson 5.6.2022

Missouri

Andy Borntrager and Verna Borntrager, Borntrager Kennels. Norwood, Missouri- At the time of their June 14, 2022 USDA inspection, Borntrager received 2 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and watering. Andy Borntrager 6.14.2022

Andy Gingerich. Clark, Missouri- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Gingerich received 1 violation pertaining to housing facilities. Andy Gingerich. 4.12.2022

Deanna Brundage. Mercer, Missouri- One June 1, 2022 this facility was fined $12,000 and is permanently disqualified from holding a USDA license. USDA Order Deanna Brundage

Edna Troyer and Elmer Troyer, Timber View Kennel. Clark, Missouri- Troyer also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their May 18, 2022 USDA inspection, Troyer received 1 violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Edna Troyer 5.18.2022 We have record of this facility selling puppies to pet stores in at least 6 states.

Ellen Roberts, Rocky Top K-9s . West Plains, Missouri- Roberts also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their May 19, 2022 USDA inspection, Roberts received 3 violations pertaining to primary enclosures and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Ellen Roberts 5.19.2022. We have record of this facility selling puppies to pet stores in Florida.

Joel Ponting, Boulder Oaks Kennel LLC. West Plains, Missouri- At the time of their June 22, 2022 USDA inspection, Boulder Oaks received 1 violation pertaining to primary enclosures. Boulder Oaks Kennel 6.22.2022

Joey Bishop. Seneca, Missouri- Bishop received an Official USDA Warning on June 9, 2022 due to violations received on April 1, 2022. Those violations are not public on the USDA website. Official USDA Warning Joey Bishop

Linda Williams and Matt Williams. Wentworth, Missouri- At the time of their April 15, 2022 USDA inspection, Williams received 1 violation pertaining to primary enclosures. Linda Williams 4.15.2022

Lisa Stark, Toybox Puppies. Barnett, Missouri- At the time of their June 22, 2022 USDA inspection, Stark received 1 violations pertaining to primary enclosures. Toybox Puppies 6.22.2022

Marilyn Byerley, MB Kennel. Mountain Grove, Missouri- At the time of their June 8, 2022 USDA inspection, MB Kennel received 3 violations pertaining to records, outdoor housing facilities, and veterinary care for dogs. MB Kennel. 6.8.2022

Melissa Bilbruck. Bates City, Missouri- On June 9, 2022 the USDA inspected Bilbruck’s associated address to find that they were operating as a dog dealer without a valid USDA license. Melissa Bilbruck 6.9.2022

Tom Nelson, Oak Ridge Pets. Macon, Missouri- At the time of their May 20, 2022 USDA inspection, Nelson received 1 violation pertaining to primary enclosures. Tom Nelson 5.20.2022

Vickie Burden, B&H Kennels. Dora, Missouri- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Burden received 1 direct and 1 non direct violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and records. Burden also received 1 violation pertaining to records at a follow up, focused inspection. Vickie Burden 4.12.2022 Vickie Burden 4.22.2022. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in Texas. This facility also received an Official USDA Warning on May 26, 2022 due to violations they received on April 12, 2022. USDA Warning Vickie Burden

Nebraska

Randy Schweitzer, Route 6 Kennels. Milford, Nebraska- At the time of their April 26, 2022 USDA inspection, Schweitzer refused to allow the inspector to take photos during the inspection. This refusal caused the inspection to stop. Randy Schweitzer 4.26.2022

New York

Aaron Zimmerman. Dundee, New York- At the time of their April 18, 2022 USDA inspection, Zimmerman received 1 direct and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control and veterinary care for dogs. Aaron Zimmerman 4.18.2022. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on May 19, 2022 due to violations received on April 18, 2022. USDA Warning Aaron Zimmerman

Ammon Martin. Penn Yan, New York- At the time of their June 14, 2022 USDA inspection, Martin received 1 violation pertaining to records. Ammon Martin 6.14.2022

Marshall Farms Group LTD. North Rose, New York- This research facility holds a Class A breeder license. At their April 4, 2022 USDA inspection, Marshall Farms received 1 violation pertaining to housing facilities. Marshall Farms Group LTD. 4.4.2022

Matthew Sensenig, Hidden Acres Kennels. Penn Yan, New York- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Sensenig received 1 violation pertaining to housing facilities. Matthew Sensenig 4.12.2022

Melvin Shirk. Penn Yan, New York- At the time of their June 14, 2022 USDA inspection, Shirk received 2 violations pertaining to housing facilities and veterinary care for dogs. Melvin Shirk 6.14.2022

Samuel Brubacker, Hilltop Country Kennel. Dundee, New York- Brubacker also received USDA violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their April 28, 2022 USDA inspection, Brubacker received 1 violation pertaining to sheltered housing facilities. Samuel Brubacker 4.28.2022

Samuel Zimmerman, S&L Kennels. Dundee, New York- At the time of their May 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Zimmerman received 2 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Samuel Zimmerman 5.25.2022

Shem Swarey. Fort Plain, New York- At the time of their May 17, 2022 USDA inspection, Swarey received 1 violations pertaining to records. Shem Swarey 5.17.2022

Stevie Hoover, Hill Country Kennel. Dundee, New York- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Hoover received 1 violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Stevie Hoover 4.12.2022

Ohio

Paul Yoder. Millersburg, Ohio- On April 19, 2022 a USDA inspector arrived at Yoder’s facility to confirm that they were conducting AWA regulated activity without a license. This inspection has since been removed from the USDA website. Paul Yoder 4.19.2022. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on May 26, 2022 due to violations they received on April 19, 2022. USDA Warning Paul Yoder

Treeline Kennel. Alexandria Ohio- Treeline Kennel received an Official USDA Warning onJune 27, 2021 due to violations incurred in December 2021. USDA Warning Treeline Kennel

Oklahoma

Chris McGill, Horseshoe Lane AKA Chris’s Kennel. Mcalester, Oklahoma- At the time of their May 19, 2022 USDA inspection, McGill received 4 direct and 2 noncritical violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, records, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control and employees. Chris McGill 5.19.2022. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in Texas.

Rhonda Frederick, Luvable Puppies. Okmulgee, Oklahoma- At the time of their April 21, 2022 USDA inspection, Frederick received 2 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and housing facilities. Rhonda Frederick 4.21.2022. We have record of this facility selling to pet stores in Texas.

Tamara Blackoak Skinner, PomPered Biewers. Cleveland, Oklahoma- This facility received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. This facility also received an Official USDA Warning on May 12, 2022 due to the violations from their March 28, 2022 inspection. USDA Warning Tamara Blackoak Skinner

Pennsylvania

Crist Lapp, Meadow View Kennel. Ronks, Pennsylvania- At the time of their June 1, 2022 USDA inspection, Lapp had 1 violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Lapp also had an additional 2 violations pertaining to veterinary care at their April 4, 2022 inspection. Crist Lapp 4.4.2022 Crist Lapp 6.1.2022

Marlin Zimmerman and Esther Zimmerman, Turkey Hill Kennel. East Earl, Pennsylvania- At their April 26, 2022 USDA inspection, Zimmerman received 1 USDA violation pertaining to veterinary care for dogs. Marlin Zimmerman 4.26.2022

South Dakota

Cindy Hubers, Da Pa Kli Kennels. Harrison, South Dakota- At the time of their April 4, 2022 USDA inspection, Hubers received 1 direct and 1 non-critical violation pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Cindy Hubers 4.4.2022. This facility received an Official USDA Warning on May 19, 2022 due to violations they received on April 4, 2022. USDA Warning Cindy Hubers . Hubers was also actively selling to the Nebraska dog broker Crittersville during this time period.

Vickie Hines, Lar-Kie Kennel. Woonsocket, South Dakota- At the time of their May 26, 2022 USDA inspection, Hines received 8 USDA violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, primary enclosures, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Vickie Hines 5.26.2022

Tennessee

Angela Shubert, A 1 Puppy. Morris Chapel, Tennessee. At the time of their April 27, 2022 USDA inspection, Shubert received 3 ‘teachable moments’ that other licensees received violations for. Those teachable moments were pertaining to housing facilities, primary enclosures and veterinary care for dogs. Angela Shubert, 4.27.2022

Paws of Dale Hollow. Byrdstown, Tennessee- At the time of their April 25, 2022 USDA inspection, Paws of Dale Hollow received 3 violations pertaining to attending veterinarian and adequate veterinary care, time and method of identification and housing facilities. Paws of Dale Hollow. 4.25.2022

Virginia

Carla McNeal. Riner, Virginia- On April 4, 2022 a USDA inspection was conducted and determined that McNeal was participating in AWA regulated activity without a brokering license. Carla McNeal 4.4.2022

Washington

Traipse Bengals. Issaquah, Washington- At the time of their May 24, 2022 USDA inspection, Traipse received 1 violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Traipse Bengals 5.24.2022

Wisconsin

Abner Renno and Mary Renno. Platteville, Wisconsin- At the time of their May 3, 2022 USDA inspection, Renno received 3 violations pertaining to time and method of identification and records. Abner Renno 5.3.2022

Joseph Borkholder. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- At the time of their April 4, 2022 USDA inspection, Borkholder received 2 violations pertaining to primary enclosures. Joseph Borkholder 4.4.2022

Joseph Schrock. Cadott, Wisconsin- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Schrock received 2 violations pertaining to time and method of identification. Joseph Schrock 4.12.2022

Junior Yutzy. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- At the time of their April 28, 2022 USDA inspection, Yutzy received 6 violations pertaining to time and method of identification, records, housing facilities, primary enclosures and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. Junior Yutzy 4.28.2022

Linda Swarr, Joy Kennels. Curtiss, Wisconsin- At the time of their April 12, 2022 USDA inspection, Swarr received 1 violation pertaining to time and method of identification. Linda Swarr 4.12.2022

Ralph Martin. Thorp, Wisconsin- At the time of their June 21, 2022 USDA inspection, Martin received 2 violations pertaining to sheltered housing facilities and veterinary care for dogs. Ralph Martin 6.21.2022

Timothy Schwartz, Dilly Ridge Dogs. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- Schwartz also received violations in Quarter 1 of 2022. At the time of their April 29, 2022 USDA inspection, Schwartz received 1 violation pertaining to watering. Timothy Schwartz 4.29.2022

——————

To stay updated on puppy mill news and action alerts in your state, sign up to receive our emails below.

Follow us on social media for immediate updates

To learn about legislation that is happening on the local, state and federal level, click the image below.

June 30, 2022June 30, 2022

Meet the Survivors: Buck

Written by Becky Monroe

Meet Buck

“Many people said I wouldn’t find a purebred Poodle in a shelter,” began Katie’s interview about Buck…but with her strong desire and due diligence to find a large, non-shedding, intelligent and easy-going dog, she actually came across quite a few in need of homes.

There was a shelter in her area that did a lot of work with breeder released dogs. She found “Uriah” listed on the site with a very vague description and no picture. It read simply, “Neutered male standard Poodle. Has done well with other dogs in the shelter.”

Taking a chance, Katie and her fiancé (now husband) applied for the dog. They were approved and went to the shelter a few days later with their 12 year old terrier mix, Toby.

They were so pleasantly surprised when the staff brought out this gorgeous, chocolate standard Poodle!

However, Uriah was absolutely terrified of being outside in the fenced area. When they tried to approach him, he ran circles on his leash and did everything he could to get away.

They waited patiently and eventually he became calm enough to pet.

Katie added, “He looked so defeated.”

While they realized quickly Uriah would be a bigger project than they had planned, they still decided he was the dog for them.

They adopted him and took him home and re-named him Buck.

“The first week was the hardest,” Katie described. “ Everything was difficult and I started questioning if I had made the right decision in adopting such a traumatized dog.”

At 3 years of age, Buck was not house trained at all. He was terrified to be touched. He didn’t do steps. He couldn’t walk on a leash and only wanted to lay in the back corner of his kennel and pretend he was invisible.

Buck was broken. He had no personality and as Katie expressed, “Sadly, he didn’t enjoy existing.”

The biggest helper became Toby. Almost instantly, Buck became glued to Toby.

“We joked that Toby was Buck’s emotional support animal,” Katie shared.

In most cases, puppy mill survivors do best when paired with a confident, outgoing well-adjusted dog. After all they have been through, the one thing they seem to trust is their own kind.

With Toby by his side, they started to see that Buck actually craved attention and human contact but was too scared to approach people. They also realized he was very motivated by food.

Buck was only 58 pounds when they adopted him and now 3 years later, he weighs a healthy 74 pounds.

Katie had a friend, Heather, who lived nearby who had a rescued Doberman named Zoe. Zoe was confident and easy-going. Heather was into rehabilitating dogs and became the perfect partner to help get Buck out of his shell.

They started taking group walks everyday and soon those walks were the highlight of Buck’s new life.

He slowly gained confidence and started learning that new experiences were fun and nothing to be scared of.

Katie worked at a vet clinic on weekends and always brought Toby along. As Buck became more trusting, she started taking Buck.

He would sit behind the reception counter and every time someone asked to pet him, Katie would educate them on Buck’s past, ask them to give him a treat first and then let him lead the situation.

It didn’t take too many weekends at the vet clinic until Buck decided all people were fantastic and he started confidently approaching strangers expecting to be pet.

“Saturday mornings became much more exciting when I said the words,’Who is ready to go to work?’ and watched Buck run to the door with excitement,” Katie described.

How far Buck came when only months before he had no interest in life at all.

Katie explained that clients at work would always compliment her on how well-behaved her dogs were and how beautiful Buck was. Katie always took the opportunity to educate them about Buck’s past and encouraged them to look at shelters first when looking for their next pet.

Katie’s experience with Buck led her down a new path. She was so amazed at his transformation in six months that she wanted to get more involved with puppy mill survivor rehabilitation and help another dog find a perfect home.

She became a regular volunteer at the shelter where Buck came from and took home a 3 year old, 4 pound Maltese who had only been used for breeding.

The Maltese was shy, but adapted to normal life much quicker than Buck and in just one month was potty-trained, confident and ready for her happily ever after.

Since Buck came into her life, Katie has become an advocate for stricter breeding laws, ending puppy mills and adopting from shelters.

After submitting information for this interview, Katie became a volunteer with Bailing Out Benji and is doing events to help educate others on puppy mills with Buck by her side.

Katie has fostered two pups from other organizations, both of whom Buck helped to potty train and teach manners.

Not only have they fostered new pups, they adopted another puppy mill survivor, a cream Poodle named Bodi. Buck was eager to show him how walks can be fun and not scary as well as how to go up and down stairs.

Buck’s life has been forever changed by Katie and her family. He is happy and well-adjusted and the best mentor for all the dogs in need they bring into their home.

Thanks Buck for taking so many other pups under your wing and teaching them how great second chances are and thank you for bringing Katie to Bailing Out Benji!!

Just a reminder – if you would like to share your Puppy Mill Survivor’s story with our supporters, I would love to publish it on Tails and Truths! Just email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com.

June 29, 2022June 29, 2022

What is Fostering?

Written by Becky Monroe

I was scrolling Tik Tok the other day and found the most adorable foster story out of California. Hippo, a pit bull looking dog, was up for euthanasia when the organization I Stand with my Pack , pulled him from the shelter and a volunteer started fostering him.

Hippo is the sweetest, cutest dog. The kind of dog you start to consider traveling across the country to adopt, but he now has thousands of followers and I would be a little surprised if his foster family didn’t adopt him themselves.

But, what I noticed when I started following Hippo’s journey was all the comments asking about fostering.

After over a decade in this world of animal welfare, there are many things I take for granted. Knowing what fostering a homeless animal is, is one of them.

Hippo’s story and the numerous inquiries about fostering made me realize that it might be a great topic for this blog. While many of our followers might know what fostering is (and have done it themselves) maybe it would be a good blog to share with friends and family who do not.

Right now shelters and rescues find themselves over capacity. Sadly, many of the animals who found their way into homes during the pandemic are now being relinquished — a fear many animal advocates had two years ago.

The reasons are wide spread, but the reality is in order to save the lives of so many unwanted pets, shelters and rescues desperately need people to step up and foster.

Foster? What does that mean?

Fostering a dog (or any animal) for a specific rescue or shelter means that you are agreeing to temporarily care for that dog like you would a dog of your own. However, all the expenses of the dog are usually paid for by the rescue or shelter until the dog is adopted.

This means all the dog’s food, vet bills, medicines, necessary training etc… are paid for while you are caring for the dog.

Fostering can be super temporary like a matter of days depending on if the dog is healthy and immediately ready for adoption and/or if the dog only needs a place to land in-between transports.

Fostering can last longer — meaning weeks, months or years depending on the situation. Some families choose to get involved with what we call Hospice Fosters. These dogs tend to be seniors who come into rescue late in life with potentially numerous health problems and are deemed unadoptable or likely hard to place because of their age and medical needs. However, these dogs are often super lovable and sweet and just need a quiet, loving home and family to live out their lives.

Fostering is a critical component to saving lives. Many rescues rely on foster homes because they do not have a shelter to house dogs in. These rescues can only pull dogs from shelters if they have a place to put them. When they don’t, dogs sit in shelters, shelters fill up and eventually, dogs are euthanized to make space. It is the harsh reality of unwanted pets.

Many shelters offer their own foster programs in their communities as a way to save more lives than they have capacity for. If they can place some of their dogs in homes, they have more shelter space to take in relinquished animals.

You are literally saving lives when you foster. You are saving the life of the dog you take in and you are saving the life of another dog who needed space in a shelter.

You truly become a dog hero when you foster.

The great thing about fostering is you can find a rescue or shelter who meets your needs. Whether you want to foster a pit bull like Hippo or a Shih Tzu or would like to get involved with Hospice fostering, there is a group out there who needs you – NOW.

You will fill out an application, likely have a meet and greet, a home check and they will help coordinate a foster situation that works for your lifestyle, your current pets, family, home situation, etc.

If you are an avid trainer, they will likely match you to a dog in need of better manners. If you have experience with medical issues, perhaps a dog who needs medicine or therapy would be a great fit.

Right now there are dogs of all shapes and sizes in need of a foster home.

Maybe your family has been considering adopting a dog. Fostering is a great way to see how your family responds to living with a pet.

That said, fostering isn’t something you go into with the idea that if it doesn’t work out in a few days, you walk away. Rescues who pull dogs knowing that they have foster placement, need those fosters to be serious and committed to that dog.

What many of us have experienced during our foster opportunities is what we call, “Foster Fails.”

This does not mean we failed at fostering the dog or did anything wrong. It means that instead of finding the dog a new home, we decided that we wanted to adopt the dog ourselves.

I have foster failed twice. Jack, a mixed breed (pictured above), who was hit by a car and left for dead. Alice, a Shih Tzu, (pictured below) was rescued at an auction. After caring for them, I just couldn’t imagine my life without them in it.

Many talk about the emotional attachment and the difficulty of handing over the dog you cared for to a new family. It is tough. Heck, I have burst into tears after just two days of being a temporary foster for a transport. Our hearts grow attached fast and sometimes it is just impossible to say goodbye.

But, even through the tears, handing over the dog to his new family is so rewarding. Knowing that you were able to be a part of what saved that dog’s life and gave him the second chance he deserved, well, there just aren’t many other opportunities in life that give you such a rewarding feeling.

When you decide to look into fostering, I would keep a few things in mind. Each rescue and shelter operates differently, so you want to ask a lot of questions so you find one that feels right to you.

Some organizations allow the foster home to choose the adoptive family while others might only allow their feedback. Some organizations are very stringent on who they will adopt to — that might or might not sit well with you.

Some organizations give the foster home first right of refusal to adopt the dog while others might just go by their adoption waiting list and allow someone else to adopt the dog first.

Shelters and rescues want to make the foster experience a good one for all involved, so it is just important to ask questions and get a really solid feel for what you are getting into.

As someone who has fostered many animals and foster failed along the way, I will attest that it is such a wonderful experience. I would say that our whole family benefited from our fostering. Our daughter learned how to care for sick animals. Our friends and families learned so much about animal rescue and the need for foster and adoption. I would even say that our various packs benefited from having new dogs join in here and there.

If you are considering fostering, I would ask you act on it today. Across the country shelters and rescues are begging for help. There are simply just too many dogs in need right now and without the help of more individuals getting involved, good dogs will needlessly be euthanized due to no fault of their own.

Honestly, if you need a bit more motivation, I would suggest you go on Tik Tok and watch Hippo from the beginning. Or, watch Dr. Bewley’s fostering of Travolta at the Kentucky Humane Society.

When you see the transformations of these two dogs or watch any transformations of dogs in need and realize what a profound impact you can have on a dog and how that dog can impact your own heart and soul — it is near impossible not to want to be a part of something so beautiful.

Fostering really is an opportunity of a lifetime that provides so many benefits to those involved.

Fostering saves lives and who doesn’t want to save an animal?

Just a reminder – if you would like to share your Puppy Mill Survivor’s story with our supporters, I would love to publish it on Tails and Truths! Just email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com.

June 20, 2022June 20, 2022

Buyer Beware: Boondogs Rescue

All research and information was done by Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!

To view the rest of our research, click here.

In recent years, there has been a massive movement across the country calling for cities and states to pass legislation banning the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores from commercial breeders (puppy mills). This effort was started to end the puppy mill to pet store pipeline with the goal of causing the largest and worst puppy mills in the midwest to downsize and close. Once these laws and ordinances are passed, former puppy-selling stores must now get their puppies, kittens and sometimes rabbits from rescues and shelters to help the homeless animals in their communities, as opposed to aiding in the pet overpopulation problem. To date, more than 420 localities have passed their version of this ordinance, as well as six states.

Bailing Out Benji’s role in passing these ordinances is to provide our research to local advocates and policy makers so they can not only see what is happening inside of puppy mills, but they can see data on how local puppy stores are playing a key role in keeping the industry alive. Because of growing public awareness and the passing of these ordinances, it has become a lot harder for puppy mills and breeders with violations to sell through stores. This caused the birth of the nationwide puppy-laundering scheme through the creation of sham rescues.

Sham rescues are now being created by USDA dog breeders and puppy brokers in order to falsely label commercially bred puppies as “rescues” in order to still sell puppies through retail stores in communities where it has been outlawed. These breeding facilities are getting rescue names and business licenses, even sometimes taking the additional step to become an official 501c3 charity, all with the intent of selling mislabeled puppies to stores. Litters of puppies are often split up in transport, half being sold as rescues and the other half being sold as commercially bred puppies, ignoring the fact that they were born at the same place. This is a new trend in the commercial dog breeding world, one that our nonprofit organization is leading the way on investigating and ending.

Our investigations into two sham rescues in Iowa ( Hobo K9 Rescue and Rescue Pets Iowa ) led to the Iowa Attorney General shutting them down, and our investigation into a sham Missouri rescue ( Pet Connect Rescue ) led to lawsuits and the passage of a stronger statewide bill in California. Other investigations that we have done (Dogs to the Rescue Ohio) have led to major news networks covering the story. We are also beyond honored that our research was used in Sony’s new investigative series “Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin“, a podcast that does a deep dive into the sham rescue world.

Our work is never done, it seems, as every time we help shut down one of these fake rescues, another one pops up.

Interestingly enough, we didn’t uncover this latest sham rescue through government health records.

We learned it through a press release that the owner of Petland Oklahoma City and Petland Tulsa put out themselves.

On June 14, 2022 Petland put out a press release to announce that they “are excited to announce their new partnership with Oklahoma rescue, Boondogs Rescue, to support local adoptions.” To be clear, Petland would still be offering commercially bred puppies for sale but, according to this press release, they will now be offering space to a local rescue.

Except that local rescue was founded by a USDA commercial dog breeder in Oklahoma. A dog breeder that also sells puppies to pet stores across the country. Janet Donnelly of Inola, Oklahoma is the owner of both her breeding facility and the newly formed Boondogs Rescue.

A quick public records request showed us that the addresses for the ‘rescue’ and the commercial dog breeding facility were one and the same. We have redacted the private addresses for the sake of this article.

While neither Tulsa, OK or Oklahoma City, OK have humane pet store ordinances yet, Petland’s announcement and partnership with this sham rescue seemed very important to point out. To date we have never seen a Petland store use sham rescues or be an active part of the puppy laundering scheme. If you would like to see which breeders Petland Oklahoma City and Petland Tulsa obtain animals from, you can click here.

Historically, when ordinances have been passed, Petland has either complied and stopped selling puppies or they relocate to another state. Carl Swanson, owner of both Petland Oklahoma locations, had his Illinois stores affected by the local and state ordinances that were passed.

At this time, Boondogs Rescue is not an active 501c3, so no donations are tax deductible. They have solely taken steps to become an Oklahoma state licensed rescue. In the aforementioned press release, Petland did say that “The relationship with Boondogs Rescue began during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when Oklahoma Petland stores donated truckloads of dog food to Boondogs Rescue. Both organizations are grateful for the opportunity to further develop the relationship.” According to the documents we obtained from the state of Oklahoma, Donnelly first applied to be a rescue on August 4, 2021- more than a year and a half after the start of the pandemic.

We are currently awaiting another public records request to determine where Boondogs Rescue is obtaining their dogs, beyond Donnelly’s own breeding facility.

Meanwhile, the ‘rescue’ dogs have already made their way to the social media channels of Petland Tulsa.

The Nationwide Puppy Laundering Scheme has affected thousands of customers who thought that they were adopting puppies from legitimate rescues. Many lawsuits have happened in the past and even more are coming down the line. This type of operation is the definition of consumer and charity fraud.

If you are a customer of Petland Tulsa or Petland Oklahoma and you believe that you purchased a “rescue puppy” and want to know more about where it was born, please feel free to email us below. We also suggest filing a complaint with the Oklahoma Attorney General about the potential mislabeling of your “rescue” puppy.

All research and information was done by Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!

To view the rest of our research, click here.

May 31, 2022July 21, 2022

Buyer Beware: JAKS Puppies

All research and information was done by Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!

To view the rest of our research, click here.

When it comes to the puppy mill industry, there is no shortage of “key players” in the game. You have breeders, brokers, transport companies, pet stores and online websites. In this day and age, there is no true way to know where your puppy is coming from unless you visit the facility yourself to meet the parents, or adopt a pet from a local rescue or shelter.

Unfortunately, the dog breeding business is clouded in secrecy and, unless you know how to ask the right questions, you will constantly be searching for answers. One of the main projects that Bailing Out Benji focuses on is independently auditing government health records that track puppies from breeder to broker to pet store, so the public has a fighting chance to do their research before they buy a puppy.

In this case, we have requested Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs), on notorious dog broker, JAKS Puppies. JAKS Puppies is based out of Britt, Iowa and not only sells to pet stores all over the country, but they started one of the nation’s first sham rescue operations. Because of their role in this, JAKS was investigated by the Iowa Attorney General due to puppy laundering and they are linked to other sham rescue organizations that have been sued in the state of California.

After the investigation was over, the Iowa Attorney General ordered JAKS Puppies to shut down their sham nonprofits and pay a fine to the state. While they are legally still allowed to sell commercially bred puppies, they are no longer allowed to label them as “rescue puppies”.

Jolyn Noethe of JAKS is now also the subject of a new podcast produced by Sony and Neon Hum Media. “Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin”.

Americans are used to being on the lookout for a scam, but authorities are warning of a new kind of fraud. Puppy Kingpin shines a spotlight on Jolyn Noethe, a secretive businesswoman from Iowa who is accused of laundering puppies much like drug money. Investigative reporter Alex Schuman exposes the scheme and an underground part of the industry bringing us the pets we love. From Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment. Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin is available June 16th, 2022. Subscribe on apple podcasts to binge all episodes or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

The tricky part with the secretive puppy mill industry is that the CVIs are only needed when a puppy is crossing state lines. So the JAKs name is on those documents when a pet store gets the puppy- and rarely the name of the actual breeder. This is where we come in!

Below you will find a list of all of the known facilities that JAKS buys from before they broker the puppies to pet stores from coast to coast. Please note: we won’t see any of the Iowa breeders that JAKS sources from, because CVIs weren’t required for the initial transfer.

So far, our research has discovered that JAKS Puppies sells to pet stores in Washington, Idaho, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Virginia, Kansas, Georgia, Texas, California, Arizona, Nebraska, Missouri, and Illinois . We are still pulling records on additional states.

Below you will find a list of the facilities that JAKS Puppies sourced from in 2021 organized by state that the puppies originated in.

Based on the records we audited, we were able to determine that JAKS Puppies imported at least 8,500 puppies from facilities outside of Iowa. This number is likely much higher, as we know that JAKS buys from several Iowa facilities. Our research also determined that 47% of the facilities that JAKS buys from are unlicensed and unregulated.

*All of these connections below came from records obtained from the Iowa Department of Agriculture.*

If you would like to donate to help us continue our research, you can do that here.

Illinois

1. 1. Bennie Chupp. Arcola, Illinois- appears to be unlicensed.
  2. Raymond Yutzy, Melinda Yutzy, and Rebecca Yutzy. Liberty, Illinois-was USDA licensed but canceled and doesn’t currently hold a state or USDA license.
  3. Stephen Yutzy. Liberty, Illinois- appears to be unlicensed.

Indiana

1. 1. Ada Wagler. Loogootee, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  2. Allen R Stoll. Logootee, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  3. Anna Mae Graber and Daniel K Graber. Odon, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 8/18/2021, Graber had 23 adult breeding dogs and 35 puppies.
  4. Ben Wagler. Odon, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  5. Dave Knepp. Loogootee, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  6. David Glick. Middlebury, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  7. Elmer Raber. Odon, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  8. Elmer L Wagler. Montgomery, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  9. Fred Yoder. Middlebury, Indiana- there is no address on the CVI, but we are unable to locate a USDA or state license for a ‘Fred Yoder’ in Middlebury.
  10. Herman Raber, Raber’s Frenchies. Montgomery, Indiana. At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 3/2/2021, Raber had 28 adult breeding dogs and 29 puppies.
  11. James Otto and Maryann Otto. Topeka, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 8/19/2021, Otto had 16 adult breeding dogs and 29 puppies.
  12. Jerry Miller, Play More Kennel. Lagrange, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 2/1/2022, Miller had 16 adult breeding dogs and 6 puppies.
  13. Jerry Wingard. Goshen, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 9/21/2021, Wingard had 9 adult breeding dogs and 15 puppies.
  14. John Otto, Red Barn Kennels. Ligonier, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 3/28/2022, Otto had 30 adult breeding dogs and 33 puppies.
  15. Kevin Graber. Montgomery, Indiana- hasn’t been USDA licensed since 2016. Graber canceled shortly after receiving 4 USDA violations.
  16. Levi Wagler and Janet Wagler. Loogootee, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  17. Lonnie Lambright. Shipshewana, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 4/19/2022, Lambright had 10 adult breeding dogs and 5 puppies.
  18. Lucas Miller. Shipshewana, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  19. Marcus Lengacher. Odon, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  20. Francis Wagler and Margaret Wagler. Loogootee, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 2/10/2022, Wagler had 36 adult breeding dogs and 24 puppies.
  21. Marion Mishler. Lagrange, Indiana- there is no address on the CVI, but we are unable to locate a USDA or state license for a “Mishler” in Lagrange.
  22. Martin Miller. Lagrange, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 8/10/2021, Miller had 43 adult breeding dogs and 38 puppies.
  23. Mary Yoder. Shipshewana, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  24. Mervin Raber, Pine Hill Pets. Montgomery, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 10/7/2021, Raber had 17 adult breeding dogs and 14 puppies.
  25. Michael Yoder. Topeka, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  26. Orlie Otto and Julie Otto, Natureview Puppies. Topeka, Indiana- there is no address on the CVI, but we are unable to locate a USDA or state license for an “Orlie or Julie Yoder” in Topeka.
  27. Richard Frey. Topeka, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 10/7/2021, Frey had 29 adult breeding dogs and 24 puppies.
  28. Richard Yoder. Topeka, Indiana- there is no address on the CVI, but we are unable to locate a USDA or state license for a “Richard Yoder” in Topeka.
  29. Steve Kauffman. Middlebury, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  30. Steven Mullett. Goshen, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  31. Vernon and Kathryn Lambright, Peaceful Hollow pets AKA Clearspring Kennels. Wolcottville, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 11/6/2019, Lambright had 81 adult breeding dogs and 78 puppies with a history of violations that resulted in them being named one of the worst puppy mills in the country.
  32. Virginia Wagler. Loogootee, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  33. Walter Schwartz. Monroe, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  34. Wayne Miller and Karen Miller, Rowe Eden Kennels AKA Woffer Kennels. Middlebury, Indiana- At the time of their most recent USDA inspection on 9/8/2021, Miller had 131 adult breeding dogs and 121 puppies. This facility was also named one of the worst puppy mills in the country in 2020. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  35. Willard Beechy. Shipshewana, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.
  36. Willis Schwartz. Monroe, Indiana- appears to be unlicensed.

Iowa

1. 1. Edwin Gingerich, Winginger Kennel. Seymour, Iowa- At the time of their last IDALS inspection on 11/29/2021, Gingerich had 15 adult breeding dogs and 3 puppies. This facility became licensed after Bailing Out Benji filed a complaint about their unlicensed breeding facility in October 2021.

Kansas

1. 1. Audrey Sinn. Mahaska, Kansas- appears to be unlicensed.
  2. Jane Waterman, Waterman Kennels. Atwood, Kansas- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 4/5/2022, Waterman had 229 adult breeding dogs and 110 puppies. This facility was named one of the worst puppy mills in the country in 2020.

Michigan

1. 1. Daniel Lambright and Marcus Lambright. Grand Junction, Michigan- At the time of their last USDA inspection on September 8, 2021, Lambright had 22 adult breeding dogs and 24 puppies.
  2. Jacob Lambright and Samuel Lambright. Bloomingdale, Michigan- This facility canceled their USDA license after receiving 7 USDA violations, including one critical violation during their two June 2021 inspections. These violations were pertaining to outdoor housing facilities, primary enclosures, dogs chained to logs, lack of water, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping and pest control. At the time of their last inspection, Lambright had 38 adult breeding dogs and 28 puppies.

Minnesota

1. 1. Angie McDuffee and Wanda Kretzman, AJ’s Angels AKA Clearwater Kennel. Cushing, Minnesota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/20/2021, AJ’s Angels had 786 adult breeding dogs and 386 puppies. This facility has also been named one of the worst puppy mills in the country twice. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  2. Ashley Freeburg. Tracy, Minnesota- appears to be unlicensed.
  3. Craig Kleven and Linda Kleven, Fair View Kennels. Walnut Grove, Minnesota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 2/1/2022, Kleven had 56 adult breeding dogs and 19 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  4. Jim Christian. Currie, Minnesota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/23/2022, Christian had 56 adult breeding dogs and 17 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  5. John Henry Miller. Utica, Minnesota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 7/7/2021, Miller had 51 adult breeding dogs and 31 puppies.
  6. Justin Sawyer, Foot Hills Farm. Backus, Minnesota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 8/13/2019, Sawyer had 159 adult breeding dogs and 82 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  7. Melvin Lien. Garvin, Minnesota- appears to be unlicensed.

Missouri

1. 1. Amos Schwartz. Princeton, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/19/2021, Schwartz had 25 adult breeding dogs and 24 puppies. Schwartz was named one of the worst puppy mills in the country in 2013 and has been downsizing their kennel over the last few inspections. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  2. Andrew Borntreger. Princeton, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 8/27/2021, Borntreger had 95 adult breeding dogs and 92 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  3. Anna Hoover, Wilmer Hoover and Janet Sloan, Tailspin Kennel. Versailles, Missouri- This facility has two USDA inspected sites on the same property. Site 2 was inspected on 3/15/2022 and had 43 adult breeding dogs and 8 puppies. Site 1 was inspected on 5/24/2021 and had 13 adult breeding dogs and 5 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  4. Anna Leinbach. Versailles, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  5. Athea Stutzman and Sarah Stutzman. Jamesport, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  6. Chris Mast, Shady Ridge Kennel. Bogard, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/10/2022, Mast had 74 adult breeding dogs and 25 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  7. David Blackburn and Denise Blackburn, D&D Blackburn Kennel. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/5/2022, Blackburn had 50 adult breeding dogs and 69 puppies.
  8. Dana Farr, A Cute Puppy. Stewartsville, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 11/15/2021, Farr had 23 adult breeding dogs and 16 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  9. Daniel Shirk. Chula, Missouri- At the time of their 12/4/2020 USDA inspection, Shirk had 40 adult breeding dogs and 23 puppies. Their most recent inspection was a focused inspection for a small amount of animals (1 adult, 4 puppies). This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  10. Darla Reiff, Playful Pals Country Kennel. Versailles, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/30/2022, Reiff had 46 adult breeding dogs and 15 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  11. David Blaine. Greentop, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  12. David Mast. Jamesport, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  13. David Rhinehart. Jamesport, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  14. David Stutzman and Katie Stutzman. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/4/2022, Stutzman had 54 adult breeding dogs and 28 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  15. Edwin Shirk and Annetta Shirk, Willow Dell. Chula, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/11/2021, Shirk had 78 adult breeding dogs and 36 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  16. Emery Shetler. Mercer, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  17. Enos Mast. Bethany, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  18. Eva Mae Rissler and Ruben Rissler, R&R Kennel. Barnett, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 8/18/2021, Rissler had 83 adult breeding dogs and 24 puppies.
  19. Eva Martin and Isaac Martin, Cedar Line Kennel. Fortuna, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/5/2021, Martin had 26 adult breeding dogs and 21 puppies. This facility has been named one of the worst puppy mills in the country twice.
  20. Gary Simmons and Victoria Simmons. Amity, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/28/2022, Simmons had 53 adult breeding dogs and 49 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  21. Geri Higgins, Higgins Kennel. Kirksville, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 7/22/2021, Higgins had 48 adult breeding dogs and 25 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  22. Gladys Martin and Edward Martin, Circle M Kennels. Versailles, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  23. Glenn Bontrager. Hamilton, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  24. Ivan Yutzy and Reuben Yutzy, Stoney Creek Kennel AKA Little Paw Kennels. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 2/9/2022, Yutzy had 47 adult breeding dogs and 55 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  25. Jacob Wagler. Gilman City, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  26. James Ranes and Ryan Ranes, Double R Cattle Co. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/5/2021, Ranes had 43 adult breeding dogs and 47 puppies.
  27. John Hall. Ava, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  28. John Yoder. Ravenwood, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  29. Jonas Hostetler, Shady Maples Kennel. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 2/14/2022, Hostetler had 21 adult breeding dogs and 3 puppies.
  30. Junior Detweiler, Echo Valley Kennel. Princeton, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/7/2021, Detweiler had 104 adult breeding dogs and 69 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  31. Katie Borntrager and Aaron Borntrager, A-N-K Kennel. Princeton, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/1/2022, Borntrager had 18 adult breeding dogs and 6 puppies.
  32. Levi Kurtz and Martha Kurtz. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 2/14/2022, Kurtz had 14 adult breeding dogs and 10 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  33. Lukas Miller, K9 Kreations. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/11/2022, Miller had 38 adult breeding dogs and 16 puppies.
  34. Lydia Stauffer, JL Farm. Versailles, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/21/2021, Stauffer had 28 adult breeding dogs and 26 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  35. Mabel Zimmerman, Prairie Dog Kennel. Latham, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 8/31/2021, Zimmerman had 38 adult breeding dogs and 21 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  36. Marcee Bryant and John Bryant, Puppy Junction. Seneca, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 8/12/2021, Bryant had 89 adult breeding dogs and 14 puppies. Bryant also had 2 violations on this inspection pertaining to veterinary care and housing facilities.
  37. Marilyn Zimmerman, Sky High Kennel. Latham, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/19/2022, Zimmerman had 32 adult breeding dogs and 8 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  38. Mary Lou Blaine, Sunny B’s Kennel AKA Blaine’s Kennel. Greentop, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 2/15/2022, Blaine had 10 adult breeding dogs.
  39. Matthew Zimmerman and Angie Zimmerman, Oak View Farm. El Dorado Springs, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/26/2021, Zimmerman had 9 adult breeding dogs.
  40. Michael Yutzy, Shady Hollow Kennel. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/4/2022, Yutzy had 118 adult breeding dogs and 80 puppies.
  41. Michelle Detweiler. Jamesport, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  42. Mike Murphy. Albany, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  43. Phillip Hoover, Show Me Puppies. Memphis, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/6/2022, Hoover had 445 adult breeding dogs and 144 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  44. Roman Bontrager. Bethany, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  45. Roman Detweiler. Princeton, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  46. Samuel Mast and Rachel Mast, Puppy Love Kennels. Trenton, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/6/2020, Mast had 38 adult breeding dogs and 23 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  47. Sam Packnett. Hughesville, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  48. Samuel Hershberger. Spickard, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  49. Sarah Webb, S&C Precious Puppies. Gilman City, Missouri- This facility canceled their USDA license. Prior to that, Webb had 35 adult breeding dogs.
  50. Sherry Hughs and Kenny Hughs, Racoon Creek Kennel. Trenton, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 9/8/2021, Hughs had 17 adult breeding dogs and 11 puppies.
  51. Terry Hall. Ava, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.
  52. Timothy Hostetler. Jamesport, Missouri- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/11/2022, Hostetler had 9 adult breeding dogs.
  53. William Troyer. Bethany, Missouri- appears to be unlicensed.

Ohio

1. 1. David Burkholder. Millersburg, Ohio- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 9/22/2021, Burkholder had 29 adult breeding dogs and 8 puppies.
  2. Marie Burkholder. Holmesville, Ohio- appears to be unlicensed.
  3. Mose Troyer. Millersburg, Ohio- appears to be unlicensed.
  4. Robert Yoder. Frederickstown, Ohio- appears to be unlicensed.

Pennsylvania

1. 1. Harvey Martin. Denver, Pennsylvania- appears to be unlicensed.

South Dakota

1. 1. Calvin Kroger, Kroger Kennel. Hudson, South Dakota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 12/14/2021, Kroger had 45 adult breeding dogs and 19 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  2. Steve Thiesse and Judy Thiesse, TZ Kennel. Mitchell, South Dakota- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/2/2022, Thiesse had 15 adult breeding dogs and 6 puppies.

Wisconsin

1. 1. Alvin Martin, A&E Farm AKA Pine Hollow Farm. Greenwood, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/19/2021, Martin had 191 adult breeding dogs and 109 puppies. This facility has also been on the horrible hundred puppy mill list in 2014, 2016 and 2017. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  2. Adam Miller. Cashton, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  3. Benuel Allgyer. Platteville, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 4/22/2022, Allgyer had 10 adult breeding dogs and 18 puppies.
  4. Ben Borntreger. Tomah, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  5. Christy Borntreger and Eli Borntreger, Shady Valley Kennels. Tomah, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 4/22/2022, Borntreger had 47 adult breeding dogs and 54 puppies. Borntreger also received and official USDA warning after violations they received in December 2021. Because of that, Borntreger was named one of the worst puppy mills in the country. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  6. Clyde Horst, Red Barn Kennel. Stanley, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 12/14/2021, Horst had 95 adult breeding dogs and 23 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  7. Dan Yoder, Rainbow Ridge Kennels. Cashton, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 8/30/2021, Yoder had 12 adult breeding dogs and 6 puppies.
  8. David Nisley. Wesby, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 2/17/2022, Nisley had 161 adult breeding dogs and 82 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  9. David Miller. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/15/2021, Miller had 39 adult breeding dogs and 42 puppies.
  10. Dorothy Nolt and Gerald Nolt. Thorp, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/1/2022, Nolt had 106 adult breeding dogs and 26 puppies.
  11. Earl Horning. Stanley, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  12. Ella Mae Brubacker, Northwood Kennel. Thorp, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 4/13/2022, Brubacker had 126 adult breeding dogs and 55 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  13. Elmer Miller. Wesby, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 10/13/2021, Miller had 10 adult breeding dogs and 7 puppies.
  14. Emma Horst. Stanley, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  15. Ester Nolt and Alvin Nolt. Thorp, Wisconsin- Canceled their USDA license after a history of violations. This facility was also named one of the worst puppy mills in the country in 2017 and 2015.
  16. Miriam Hoover and Raymond Hoover, Farm House Kennel. Stanley, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 3/9/2022, Hoover had 48 adult breeding dogs and 65 puppies. This facility also received 5 violations on their 3/2/2022 inspection.
  17. Henry Hershberger and Henry Nisley. Wesby, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 4/24/2019, Hershberger had 37 adult breeding dogs and 22 puppies. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  18. Jacob Stoltzfus. Fennimore, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  19. Jesse Miller. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- After a history of violations, this facility canceled their USDA license. This facility had 63 adult breeding dogs and 21 puppies at their 1/28/2020 USDA inspection.
  20. John Nolt, J&A Acres. Withee, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 9/28/2021, Nolt had 111 adult breeding dogs and 69 puppies.
  21. Lamar Martin. Boyd, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  22. Leroy Borntreger. Granton, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 11/2/2021, Borntreger had 12 adult breeding dogs and 7 puppies.
  23. Lewis Miller. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  24. Marvin Burkholder and Malinda Burkholder, Pooch Kennel. Greenwood, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 1/11/2022, Burkholder had 13 adult breeding dogs and 11 puppies.
  25. Marvin Miller. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  26. Mary Ann Bontrager. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 12/7/2021, Bontrager had 57 adult breeding dogs and 37 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  27. Mervin Miller. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  28. Noah Martin. Withee, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 12/11/2019, Martin had 114 adult breeding dogs and 82 puppies. This facility is a regular supplier to JAKS.
  29. Reuben Schrock, Premier Kennels. Westby, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 11/16/2021, Schrock had 45 adult breeding dogs and 12 puppies. This facility also received two violations on this report due to primary enclosures and veterinary care. This facility is a major supplier to JAKS.
  30. Samuel Bontrager. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  31. Steve Miller. Hillsboro, Wisconsin- appears to be unlicensed.
  32. Warren Brubacker, Twilight Kennel. Thorp, Wisconsin- At the time of their last USDA inspection on 12/28/2021, Brubacker had 38 adult breeding dogs and 45 puppies. This facility supplied JAKS prior to obtaining a USDA license.

Once JAKS Puppies receives the puppies from the breeders listed above, they are then transported up to 25 hours in the backs vans and resold to pet stores all over the country. All before the puppy is even 9 weeks old. To find out where these puppies end up, click here.

To put an end to this cruel industry, we must stop putting money into the pockets of the businesses that are fueling puppy mills. Don’t shop at pet stores that sell puppies and don’t buy a puppy online or through a newspaper without meeting the parents first.

Please consider making a donation to our nonprofit organization to help us continue researching, exposing and fighting the puppy mill industry.

Share this:

Share this:

What is a “puppy mill”?

What are the worst states when it comes to puppy mills?

If puppy mills are so bad, why do they exist?

Where are puppy mill puppies sold?

Don’t the puppies deserve homes too? What happens to them if they don’t sell?

Are there puppy mills near me?

How can I help?

Share this:

Share this:

If you want to learn more about becoming a volunteer with Bailing Out Benji, click here.

Share this:

You can view our previous reporting on USDA violations in our Quarter 1 report here and our latest reporting on Quarter 3 here.

Share this:

Meet Buck

**Just a reminder – if you would like to share your Puppy Mill Survivor’s story with our supporters, I would love to publish it on Tails and Truths! Just email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com.**

Share this:

**Just a reminder – if you would like to share your Puppy Mill Survivor’s story with our supporters, I would love to publish it on Tails and Truths! Just email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com.**

Share this:

©Bailing Out Benji 2022

All research and information was done by Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!

To view the rest of our research, click here.

©Bailing Out Benji 2022

All research and information was done by Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!

To view the rest of our research, click here.

Share this:

©Bailing Out Benji 2022

All research and information was done by Bailing Out Benji and must be cited as such when shared or quoted!

To view the rest of our research, click here.

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Ohio

Pennsylvania

South Dakota

Wisconsin

Share this:

Just a reminder – if you would like to share your Puppy Mill Survivor’s story with our supporters, I would love to publish it on Tails and Truths! Just email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com.

Just a reminder – if you would like to share your Puppy Mill Survivor’s story with our supporters, I would love to publish it on Tails and Truths! Just email me at bmonroe@bailingoutbenji.com.