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UPDATE: On May 10, 2024, the House Agriculture Committee released additional Farm Bill details regarding “enhance[d] protections for dogs covered under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).” We were hopeful that these enhancements would come in the form of USDA enforcement reform, but it appears that the House is merely calling on the USDA to create a report evaluating its own enforcement capabilities and efforts. This is deeply disappointing, as it reduces any sense of urgency to improve protections for dogs in USDA-licensed facilities. Three decades of audits conducted by the Office of Inspector General already chronicle the USDA’s failure to adequately enforce the AWA. Calling for another report would cause more delay and offer no chance of improvement in a clearly broken agency process; and dogs suffering in USDA-licensed facilities will not get the help they need, possibly for years. We must push for stronger Farm Bill language for vulnerable animals.
On May 1, 2024, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees unveiled their individual Farm Bill frameworks, or outlines that preview their priorities for the final Farm Bill text. The outlines from both committees suggest major changes could be coming that will impact farm animals and companion animals, with opportunity still to advocate for positive change for horses. Here's what we found!
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What You Can Do
Both the House and the Senate have yet to release the official draft text for the Farm Bill, so there’s still time to urge them to do better for animals. Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to see a current list of alerts you can take action on today!
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Goldie’s Act would ensure the USDA does its job to protect dogs in federally licensed puppy mills
March 21, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC – The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) commends U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) for introducing Goldie’s Act to address the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) abject failure at enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which has led to ongoing animal suffering in federally licensed facilities, including puppy mills.
Named after a Golden Retriever who was left to suffer and die at a USDA-licensed puppy mill in Iowa, Goldie’s Act would require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, issue penalties for violations, and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect. A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last year by a bipartisan team of lawmakers including U.S. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Chris Smith (R-N.J.), and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa).
“Goldie’s Act, named after a dog who endured months of suffering under the USDA’s watch and tragically died in an Iowa puppy mill, will prevent thousands of other vulnerable dogs from meeting the same tragic and unacceptable fate,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President & CEO. “We urge Congress to include Goldie’s Act in the upcoming Farm Bill to ensure the USDA fulfills its responsibility under the law – and to taxpayers – to protect dogs bred and warehoused for the pet trade.”
“This essential measure gives the USDA the tools and resources needed to hold abusers accountable and to protect innocent animals,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “Neglect and mistreatment have no place in our society, and I am proud to introduce this legislation to uphold the health and safety of animals and to keep them out of harm’s way.”
Senator Rick Scott said, “Puppy mills are cruel and inhumane and I am proud to team up with Senator Blumenthal to introduce the Goldie’s Act to crack down on these despicable operations. This good bill will strengthen existing law and provide greater clarity and coordination with law enforcement to hold people who are cruel to animals accountable for their crimes with stronger civil penalties. I urge our colleagues to support this bill to better protect our four-legged friends.”
“AWI is grateful to Senators Blumenthal and Scott for introducing Goldie’s Act to ensure comprehensive inspections of entities licensed under the Animal Welfare Act as well as confiscations of animals found to be suffering,” said Nancy Blaney, director of government affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “For too long USDA has not been taking seriously its responsibilities to the animals it is charged with protecting; Goldie’s Act will make the inspection process work for the animals.”
“Though the Animal Welfare Act is intended to protect animals, there are too many loopholes and gaps in enforcement that allow licensees to rack up violations while animal abuse and neglect continues unaddressed,” said Alicia Prygoski, strategic legislative affairs manager for the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “Goldie’s Act will close loopholes and hold USDA licensees accountable so that other animals do not have to suffer the same tragic fate that Goldie did.”
“Far too often, Sheriffs encounter animals in distress as a result of weak welfare laws or limited enforcement. Goldie’s Act will strengthen the USDA’s authority and ability to inspect covered operators and enforce federal animal-welfare laws,” said Sheriff Jim Skinner, Collin County, Texas, Chair, National Sheriffs’ Association Government Affairs Committee. “The bipartisan bill should improve cooperation with state and local authorities for animal protection as well. To assist a broad range of animals, including those in puppy mills, the National Sheriffs’ Association supports Goldie’s Act.”
The puppy mill where Goldie died was operated by Daniel Gingerich, a USDA-licensed breeder who racked up nearly 200 violations at multiple properties across Iowa. Despite observing these violations of the law – including dogs who were sick and dying from injuries and disease, dogs housed in cages that were too small to turn around, and dogs standing in waste – the USDA continued to permit Gingerich to breed and sell dogs. The agency never confiscated any dogs who were suffering and never collected any penalties against Gingerich. After the USDA failed to act, the U.S. Department of Justice stepped in, with support from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and the ASPCA, who rescued more than 500 dogs from horrific conditions. Shockingly, rather than discipline those who failed to act, the USDA’s Animal Care Division gave cash awards to 17 staff members, rewarding their poor performance on the Gingerich case.
This case exemplifies the USDA’s ongoing pattern of failing to enforce the AWA and protect the animals in its care, even when the conditions are extremely poor and animals are dying. Months after the Gingerich case, more than 4,000 beagles were rescued from another USDA-licensed business, Envigo, where the USDA documented horrific cruelty during “routine inspections” over several months, including dead dogs, starving dogs, dogs in dangerous conditions, and dogs in need of veterinary care. Yet, days after the DOJ negotiated surrender of the beagles, the USDA renewed the company’s license for another year, and a shocking report from Reuters revealed that senior USDA leaders went to great lengths to cover up both Envigo’s treatment of the dogs and the agency’s own refusal to protect the animals.
The USDA is responsible for ensuring that their licensees follow the law, and when they choose to allow violations to go unreported and unpunished, the agency contributes to animal suffering. A new ASPCA report analyzing the USDA’s own data for Fiscal Year 2023 shows that the USDA documented over 1,000 violations at more than 400 commercial dog dealers alone but only took action against four dog dealers. Additionally, violation history had no impact on a facility’s ability to have their license renewed, so all dog dealers who wanted to be relicensed were, even problematic dealers with consistent violations.
Goldie’s Act would restore welfare to the Animal Welfare Act to fix these USDA policies that have failed animals and was recently endorsed by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. This bipartisan legislation has also garnered support from nearly 150 animal welfare, law enforcement, and shelter organizations, and received attention during Secretary Tom Vilsack’s recent appearance before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, when Congressman Nunn raised the urgent need to pass Goldie’s Act.
For more information about the ASPCA or to join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.
To download photos or videos of AWA violations documented at USDA-licensed facilities during routine inspections, click here.
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About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation’s leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Goldie’s Act would require the USDA to conduct more thorough inspections, impose penalties for violations, and report suspected cruelty to local law enforcement.
Iowa continues to lead the nation in puppy mill violations, revealing a truth that local law enforcement has long known: the USDA’s ongoing failure to enforce federal law harms animals and burdens local communities.
In 2021, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office worked alongside animal welfare organizations to remove hundreds of dogs from a USDA-licensed dog breeding operation, where dogs were kept in horrific conditions. USDA inspectors documented a host of federal animal welfare violations over months but didn’t alert local law enforcement until the situation had spiraled out of control. Had the USDA notified local authorities when it first learned the licensee was failing to provide minimum standards of care in violation of federal law, we could have helped hundreds of dogs from unnecessary suffering.
The commercial breeder in this case, Daniel Gingerich, racked up nearly 200 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Those welfare violations, long ignored by the USDA, were used by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office to support a criminal case against this licensee. Had local law enforcement not stepped in to press criminal charges, Gingerich would have evaded all accountability.
Since then, the USDA has continued to ignore its authority and obligation to ensure humane care at the facilities it licenses. As a result, thousands of animals are suffering and dying, as cruelty flourishes in Iowa and the federal government keeps local law enforcement—and the public—in the dark.
Last year, USDA inspectors documented more than 1,000 violations at licensed dog dealer facilities across the country, with over 200 violations in Iowa alone. These violations included sick and injured dogs who were denied access to veterinary care, dogs overheating in high temperatures, living in enclosures too small or in dangerous disrepair, and dogs without access to clean food or water. Despite witnessing this, the USDA took action against only four dog dealers in 2023.
It’s time for Congress to address this blatant pattern of nonenforcement. Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788) — named after a golden retriever who died in Gingerich’s puppy mill — will require the USDA to conduct more thorough inspections, impose penalties for violations, and report suspected cruelty to local law enforcement. Goldie’s Act has been endorsed by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and nearly 150 independent organizations including law enforcement (such as the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association), animal control, shelters, and rescues — who have come together to urge the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to include the bill’s protections in the upcoming Farm Bill.
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa is championing this bipartisan bill in Congress, and when Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently appeared before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, I was pleased to see Nunn raise the urgent need to pass Goldie’s Act. We’re grateful to Congressman Nunn for representing the best interests of Iowans, and we urge fellow Iowa politicians who sit on the Agriculture Committees that are responsible for writing the Farm Bill, including Rep. Randy Feenstra and Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, to join him in supporting Goldie’s Act to prevent further animal suffering and protect our communities.
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(WASHINGTON, DC) - Today Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Chris Smith (NJ-04), and Zach Nunn (IA-03) introduced the Goldie's Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and protect dogs in puppy mills.
Specifically, the legislation, which is named after a golden retriever who was neglected and abused at a USDA-licensed puppy mill in Iowa, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to frequently conduct thorough site inspections and report all violations of the AWA, remove suffering animals from abusive environments, impose penalties on offending owners and close loopholes that allow dog dealers to subvert accountability.
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For nearly 60 years, the landmark Animal Welfare Act (AWA) has provided minimum standards of care for animals who are commercially bred or transported, exhibited or sold to the public, and used in research, teaching or testing. But a law enacted and a law enforced can be two very different things, and the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decades-long failure to enforce the AWA and hold violators accountable has resulted in thousands of these animals needlessly suffering and dying across the country.
For years, the ASPCA, where I serve as president and CEO, and others have sounded this alarm bell as egregious cases of animal suffering stack up, including recent examples of cruelty against dogs, cats and other animals in Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia and Tennessee while the USDA merely stands by.
The hopeful news is that a bipartisan bill, Goldie’s Act, is gaining traction. This bill would ensure that animals in USDA-licensed operations — including a quarter of a million dogs in commercial breeding facilities — finally receive the protections they need, deserve and are owed under federal law.
Named in honor of a dog who endured months of agony and suffered a preventable death in a USDA-licensedpuppy mill in Iowa, Goldie’s Act requires the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, impose effective penalties for violators and regularly communicate with local law enforcement agencies to improve awareness and action. In other words, do its job.
Championed by Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Goldie’s Act has been endorsed by more than 100 animal welfare, law enforcement and shelter organizations that have asked the leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to include the bill’s protections in the upcoming farm bill.
Reforming the USDA through Goldie’s Act could not be more urgent. Insufficient USDA oversight and enforcement is well documented in its own reports, including accounts of dogs who were sick and injured, received no veterinary care, kept in extreme temperatures and found living in filthy, cramped cages without enough room to turn around. The current wave of bitter cold means that dogs exposed to the weather in outdoor cages with frozen water bowls are suffering even more.
Despite documenting more than 1,000 violations at licensed dog dealer facilities in the last fiscal year and their indisputable authority to issue fines, revoke licenses and remove suffering animals, the USDA took enforcement action against dog dealers only a handful of times. When they did act, they issued minimal fines and short suspension — but never removed a single dog.
Congressional intervention is immediately required, and there may be no better time than now. Inserting language from Goldie’s Act into the federal farm bill — which is renewed by Congress every five years — is the best opportunity in years for our government to take decisive action. Almost every amendment made to the AWA in the past 40 years was passed through the farm bill, making it a uniquely powerful and appropriate vehicle for animal protection.
With millions of animal lives at stake and the farm bill atop Congress’s to-do list, it’s time for federal lawmakers to approve the measures in Goldie’s Act, hold the USDA accountable and deliver to animals long overdue protections Congress intended to establish when it enacted the Animal Welfare Act six decades ago.
Matt Bershadker is president and CEO ASPCA.
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Nearly 60 years ago, Congress passed the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to ensure that animals in federally licensed facilities, including dogs used to produce puppies in commercial breeding facilities, are provided humane care and treatment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is authorized to create standards of care, license and inspect facilities, investigate suspected abuse, penalize violators, and cooperate with federal, state and local agencies to assist in compliance of the law.
However, today—and for far too long—the USDA has failed the animals it’s supposed to protect.
Years of documentation shows the agency turning a blind eye to cruelty and suffering. The USDA is required by law to report violations and to stop inhumane operators from continuing cruel practices. However, despite observing thousands of violations at licensed commercial dog-breeding facilities, the agency rarely imposes penalties or deterrents. Such poor enforcement has resulted in chronic animal suffering.
This is a crucial moment.
The Farm Bill is a massive piece of legislation that identifies the nation’s agricultural priorities and reaffirms the USDA’s responsibilities. By including Goldie’s Act in the Farm Bill, Congress can direct the USDA toward stronger, more meaningful enforcement, as intended and supported by the AWA.
On December 18, 2023, we sent a letter [PDF] to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees respectfully urging that Goldie’s Act be included in the Farm Bill. In solidarity, more than 100 organizations around the country, ranging from animal welfare to law enforcement to shelters, signed the letter in strong support of Goldie’s Act.
Just three days earlier, the leaders of the bill in Congress—Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), and Zach Nunn (R-IA)—sent a letter [PDF] to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) with the same urgent request to include Goldie’s Act in the Farm Bill and ensure that the AWA is adequately enforced.
Goldie’s Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution that would end harmful agency policies [PDF] and clarify the USDA’s responsibilities to prevent ongoing animal suffering and sometimes abuse. It would require the agency to conduct better, more frequent inspections for all licensed facilities, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, impose meaningful penalties for violations, and promote timely communication with law enforcement in circumstances of suspected cruelty and neglect.
We are confident that Goldie’s Act will make a difference for hundreds of thousands of animals around the country. Learn more and urge your members of Congress to support Goldie’s Act.
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Your member of Congress can join as a cosponsor to help dogs. Take action today: aspca.org/GoldiesAct
Six Iowa dog breeders or kennels were cited for federal regulatory violations during the third quarter of 2024.
Breeders in only two other states – Ohio and Indiana – racked up more violations than Iowa’s breeders during the quarter that began on July 1 and ended on Sept. 30.
The violations are compiled and analyzed by Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa-based, animal-welfare organization that collects and republishes data on violators throughout the nation.
During that same period, Ohio kennels or breeders were cited for a total of 40 violations, the most of any state. Indiana ranked second with 22 violations, and Iowa and Michigan were tied for third place with 19 violations each.
The Iowa violators were:
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.
Read our latest USDA violation report to see what is happening in your state: https://bailingoutbenji.com/2024-usda-q3/
New research conducted by our Stop Puppy Mills campaign reveals that the American Kennel Club, a purebred dog registry organization that used to call itself “the dog’s champion,” has opposed more than 450 bills that aimed to help pups since 2008.
Take action: humanesociety.org/puppymills
Love and compassion for animals can bring everyone together. ‘Humane Voices’ is the official podcast of the Humane Society of the United States. We’ll explore the issues facing animals, interview worldwide animal experts, and discuss what you can do to get involved and help. If you care about the welfare of animals, or have a special pet or two in your life, this is the podcast for you.
You can help stop all forms of animal cruelty. Please give today.
Contact us at podcast@humanesociety.org to offer feedback and suggest future episode topics.
The Department of Justice recently made history when in June, it finally held a research company named Inotiv, accountable for the needless suffering of thousands of beagles at its mass breeding facility in Virginia.
It was gratifying to see Inotiv, which specializes in nonclinical and analytical drug discovery and development services, take some responsibility for its actions and face a $35 million fine for the cruelty imposed on these dogs at one of its subsidiaries, Envigo.
While many of the nearly four thousand beagles were rescued by the Humane Society of the United States when the facility was shut down and have since been adopted into loving families, the Envigo case is just one of many examples that showcases the systemic problems the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, and it is critical that we take steps to ensure other animals don’t suffer the same inhumane treatment.
The USDA is tasked with protecting animals, and although the agency documented dozens of violations at Envigo’s now-shuttered breeding facility over several months, it did not fine or shut them down. This is a pattern we’ve seen far too often from the USDA: even when a facility has a long history of violations, the agency rarely takes action.
In 2021, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ASPCA ), which I lead, jumped in to rescue more than 500 dogs from similarly horrific conditions at a USDA-licensed puppy mill in Iowa.
Despite documenting serious violations, including dogs living in small, filthy cages in sweltering heat and dogs sick and dying from disease and illness, the USDA did not remove a single dog or revoke the mill’s license. Instead, it stood by while dogs like Goldie suffered and died on the agency’s watch.
For months, this facility continued breeding and selling dogs – including to puppy-selling pet stores across Florida, according to documents filed with the state. These documents revealed that the majority of puppies shipped to Florida pet stores were from commercial breeders and brokers in the Midwest, like the cruel puppy mill where Goldie died.
These cases are just two examples of the USDA’s failure to enforce the law. According to an ASPCA report analyzing the USDA’s data from last year, federal inspectors documented more than 1,000 violations of care by over 400 licensed commercial dog dealers.
Yet, the agency only took action against four dog dealers. The best way to honor Goldie and countless other animals at USDA-licensed facilities is to make sure no other animal endures the same unacceptable fate.
Now, Congress has an opportunity to address these enforcement failures by passing Goldie’s Act, a bill being co-led by Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott.
We applaud Scott for his leadership on Goldie’s Act in the Senate and appreciate the support of other Florida representatives, including both Democrats and Republicans like Maria Elvira Salazar, Carlos Gimenez, Maxwell Frost and Mike Waltz, who have also signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.
This federal bill, inspired by the plight of Goldie, would prevent hundreds of thousands of other vulnerable dogs from meeting the same fate by requiring the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, issue penalties for violations and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect.
As members of Congress consider the upcoming Farm Bill, we urge them to include Goldie’s in the final bill to hold the USDA accountable for enforcement of the law and ensure dogs in puppy mills get the protections they deserve.
Matt Bershadker is president & CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
This story was originally published September 30, 2024, 5:47 AM.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is suing the federal government over its alleged lax oversight of a major Iowa puppy-mill operator.
The ASPCA filed the lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, naming as defendants the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Michael Watson, who heads the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Also named as a defendant is Tom Vilsack, the secretary of agriculture and former governor of Iowa.
The lawsuit alleges that the USDA has violated the federal Animal Welfare Act by repeatedly renewing the license of Steve Kruse, an Iowa-based breeder who operates a large-scale kennel in West Point and has a long history of animal welfare violations.
The ASPCA claims the USDA routinely licenses dog breeders and dealers such as Kruse despite the agency’s direct knowledge of practices that fall far below the standards required by the Animal Welfare Act.
The lawsuit seeks a court order that would force the USDA to void all current licenses issued to Kruse and his associates and prevent the agency from renewing them.
Emmy Award-winning actress Edie Falco is on a mission to shut down the "puppy mill pipeline" in New Jersey.
The "Sopranos" star appeared in a new video on the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website, showing her support for a bill that would prevent commercial breeders -- puppy mills -- from selling "cruelly bred puppies" inside pet shops in the Garden State.
In the video, Falco shared the story of her dog, Sami, who was rescued from a breeding facility where she spent the first part of her life in a cardboard box inside a dark basement without the proper care she needed.
"She wasn't a pet. Her one job was to produce puppies," Falco said. "Thankfully, Sami was recused, and I was able to spend 12 glorious love-filled years with her. But, as we speak, there are hundreds of thousands of dogs trapped in puppy mills just like Sami was, and their puppies are sent to New Jersey pet stores. With your support, we can stop this cruelty."
Falco calls for supporters to visit aspca.org/njpuppies to learn more about the bill and join the effort to save future dogs in New Jersey.
The ASPCA added that cats and rabbits are also included in the proposed bill. New York, Maryland, and California have already passed similar laws.
Right now, a quarter of a million dogs across the United States live in federally licensed puppy mills. They are bred over and over again until their bodies give out. They live their whole lives in filthy, small, cramped cages, never given the chance to see the sun or breathe fresh air, or they are kept outside in extreme temperatures, without protection from the wind and rain. They are denied exercise, adequate veterinary care, and clean food and water. They are treated like products rather than living beings who deserve love.
September 21 is Puppy Mill Awareness Day, a time to remind animal lovers that this shadowy and cruel industry is still all too prevalent. Dogs deserve so much better than this. Here’s how we’re helping puppy mill dogs and how you can take action, too!
1. Working to strengthen enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal agency authorized to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, the only federal law that sets requirements for the care of animals in commercial breeding facilities, which includes dogs in puppy mills. Yet time and again, the USDA has neglected its responsibility and failed to enforce those requirements. Goldie’s Act is a federal bill named after a Golden Retriever who lived and died in a licensed puppy mill that would strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. Use our easy online form to ask your members of Congress to support Goldie’s Act.
2. Shutting down the puppy mill-to-pet-store pipeline.
States across the country, like California, Maryland and New York, have shut down the puppy mill-to-pet-store pipeline by ending the sale of cruelly bred dogs in their states’ pet stores. Right now, New Jersey lawmakers are considering a bill to stop the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits. It’s an issue actor Edie Falco is passionate about — watch her video to learn more. If you live in New Jersey, urge your lawmakers to support the bill to shut down the puppy mill pipeline into your state.
3. Exposing the truth about puppy mills.
In one of the most in-depth investigations to date, the Los Angeles Times recently published an investigative story exposing the horrific journey of puppy mill puppies, using public records — including some provided by the ASPCA — to show where these puppies end up and the lengths to which the industry will go to deceive unsuspecting pet lovers. Read the article for an up-close view of the inhumane puppy mill industry.
4. Suing the USDA for failing to release animal welfare records.
The USDA is hiding records that show how dogs in federally licensed commercial breeding facilities are treated, and we’re holding the agency accountable. These records, which we frequently request under the Freedom of Information Act, shed light on the USDA’s enforcement (or lack thereof) of the Animal Welfare Act. The agency routinely fails to disclose these records despite being required to by law, so we’re taking it to court.
5. Reminding dog lovers to never buy a dog from a pet store or online.
Brick-and-mortar and online pet store puppies come from commercial breeding facilities. If you or someone you know is considering adding a new pet to the family, adopt from a local shelter or rescue or find a responsible breeder. Use our handy infographic to make sure you are not supporting the cruel puppy mill industry.
This Puppy Mill Awareness Day, let’s remember the hundreds of thousands of dogs and puppies who have suffered at the hands of this cruel industry. We will continue to fight for them, and we hope you will join us!
Since we first started publishing our Horrible Hundred report on problem puppy mills in 2013, at least 2,500 animals have been rescued from these bad breeders, and more than 250 puppy mills from our reports have closed. This year, our Horrible Hundred report, released this past April, generated more than 100 news and broadcast media stories about the current state of puppy mills in the U.S. News coverage is one of the ways we alert the public about the reality of puppy mills and encourage enforcement agencies to act.
Since we first started publishing our Horrible Hundred report on problem puppy mills in 2013, at least 2,500 animals have been rescued from these bad breeders, and more than 250 puppy mills from our reports have closed. This year, our Horrible Hundred report, released this past April, generated more than 100 news and broadcast media stories about the current state of puppy mills in the U.S. News coverage is one of the ways we alert the public about the reality of puppy mills and encourage enforcement agencies to act.
Since the report was published, we’ve seen significant progress. At least 15 Horrible Hundred breeders from our recent or prior reports have closed or canceled their licenses. Here are some highlights of this positive momentum for dogs:
For those of you who know what we do at Bailing Out Benji, welcome back For those of you who are new friends, thank you for finding us! Here are a few things to know about what we do before you read any further.
Bailing Out Benji obtains Certificates of Veterinary Inspections (CVIs) through Freedom of Information Act requests (FOIAs) in order to track the movement of puppies and kittens as they move from breeders to businesses across the country. These documents, which are required for interstate animal transport, provide details on the breeder, the buyer, and the number of animals shipped. By analyzing CVIs, our team can identify patterns, exposing how commercial breeders, brokers and puppy mills sometimes attempt to disguise their operations in order to bypass laws intended to protect animal welfare.
Now on to California.
In 2017, after 36 cities in California had passed ordinances prohibiting the retail sale of commercially bred dogs and cats, the entire state passed one too- AB 485. This bill was designed to end the ‘puppy mill to pet store’ pipeline across the state. While advocates were busy celebrating, the pet industry was plotting. This bill and a similar ordinance in Chicago became the inspiration for businesses like JAKS puppies to create shell nonprofit rescue organizations in order to continue selling puppies in retail stores where it just became illegal for them, as breeders, to do so. Our research uncovered this “Puppy Laundering” scheme and we worked hard to get the sham nonprofit shut down. Sony Productions even covered our work.
So you can imagine our surprise when we noticed another alarming trend in 2020, right at the beginning of the outbreak. While states were cracking down on import and transport regulations, hundreds of puppies were leaving commercial dog breeders in the Midwest and were heading to businesses and people in California that didn’t exist. The very same breeders that were once selling to the stores in California are now sending shipments of puppies to addresses that lead nowhere. Because our team needs to entertain ourselves while working with depressing subject matter, we nicknamed this case “California and the Case of the Disappearing Puppies”.
Since California wasn’t a priority research state at that time due to the lack of puppy stores, our initial findings came from a very small FOIA done to see if the main puppy-export states had any businesses breaking transport laws during the pandemic. We knew we had something, but not enough to figure out what was going on. Once we published our transport findings, we pivoted and began to pull everything we had for California imports. Over the next few years we would discover that more than 650 puppies were heading to businesses named Companions To You, Millionaire Mutts, PupsRUs, SimplyPets, and Forever Puppies/Pets.
Businesses that didn’t exist.
Federal inspectors cited five Iowa breeders of dogs or cats for regulatory violations during the second quarter of 2024.
The Iowa-based animal advocacy group Bailing Out Benji on Tuesday published its quarterly review of violations cited at puppy mills across the country. The report shows that kennels in 16 states were cited for violations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture between April 1 and June 30.
The states with the highest number of violators were Ohio, with 14; Missouri, with 11; New York and Wisconsin, with 10 each; Pennsylvania, with seven; and Indiana, with six.
Iowa had a total of five breeders cited for violations:
40% of the violations found at USDA dog and cat facilities pertain to veterinary care. Unfortunately, many of those receiving violations are familiar to us because they get violations each time they are inspected. Within the next few weeks our team will be working on sheriff complaints to make sure additional eyes are on these facilities.
Read our latest USDA violation report to see what is happening in your state: https://bailingoutbenji.com/2024-usda-q2/
"Why aren't puppy mills illegal?" is a question that we get all. of. the. time. And rightly so! If there are laws that protect animals, then why are puppy mills allowed to exist?
Unfortunately, laws vary so much on the state level that there are so many different ways that predatory and cruel businesses can exist. We looked at some of the most common commercial breeder, puppy mill and pet store laws across the country to show you how things legally look for dogs (and other companion animals) in commercial facilities.
Have you ever wondered how your state holds up? Click here: https://bailingoutbenji.com/puppy-mill-laws/
Back in March, we helped rescue approximately 250 dogs and puppies from alleged cruelty cases at two puppy mills in Milburn, Oklahoma. Animals were found living in areas with overwhelming smells, surrounded by feces and urine, with undrinkable, green water. Some were kept outdoors and had inadequate protection from the elements. After getting the care and medical attention they needed, these dogs are now off in happier homes.
Yesterday, just months after helping rescue more than 100 dogs from a puppy mill in Boone County, the ARL team was back on the same property … this time working with authorities to free 46 MORE dogs and puppies from the cycle of commercial breeding.
And this time – finally – the puppy mill where these dogs had lived their entire lives in cages is no longer operating.
While the dogs are now safe, they need your help as they embark on their journeys of healing.
Agency is now attempting to have breeder surrender that license
State officials renewed the license of a Boone County dog breeder earlier this year while the man was facing multiple criminal charges of animal neglect.
Now, those same state officials say they are attempting to have the man surrender that license and relinquish the dogs in his care.
Last September, a Boone County deputy was sent to Paris Puppies Paradise in Ogden, a state-licensed dog breeding operation owned by 58-year-old Joel Paris. The deputy was there to conduct a welfare check on a woman who was reported to be missing.
While there, the deputy noticed there were “many dogs” on the property that appeared to show signs of neglect. Representatives of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – the state agency that oversees breeders — were then summoned to assess the animals and conditions inside the facility. Paris then agreed to surrender 93 of his 119 dogs.
Among the 93 animals Paris surrendered was a female poodle who was found to be in heart failure and had a severely distended stomach. The poodle had to be euthanized.
For over two years, dogs lived in squalor and filth in Elisa Brandvik’s federally licensed puppy mill. Although inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) saw the horrid conditions, time and again they chose to delay and take no action. Finally, the facility was shut down. But why did it take so long?
The USDA licenses and inspects commercial dog breeding facilities, called puppy mills, to ensure that licensees are adhering to federal law. The USDA has the power and responsibility to revoke a facility’s license if the requirements outlined in the Animal Welfare Act are not met. Unfortunately, even in cases of blatant cruelty, the USDA rarely penalizes violators [PDF]. And even when the USDA does take action, the process is agonizingly slow, and dogs continue to suffer for months and even years.
Brandvik first applied for a USDA license in 2022, but she’s been involved in the commercial breeding of dogs for much longer. The first two times USDA inspectors visited her facility, they saw dogs living in filthy, cramped conditions and dogs with painful dental disease. Yet they still granted her a license.
BY KITTY BLOCK AND SARA AMUNDSON
The U.S. Department of Justice just announced that Inotiv will pay more than $35 million, including an $11 million fine for violating the Animal Welfare Act, the largest in the Act’s history, because of violations that occurred at a facility that bred dogs for use in animal testing in Cumberland, Virginia. Inotiv is the parent company of Envigo RMS, which owned the breeding facility. As a result of these violations and a federal investigation, during 2022, our team removed more than 4,000 beagles in a monumental effort.
Our teams coordinated the placement of these dogs with our invaluable shelter and rescue partners so they could become loving and loved companion animals. It was an incredible honor to lead this effort in helping these dogs start new lives, assisting with their transfer and care, and celebrating as one beagle after another—thousands of them―were adopted into loving homes.
In 2022, Justice Department Secured Surrender of Over 4,000 Beagles from Envigo’s Cumberland, Virginia, Facility
Envigo RMS LLC pleaded guilty today to conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act, and Envigo Global Services Inc. pleaded guilty to a felony of conspiring to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act. Both pleas are in relation to a dog breeding facility located in Cumberland County, Virginia, from which the Justice Department secured the surrender of over 4,000 beagles in 2022.
As part of the resolution, Inotiv — of which Envigo RMS and Envigo Global Services are subsidiaries — will guarantee more than $35 million in payments, be subject to increased animal care standards and be subject to a compliance monitor. This resolution marks the largest ever fine in an Animal Welfare Act case.
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 1 of 2024.
This time period is from January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2024.
In order to run certain animal businesses, such as commercial breeding operations or zoos, facilities must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Animal Welfare Act. To get a license, facilities need to pass an inspection showing they are providing the care required by the law. In theory, this prevents those not qualified from getting a federal license, but even if facilities fail their licensing inspection, they can try again and again. The result: anyone who wants a license gets one.
Our analysis of these licensing inspections shows that failing an inspection means so little to the USDA that when a facility fails, the USDA will tell them what to fix, and they will conduct a second inspection that same day.
Here are just a few extremely concerning examples:
The issues documented at these licensing inspections are clearly serious and cannot be corrected within just a few hours. Allowing facilities to pass on the same day violations are recorded is clearly wrong, and USDA’s lax licensing policy puts dogs and other animals in danger by allowing facilities with poor welfare to get, and keep, their licenses.
Federal legislation is needed to change the USDA’s failed policies and to protect animals in licensed facilities. Please use our online form to urge your member of Congress to support Goldie’s Act, a bill that would require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections and enforce the Animal Welfare Act.
Many of the businesses are repeat violators
The Humane Society of the United States has released its annual “Horrible Hundred” report cataloging regulatory issues at 100 puppy mills nationwide, including 15 located in Iowa.
The report is based on the findings of state and government inspectors. For the 12th year in a row, Missouri has the largest number of breeders in the report, followed by Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin.
“This report shows what life is really like for dogs and puppies in this cruel industry,” said John Goodwin, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States’ Stop Puppy Mills campaign. “Our report is the tip of the iceberg. As shocking as circumstances are in licensed puppy mills, there are many operations that aren’t inspected at all due to legal loopholes. It’s critical for the public to understand the full picture of where their puppies come from, and they won’t get that on a breeder’s website or in a pet store.”
The report also highlights practices at breeding operations endorsed by, or tied to, the American Kennel Club. The HSUS reports that Iowa breeder Patti Kowitz, who has appeared on the AKC’s Marketplace website, failed three state inspections in a row, and her kennel was found to have strong odors and dirty, cluttered conditions, with one person caring for about 60 dogs.
The HSUS report includes this analysis of the violations state and federal inspectors found at Iowa breeders in recent years:
Larry Albrecht of Coldwater Kennel, Greene — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited Albrecht for violations in each of the past four years. His 2024 license renewal was delayed due to unsanitary and unsafe conditions. Earlier this month, state inspectors reported finding a Yorkshire terrier in need of veterinary attention due to the loss of hair on its tail, hind end and all four feet. The facility had 280 dogs at the time. Albrecht received an official warning from the USDA in 2021 for leaving a dog in poor dental health, with issues such as loose teeth and bleeding gums. Albrecht was cited for a similar issue in 2017.
Helene Hamrick of Wolf Point Kennel, Ackworth – This facility was cited for veterinary care violations at four different inspections between 2023 and early 2024. Issues found during the late-2023 inspections included a dog with an injured toe pad; a dog with a head tilt and signs of an ear infection; a puppy with an eye condition; and another dog with significant “hot spots” indicating a skin condition in need of treatment. Inspectors also found unsafe and dirty conditions. In February 2024, a USDA inspector found some dogs that were so badly matted that they had fecal material “twisted into the matts.”
Freeman P. Helmuth of Sunrise Kennels, Corydon – In 2023, violations were cited during a state inspection and two USDA inspections. In April 2023, the USDA found a pug puppy suffering from “poor eye health,” with its left eye “sealed shut by dry, yellow-colored discharge.” In addition, the puppy’s right eye was “completely cloudy.” The USDA also noted that the puppy had not been evaluated by a veterinarian and was not receiving any treatment. There were about 90 dogs and puppies on the property at the time. When the USDA returned in November 2023, inspectors found evidence of rodent activity. Sunrise Kennels has sold puppies to at least two Petland stores in recent years, according to the HSUS.
Bruce Hooyer of JKLM Farm, aka Shaggy Hill Farm, Sioux Center — State inspectors who visited JKLM Farm in March 2024 found a variety of violations that indicated ongoing sanitation issues. They noted a strong smell in the whelping building, a buildup of feces underneath the flooring of some kennels and excessive rust. Inspectors also made note of the fact that the business’ most recent veterinary inspection forms dated back to 2022.
In March 2023, state inspectors noted concerns about the number of dogs at the kennel, stating it was “a tremendous amount of work for two people” to take care of 125 dogs, and that the number of dogs had been increasing. Inspectors have also noted that several dogs and puppies died at the business in 2017 and 2018.
Connie and Harold Johnson of Fur Babies Forever, formerly CW’s Quaint Critters, Melvin — During a September 2023 state inspection, Fur Babies Forever was found to have rust peeling and flaking from some of the kennels. When inspectors returned later that same month, they were denied entry – a repeat violation. Fur Babies Forever and its corporate predecessor have a history of denying inspectors entry, and when inspectors do get in, they typically find violations. The HSUS states that “the kennel is still licensed by the state, but still often dodges inspections.”
Linda, Bethany and Stanley Korver, Orange City — During USDA inspections in February and May 2023, the inspectors cited this business for a total of 22 violations. Nine of the violations found in May 2023 were repeat violations that had not been corrected from the previous inspection, including dirty and unsafe conditions, poor record-keeping related to puppies, and accumulations of cobwebs, dust, debris and feces. All 27 adult dogs were lacking proof of veterinary examinations and rabies vaccines, according to the inspectors. Past issues at the facility include a lethargic and thin dog found in 2016 that was so malnourished that inspectors could see her ribs and hip bones.
Patti Kowitz of Tannin Border Collies, aka Wapsi River Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, Calamus — After inspectors were twice unable to gain entry Tannin Border Collies, the business failed four consecutive inspections in 2023 and early 2024. Inspectors noted an odor, which they described as strong or excessive, on three occasions. During one of the visits, inspectors found a dog with an untreated paw injury or growth that was later determined to be cancerous.
During a January 2024 visit, the business was cited for dirty, cluttered and smelly conditions, with the inspector writing that “the conditions of the facility indicate current number of dogs may be too high for one individual to care for.” There were almost 60 dogs and puppies on the property at the time. In November 2023, inspectors found a shivering dog without sufficient shelter from the cold.
Steve Kruse of Stonehenge Kennel, West Point – This breeding operation, one of Iowa’s largest, was subject to a 21-day USDA license suspension in March 2023. State inspectors also found violations in the second half of 2023, citing the business for strong odors, the lack of solid resting surfaces for dogs and unsanitary conditions. A September 2023 state inspection report made note of a limping dog and the fact that dogs were not being removed from their enclosures when the staff pressure-washed the facilities.
★ At least 199 dogs were euthanized at the facility in 2021 after Kruse exchanged dogs with another Iowa operator, Daniel Gingerich, whose license was revoked that year. The HSUS says it “continues to have grave concerns about the dogs in Stonehenge Kennel.”
Heath “Rex” Meyers of Century Farm Puppies, Grundy Center – This breeder, who has had as many as 240 dogs at any given time, was the subject of numerous citations for violations in 2023 and early 2024. In January 2024, a USDA inspector cited the business for two repeat violations — one for a veterinary care issue and one for unsanitary conditions.
In August 2023, USDA inspectors inquired about the use of a controlled substance that had been provided by veterinarian without its use being properly documented. It appeared the substance may have been used to kill dogs, with USDA inspectors noting that when they asked about the fate of 26 adult dogs whose names were crossed off records, Meyers said they were “likely euthanized.”
Additionally, inspectors noted that the facility was performing its own dental cleanings and some types of dental extractions. In 2023, the business was cited for dogs in need of veterinary care, wire flooring that could trap the dogs’ paws, poorly groomed dogs and a lack of space for dogs to exercise.
Joel Paris of Paris Puppies Paradise, Ogden – This business is still in operation, despite the fact that almost 100 dogs were rescued from the property in late 2023. Those dogs were reported to be underweight and living in feces. Paris was fined $2,600 for animal neglect resulting in death and injury, but still appears to be selling dogs online, the HSUS reported. Some of the business’ more recent violations have been for denying inspectors’ access to the building, a violation that has been cited at Paris Puppies Paradise 23 times in the past decade.
Wuanita Swedlund of Cantril – This dealer was forced to downsize after multiple puppies died in the cold. One puppy went missing and was presumed to have been eaten by its mother. Another puppy had to be euthanized after his leg was chewed off by fully grown dog. In the winter of 2023-2024, Iowa officials began working with Swedlund to reduce the size of her kennel from 159 dogs to 30 dogs.
According to inspectors, dogs are regularly transported between Swedlund’s facility and Steve Kruse’s Stonehenge Kennels. Swedlund received an official warning from the USDA in January 2024, but incurred several additional violations in February 2024, with inspectors noting she did not have enough employees to properly care for so many dogs.
Ed Van Doorn of Squaw Creek Kennels, Barnes City — In November 2023, the USDA cited this business for performing major do-it-yourself surgical procedures on puppies without veterinary supervision. The operations, inspectors reported, were performed inside “a multi-use room used for grooming, surgeries, and other procedures, using the licensee’s own equipment and instruments.”
In December 2023, the USDA gave Van Doorn an official warning for falsifying health certificates, but as of April 2024, it appears no fines or penalties were imposed for the do-it-yourself surgeries. In January 2024, state and USDA inspectors found additional violations at Squaw Creek Kennels, after which Van Doorn canceled his USDA license. As of April 16, however, he was still licensed by the state and appeared to be selling puppies on his website.
Dennis and Donna Van Wyk of Prairie Lane Kennel, New Sharon – In January 2024, inspectors found some of the dogs at this kennel did not have adequate protection from the cold. They also cited the business for the repeat violation of excessive feces, with inspectors reporting there was so much excrement the dogs had trampled it. The Van Wyks admitted the enclosures had not been cleaned in three days, the inspectors reported.
In December 2023, USDA inspectors reported dogs and puppies that were exposed to “an excessive buildup of feces,” with half the floor of one dog enclosure covered in feces and puppies sitting in the excrement. In addition, three puppies had no access to water.
Charles Vogl of SCW Frenchies, Atlantic – In December 2023, state inspectors found a strong odor of ammonia and waste, along with an excessive among of feces, at SCW Frenchies. During the same visit, inspectors also found unsafe structures, trash and clutter. The inspector noted that it seemed “several days” were passing without feces being removed from some areas.
Terry Yoder of BR’s Dobermans, Riverside — During a January 2024 inspection, state inspectors found several violations at BR’s Dobermans, including holes in the wood floor of one building that allowed “animals to fall through to the outside,” excessive trash and clutter, and mouse feces that were found “on all surfaces throughout the facility.” Inspectors also reported that all of the indoor enclosures were “coated in dirt, hair, feces and grime,” noting that they had not “been sanitized for an extended period of time.” Veterinary records were not complete, with no proof of distemper or parvovirus vaccines for many of the adult dogs.
When state inspectors returned in February 2024, they reported Yoder refused them entry, stating that he still had not repaired the buildings and “had not cleaned in at least 36 hours.” Inspectors returned in late February and again in March, and they cited the business for numerous violations, including clutter, grime, odors and the lack of a disease control and prevention program.
Some of the findings of our latest Horrible Hundred report sound like scenes from horror films. A puppy mill operator in Iowa performed do-it-yourself surgeries on puppies. A breeder in Ohio is suspected of using rusty scissors to cut the tails off puppies. A breeding facility in Oklahoma was so infested with mice that some dogs could not eat their food without ingesting rodent feces. That breeder was associated with the American Kennel Club, a purebred dog registry organization that used to call itself “the dog’s champion.”
These are just a few of the details we’ve featured in this year’s Horrible Hundred report, the culmination of an annual analysis that puts the spotlight on 100 problem puppy mills across the U.S. We publish the Horrible Hundred report to alert the public about common problems at puppy mills that sell dogs through pet stores, such as Petland, as well as through flea markets, websites, social media and classified ads. To the best of our knowledge, all the breeders listed in the report are still in business, and most of them have not incurred any significant penalties.
One of the most striking findings this year is that more than 20 breeders in the report have links to the American Kennel Club. Several of them advertise on the AKC’s Marketplace website and many register puppies with the AKC. One of these Horrible Hundred breeders has even been identified by AKC as a “Breeder of Merit.” Yet we found that several of these AKC-linked breeders had violations for cramped cages, dirty and smelly conditions, or sick or injured dogs. These issues are especially disturbing in light of the fact that the AKC routinely lobbies against humane legislation that would protect dogs in puppy mills, such as the federal Puppy Protection Act and the Better CARE for Animals Act.
In January, the Humane Society of Missouri rescued 55 underfed, neglected dogs from a property in Stone County.
When the Humane Society’s Animal Cruelty Task Force arrived, they were met with a horrifying sight: Amid that day’s temperatures in the teens, dozens of emaciated dogs were found without food, water or shelter.
The surviving dogs were so malnourished that it was hard to tell them apart from the 15 that had already succumbed to starvation.
The rescue came just 10 days after the same Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued 97 dogs from shameful conditions at Sho-Me Labradors, an unlicensed commercial breeding business in Phelps County.
“We have rescues that are happening — small rescues, big rescues — all throughout the calendar year,” said Ella Frank, director of the Animal Cruelty Task Force.
Missouri has a puppy mill problem. In fact, it’s the worst state in the country for commercial breeding enterprises.
Puppy mills are breeding facilities with the goal of churning out as many dogs as fast as possible to make a profit, generally at the expense of healthy living conditions for the dogs.
The Humane Society of the United States’ most recent “Horrible Hundred” report found that 31 of a selected 100 problematic puppy sellers in the U.S. were located in Missouri.
2023 was the 11th consecutive year the state has topped the list, which is compiled to highlight cruelty and neglect among commercial dog breeders.
The Iowa House rejected a proposal Wednesday to require annual inspections of all state-licensed dog breeding facilities by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
“Who doesn’t love puppies? We all love puppies, but sadly, Iowa is closing in on number one in the nation for unscrupulous puppy mills,” Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, said.
He offered an amendment to a larger agriculture policy bill, House File 2641, that would require an on-site inspection of every state-licensed dog-breeding facility every 12 months, as well as require on-site inspections if there was reasonable cause.
Currently, the law says the department “may” inspect breeding facilities.
Jacoby wrote to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last summer to call for better enforcement after the seizure of more than 120 dogs from a breeding facility in his Johnson County district. Inspectors reported many of the animals were in distress and Jacoby said a dozen of them died.
Republicans opposed the amendment.
“I love puppies, too,” Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, the bill’s floor manager, said. He added, however, that he’s been told IDALS is increasing inspections of breeding facilities.
“IDALS has significantly stepped up their inspection process and helping USDA with their inspections,” he said.
He called on lawmakers to oppose the amendment, saying time was running short in the legislative session to advance the larger bill to the governor’s desk.x
The amendment failed on a 35-62 vote.
A national animal-welfare organization based in Iowa is asking the state’s attorney general to investigate an alleged puppy-laundering scheme documented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The organization Bailing Out Benji, which uses the federal Freedom of Information Act to collect records pertaining to the sale of dogs through breeders, brokers and retailers, says it has collected USDA records related to the dogs and puppies owned by Steve Kruse, the operator of Stonehenge Kennels in West Point.
The organization says those records show Kruse has been cited for numerous USDA violations and been subjected to a USDA warning and license suspension that would normally prohibit him from routing puppies to states that prohibit pet stores from sourcing animals from breeders with violations.
To get around those restrictions, Bailing Out Benji alleges, Kruse transfers his pregnant female dogs to business associates in Iowa, who sell the puppies to retailers under their own name and then return the adult females to Kruse for additional breeding
“Thousands of puppies are being sold from Steve Kruse’s dogs annually but none of them are tied to him publicly which takes away the consumer’s ability to know the origins of their pet,” Bailing Out Benji’s founder, Mindi Callison, stated in her consumer fraud complaint to the attorney general.
Callison said she believes Kruse’s actions are in direct violation of an Iowa law that makes it a crime for a person to engage in unfair deception in connection with the advertisement or sale of a product if the intent is to have others rely upon that deception.
She said her organization has received six complaints regarding a Kruse associate that sells the puppies born to Kruse’s dogs. Those consumers have reported health issues with their puppies, including worms, giardia and pneumonia, Callison said.
“Because Steve Kruse’s name is being concealed as the true breeder, it is unfair to the consumer who is attempting to research before they buy,” Callison alleges in her complaint. “We are deeply concerned about the mislabeling of his products as they are sold to consumers in stores and online.”
Along with her complaint, Callison sent the attorney general’s office several USDA records that reportedly show the route that dogs and puppies have taken from Kruse, to his associates, and then to retailers.
One such document, a May 2023 “Investigation Report” authored by the USDA, states that Kruse “is in the business of breeding adult dogs and then transferring the pregnant female dogs to Brian Lichrie’s USDA-licensed facility for whelping. Mr. Lichrie used to be Kruse’s employee. Mr. Lichrie is responsible for raising and selling the puppies under his own license (and then transferring) the adult female dogs back to Kruse’s facility for housing and re-breeding.”
Bailing Out Benji has also filed a formal complaint with regulators in Connecticut, which is a state that restricts the sale of puppies from breeders with a history of violations. USDA records show Kruse puppies were routed to Connecticut through Lichrie, Callison said.
Kruse is one of Iowa’s most prolific dog breeders, housing up to 700 dogs at Stonehenge Kennels. Over the years, inspectors have cited Stonehenge for numerous issues, including animals with deep lacerations, oozing wounds and lameness. In December 2015, Kruse received a 21-day USDA suspension after he reportedly threw a bag containing two dead puppies at a USDA inspector.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a troubling history of disregarding its duty to protect animals in commercial breeding facilities, such as facilities that breed and sell puppies at wholesale to pet stores and dog brokers. Time and time again, facilities that violate the minimal standards for humane care and treatment set by the Animal Welfare Act are left by the USDA to freely break the law without being held accountable—meanwhile, animals suffer.
It is not just that the USDA’s inaction has allowed problematic facilities to harm animals; USDA policies have actively enabled bad actors to escape consequences. The USDA’s controversial “Courtesy Visits” rule is a prime example—USDA inspectors are prohibited from documenting any Animal Welfare Act violations observed at commercial breeder facilities during a “Courtesy Visit.”
There is zero evidence that Courtesy Visits benefit animals. In fact, the available evidence confirms that Courtesy Visits harm animals and that serial animal abusers are the greatest beneficiaries of the Courtesy Visits rule [PDF]. More than one out of every three licensees who requested and received a Courtesy Visit went on to violate the Animal Welfare Act after the visit, and dog dealers who received Courtesy Visits had more violations overall than those who did not.
The USDA recently updated the Courtesy Visits rule to allow inspectors to, under narrow circumstances, record and report Animal Welfare Act violations observed during Courtesy Visits. This is an overdue step in the right direction, but it is a small step. We are encouraged that the USDA seems to have recognized that its prior approach—under which no violation observed during a Courtesy Visit could be recorded, no matter how severe—was and is indefensible. To protect animals and comply with the Animal Welfare Act, the USDA must end Courtesy Visits altogether.
Editor’s Note: All of the information found in the article below was obtained through public records requests from the USDA, the Iowa Department of Agriculture, and other publicly available information.
Brief summary of Bailing Out Benji’s findings: USDA dog breeder Steve Kruse owner of Stonehenge Kennels in West Point, Iowa, has been sending his pregnant females to his former employee Brian Lichirie, who operates another USDA facility (42-B-0317). Lichirie whelps the puppies and sells them to stores and various other outlets while returning the mother dogs to Kruse for future breeding. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, dogs are regularly transported between Kruse and another problematic USDA broker Wuanita Swedlund.
State regulators are requiring a southern Iowa dog breeder to downsize her business in the wake of several of her animals dying due to the cold.
In December 2023, a federal inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited a dog-breeding kennel, located in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business operates on property owned by Steve Kruse, one of Iowa’s larger dog breeders, but it is operating under a license held by Wuanita Swedlund.
The federal inspector reported that in November 2023, a French bulldog named Bethany gave birth to four puppies, three of which were found dead within days. Swedlund allegedly indicated “the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away,” the inspector reported.
In Johnson County, Iowa, Loren Yoder operated a cruel puppy mill for years—greenlit by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA repeatedly documented severe violations on the property, including emaciated dogs, some of whom were nursing their puppies, dirty feeders covered in cobwebs and beetles, and filthy housing conditions swarmed with flies and mice. Yet the USDA took no action to stop him.
Two years ago, Yoder canceled his USDA license. The USDA has no process for licensees who decide to cancel their license; they don’t check to see if there is a plan for the dogs or confirm if the breeders are just operating without a license. Yoder, unsurprisingly, did keep breeding, selling and harming dogs. Last August, he surrendered over 100 dogs after Iowa state inspectors, who kept oversight of his breeding facility, found dogs in heat distress, with dirty and matted coats, untreated wounds and suffering from disease. Nine of the dogs died shortly after they were rescued.
And now, this month, Yoder was arrested by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and charged with 41 counts of animal neglect for the incidents recorded in August.
There is no doubt that dogs would have been saved from suffering and death if USDA would have stopped Yoder earlier. This lack of action on the USDA’s part is not unusual. The agency continues to fail the dogs it is supposed to protect and allows those that violate the law to go unpunished. The “problem” is pushed to state or local agencies, which typically have fewer resources and less availability to step in.
We recently completed an analysis of the USDA’s lack of enforcement [PDF] over the 2023 fiscal year. Despite documenting over 1,000 violations of the Animal Welfare Act at over 400 commercial dog breeding facilities, the USDA took action against only four.
This pattern must be stopped. Please urge your members of Congress to support Goldie’s Act today, critical legislation that would require the USDA to enforce the Animal Welfare Act!
A new analysis of the federal government’s enforcement of animal-welfare laws has found that regulators penalize only 1 percent of the breeders who are cited for violations.
The analysis by the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that in 2023, inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture documented Animal Welfare Act violations by more than 400 commercial dog dealers and took enforcement action against four of them.
Two of the four breeders who were penalized in 2023 are from Iowa, a state that often leads the nation in the number of violations cited.
One of those Iowa breeders is Henry Sommers, the 84-year-old owner of Happy Puppy in the town of Cincinnati. Sommers was arrested in February 2023 by the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office as a result of USDA violations found in 2023. He was charged with two counts of animal neglect resulting in serious injury or death, three counts of animal neglect resulting in injury, and two counts of animal neglect without injury.
A plea deal resulted in five of the seven charges being dismissed in return for a guilty plea on the two felony charges of animal neglect resulting in serious injury or death. Sommers was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $1,710.
The USDA had cited Sommers for failing to provide adequate veterinary care for his dogs in September 2019, September 2021, January 2022, April 2022 and August 2022. Sommers canceled his USDA license in the first quarter of 2023 after he was charged in the criminal case.
The other Iowa breeder who was penalized in 2023 was Steve Kruse of Stonehenge Kennels in West Point. Kruse operates of Iowa’s largest dog breeding facilities. In March 2023, the USDA notified Kruse it was suspending his license for 21 days.
During a subsequent April 2023 inspection, Kruse had 435 dogs on hand and was cited for inadequate veterinary care and inadequate cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping and pest control. The inspector returned on May 9 and again cited Kruse for inadequate veterinary care.
Over the years, Kruse has been cited for numerous violations, including pouring hot sauce into a dog’s wound to prevent the dog from licking it. In December 2015, Kruse received a 21-day USDA license suspension after throwing a bag of dead puppies at a USDA inspector.
In its report, the ASPCA also took issue with the USDA’s long-standing practice of renewing the licenses of breeders at the same time the agency is citing them for failing to meet animal-welfare standards. A breeder’s history of violations, the ASPCA noted, has no impact on a facility’s ability to have its license renewed. All dealers who want to be relicensed, and who pay the associated fees, are relicensed – even if they are repeat violators.
Early Monday morning, our Animal Rescue Team arrived at two properties in Milburn, Oklahoma, with officers from the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, who served search warrants as part of an alleged animal cruelty situation. Law enforcement requested our assistance with rescuing potentially hundreds of dogs from two dog breeding operations.
Both breeders have claimed online to be American Kennel Club-affiliated, and one of the breeders currently has puppies listed for sale on the AKC’s Marketplace website. Our team found that dogs and puppies at these two large-scale puppy mills were living without proper veterinary care, some with only spotty access to shelter and clean water, so that they could be bred at high volume and sold online and at a notorious flea market in Canton, Texas, known as Dog Alley, the subject of multiple animal welfare investigations and complaints over the years. This market allows unlicensed, uninspected breeders to sell animals directly to the public in dismal conditions.
As our team members surveyed the properties with law enforcement, they observed dogs of many different breeds living in bare concrete or dirt-bottomed, unsanitary enclosures with no enrichment items, often stepping in their own feces. Veterinarians noted dogs with skin infections, eye issues, nasal discharge and dental disease. One puppy was found in respiratory distress and removed from the property immediately for emergency veterinary care.
Some of the dogs jumped up at the sight of people and leaned their paws on the chain-link sides of their cages. Many were eager for attention and gave responders licks and tail wags as they were removed from their enclosures. Others stared out plaintively, huddling together.
In the coming days, our team will help the dogs get the care and veterinary treatment they need. Responders from RedRover are assisting with the daily care of the animals.
Agreement Formalizes Agencies’ Enforcement Relationship
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Civil Judicial Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of ENRD, USDA Principal Deputy General Counsel Mary Beth Schultz and USDA-APHIS Administrator Michael Watson made the announcement.
The agencies have been closely collaborating on civil judicial enforcement of the AWA for almost four years. This collaboration has resulted in a number of important enforcement actions, including securing the surrender of close to 150 animals from a Michigan animal dealer, some of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and an injunction protecting dogs and cats against pervasive mistreatment at a breeder facility.
The MOU represents another significant step forward in AWA enforcement, as it outlines new actions the agencies will take to enhance their collaboration. In general, the MOU establishes a framework for notification, consultation and coordination among APHIS, USDA’s General Counsel and ENRD. Building on the agencies’ ongoing relationship, this framework formalizes procedures for regular meetings, coordination on enforcement referrals, information sharing and additional training for employees, among other activities. These procedures will better enable the agencies to prepare for and coordinate on potential civil enforcement actions.
USDA and the Justice Department take seriously their common goal of ensuring that animals protected by the AWA are cared for and treated humanely. This MOU demonstrates the agencies’ joint commitment to fulfilling this mission.
Final_AWA_MOU_ signed (002).pdf
Updated March 8, 2024
Sheriff: Dogs had untreated injuries, and some were ‘frozen in fear’
A Johnson County dog breeder who surrendered 131 dogs in his care has been charged with 41 counts of animal neglect.
Loren Yoder, 62, owner of the Sunset Valley Farm dog breeding business, is charged with five counts of animal neglect with injury, a serious misdemeanor, plus 36 counts of animal neglect without injury, a simple misdemeanor.
IDALS had been conducting an inspection at the facility and had concluded that “a large number of dogs” were the victims of neglect, according to the sheriff’s office.
Yoder subsequently agreed to surrender his 131 dogs to the care of Iowa City Animal Services. Physical exams conducted by veterinarians led to a determination that many of the dogs had developed conditions caused by a failure to provide adequate care, the sheriff’s office said, and those conditions contributed to “unjustified distress, suffering, and pain to the affected animals.”
State regulators are recommending that an Iowa breeder downsize her operation in the wake of several of her dogs dying due to the cold.
In December, a federal inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited a dog-breeding kennel, located in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business operates on property owned by Steve Kruse, one of Iowa’s larger dog breeders, but it is operating under a license held by Wuanita Swedlund.
The federal inspector reported that in November, a French bulldog named Bethany gave birth to four puppies, three of which were found dead within days. Swedlund allegedly indicated “the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away,” the inspector reported.
Three other puppies, born to a rottweiler, were also found dead at the kennel, with Swedlund allegedly telling inspectors “they must have gotten too cold and died.”
In addition, a puppy born to Megan, a sheepdog, had to be euthanized after a dog in a nearby enclosure chewed through the wall into the puppy’s enclosure and tore the flesh from one leg, leaving the bone exposed. A short time later, a sheepdog puppy from the same litter was determined to be missing. “The licensee states they did find a single bone and assumed Megan ate her puppy,” the inspector reported.
Legislation on breeders stalls in the Iowa House
Iowa again leads the nation in the number of puppy mill violations, but so far this year the Iowa Legislature doesn’t appear ready to address the issue.
During the last quarter of 2023, Iowa breeders and kennels racked up 34 violations, more than any other state in the nation. Wisconsin placed second, with 33 violations, followed by Missouri with 26, Ohio with 19 and Indiana with 18.
Two of the Iowa breeders who were cited for violations are the subject of criminal referrals by the Iowa-based animal-welfare group Bailing Out Benji, the organization that compiles quarterly data on violators throughout the nation.
The organization’s founder, Mindi Callison, said Wednesday that Iowa lawmakers should consider legislation that would fix a major “loophole” in the standards required of Iowa’s dog breeders.
This morning we released our Quarterly USDA Violation Report detailing all of the dog and cat breeders and brokers who had violations during October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. Three of these facilities had violations so severe that our organization filed complaints with local authorities, numerous others have official USDA warnings and many sell directly to pet stores, brokers or through online websites.
You can read our report in full here: https://bailingoutbenji.com/2023-usda-q4/
Iowa-based advocates call for a criminal investigation
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is asking state and federal regulators for answers about an Iowa kennel where several dogs died recently due to cold weather.
In December, a federal inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited a dog-breeding kennel, located in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business operates on property owned by Steve Kruse, one of Iowa’s larger dog breeders, but it is operating under a license held by Wuanita Swedlund.
The federal inspector reported that in November, a French bulldog named Bethany gave birth to four puppies, three of which were found dead within days. Swedlund allegedly indicated “the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away,” the inspector reported.
Three other puppies, born to a rottweiler, were also found dead at the kennel, with Swedlund allegedly telling inspectors “they must have gotten too cold and died,” the inspector reported.
No fines or penalties are imposed against Van Buren County breeder
A southern Iowa dog breeder has been cited for multiple violations including the death of six puppies that were left in the cold.
No fines or penalties have been imposed in the case.
In December, a federal inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited a dog-breeding kennel in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business is located along Highway 2 on property owned by Steve Kruse, one of Iowa’s larger dog breeders, but it is operating under a license held by Wuanita Swedlund.
The inspector reported that on Nov. 24, 2023, a French bulldog named Bethany gave birth to four puppies. About one week later, three of the puppies were found dead, the inspector reported.
“The licensee stated they could feel a strong, cold draft at the front of the enclosure from a space in the front of Barn No. 1, and it was a cold day the day that they found the puppies deceased,” the inspector’s report states. “The licensee told the inspector the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away.”
The Humane Society Legislative Fund publishes an annual Humane Scorecard of Congress to give you a snapshot of every federal legislator's record on animal protection issues. Take a look to see how your legislators preformed in the first half of the 118th Congress and also check out our 2023 year in review blog post.
It's important your legislators know that you care about their positions on animal protection issues and your efforts to engage them will produce even greater returns for animals in the future.
Dogs weak and starving with ribs visibly protruding.
Dogs so overweight they can barely move or stand.
Dogs with untreated wounds, masses, skin lesions and broken teeth.
Dogs to be used in research acquired under false pretenses.
Understaffed facilities and untrained staff performing animal care duties.
This is who the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) licenses and registers. Dogs are suffering right in front of the USDA’s eyes, and this powerful federal agency is doing nothing about it. The USDA is responsible for ensuring humane care at animal research facilities like Blue Ridge Kennel, but there is no humane care to be found.
Blue Ridge Kennel is a research laboratory in Wetumpka, Alabama, that conducts tests on dogs. It is registered and overseen by the USDA. In its own words, “Blue Ridge Kennel offers an array of feeding trials and research services for the pet food industry. We work with you closely to develop individualized testing programs that are specific to your product.” In the past two decades alone, Blue Ridge Kennel has been cited for over 80 chronic and serious violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including repeated instances of severely under- or overweight dogs, dogs with injuries from fights, unnoticed and untreated medical issues, dangerous housing environments, untrained and limited staff, and randomly sourced dogs (defined by the Animal Welfare Act as animals obtained from pounds or shelters, auction sales or from any person who did not breed and raise them on his or her premises).
As the last 12 months flew by, ASPCA advocates throughout the country used their voices to protect farm animals, farmers, horses, companion animals and pet owners. As a result, 2023 was packed with major milestones, from the passage of stronger animal-protection laws to the defeat of bad measures that would have jeopardized the safety and well-being of animals.
An Iowa dog breeder has been cited by federal officials for performing major surgery on puppies without a veterinarian and for falsifying animal-welfare documents.
Ed Van Doorn, the owner of Squaw Creek Kennels in Barnes City, about 75 miles east of Des Moines, was recently given an official warning by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for violations uncovered during a November 2023 inspection.
According to the USDA, Squaw Creek Kennels gives buyers the option of having a puppy neutered before it is shipped, and Van Doorn allegedly acknowledged he performed most of the neutering operations at his kennel without any veterinary supervision.
The Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force took the dogs from a notorious breeder that had 83 animals removed in 2019 and 2020
ST. LOUIS —Nearly 100 dogs have been rescued from one of the nation's most notorious unlicensed animal breeders based in Phelps County, Missouri.
According to the Humane Society of Missouri, the organization's Animal Cruelty Task Force saved 95 Labrador Retrievers from Sho-Me Labradors early on Tuesday morning.
Many people experience their first connections with animals through relationships with dogs, cats or horses. Just as these bonds are powerful and pervasive, so must our advocacy be since companion animals face myriad injustices and difficulties in the U.S. and around the world. We’ve already detailed the incredible progress made against the dog and cat meat trades in 2023, but there is much more to say on other fronts. Here are just some of the ways we created a more humane world for companion animals in the past year:
Stopping puppy and kitten mills
Each year, more people learn about the mistreatment suffered by dogs and cats at massive commercial breeding facilities, where dog and cat mothers and fathers are treated as little more than money-making machines. And each year, more people choose not to support this trade. We are heartened by how much happened in 2023 to bring this cruel industry to heel.
WELLMAN, Iowa (KCRG) - Amber Talbot has seen first hand the impact puppy mills can have on animals, and communities in Iowa.
“Especially in our area we have a large number of breeding facilities,” said Talbot. “Many folks may be familiar with the incident that just happened this summer near Riverside in Johnson County, 131 dogs were removed. We as a local welfare organization want to do everything we can to make sure that those situations are preventable.”
LOVELAND, Ohio (WKRC) - A local charity is stepping up to rescue more than 70 dogs they said were being kept in deplorable conditions at an Ohio puppy mill.
"They called him and told him that they were coming to inspect," said Aaron Jones.
Tuesday, volunteers made the three-hour trek to pick up the dogs.
Local 12 was on hand when they arrived at the Loveland shelter. Some had matted fur and others were caked in feces.
Volunteers said they found the dogs living in unsheltered cages outdoors.
"They can only move so much when there's 20 of them inside of a 10-foot by 20-foot pen. When you've got 20 of them in there, they're all rubbing up against each other, rubbing up against the chain link," said Jones.
While the conditions were horrifying to rescuers, they apparently didn't concern the dogs' owner.
"He was more concerned about not making money off them anymore than he was concerned about the dogs," said Lisa Hammond.
Some Iowa breeders cited for deaths and untreated injuries
Iowa’s puppy mills compiled one of the nation’s worst records of compliance with animal welfare regulations in the third quarter of 2023, newly disclosed records show.
For the months of July through September, the five states that compiled the highest number of animal-welfare violations committed by dog breeders and kennels were:
Virginia: 52 violations
Wisconsin: 51 violations
Ohio: 36 violations
Iowa: 28 violations
Arkansas: 17 violations
The data, culled from U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, was collected, analyzed and reported by the national animal-welfare organization Bailing Out Benji, which is based in Iowa. Just seven Iowa breeders were responsible for all of the violations cited in Iowa during the third quarter of the year.
Two years ago, the ASPCA assisted the Animal Rescue League of Iowa with the rescue of more than 500 dogs living in terrible conditions at a federally licensed puppy mill.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensed a commercial breeding facility in Iowa operated by Daniel Gingerich despite documenting over 200 violations of the Animal Welfare Act. USDA inspectors documented dead dogs on the property, dogs with untreated injuries and illnesses, dogs with painful fur-matting, and dogs in cages that were too small. The USDA took no action to stop Gingerich for months, even as the number of violations continued to grow. They didn’t issue fines or utilize other enforcement options, choosing instead to use ineffective programs [PDF] to try to get Gingerich to comply. The USDA did not inform local law enforcement or confiscate the suffering dogs. Eventually, the U.S. Department of Justice used its authority to negotiate the surrender of more than 500 dogs.
Goldie’s Act would require the USDA to uphold the law and protect animals in federally licensed facilities. We named this law in honor of a Golden Retriever who suffered and died at Gingerich’s facility under the USDA’s watch. On this two-year anniversary of the rescue of more than 500 puppy mill dogs, use this form to urge your member of Congress to support Goldie’s Act!
Leaves are falling, there’s a chill in the air, and scary movies are playing on TV. It’s spooky season… but trouble lurks year-round for dogs in commercial breeding facilities. These facilities masquerade as something they’re not, deceiving well-intentioned families who just wanted to bring home a furry little friend. Be sure you don’t fall for these frightening puppy mill tricks:
Update October 9, 2023: The Virginia Attorney General's Office seized 110 cats and kittens from the Mikirtichev facility with the assistance of Chesterfield County Animal Services and the Humane Society of the United States.
For the second time in just over a year, the U.S. Department of Justice has been forced to step in because the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continued to allow cruel breeders at a Virginia facility to break the law repeatedly.
Since 2017, Elena and Andrey Mikirtichev have been USDA-licensed commercial dog and cat breeders in North Chesterfield, Virginia—breeding hundreds of animals and selling them for thousands of dollars. Throughout this time, USDA inspectors continually documented horrific examples of animal cruelty at this breeding facility. Abuse included failure to provide veterinary care, denying animals access to adequate food and water, and housing animals in unclean and unsafe enclosures.
Find out how you can take action in your area humanesociety.org/advocateguide
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville retail pet stores soon won't be able to continue selling dogs or cats unless they get them from somewhere else. Metro Council approved an ordinance Thursday night that bans such stores from selling dogs and cats, targeting those that operate as puppy or kitten mills.
An already-crowded Animal Rescue League of Iowa is even shorter on space now after teams were dispatched to Boone County where nearly a hundred dogs had to be removed from what’s described as a puppy mill.
The ARL’s KC Routos says conditions at the property in Ogden were exceptionally poor and the smell was overpowering even before the buildings were entered. “There was excrement from the animals in their spaces and there were quite a few pregnant moms with their puppies as well,” Routos says. “Some of the dogs had matting and were incredibly thin as well, and some of the puppies were just days old, still nursing on their mothers.”
The ARL has been fighting capacity all summer long as there have been dogs coming in practically daily, so handling this large of a case is putting the Des Moines facility in a bind.
For the second time in just over a year, the U.S. Department of Justice has been forced to step in because the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continued to allow cruel breeders at a Virginia facility to break the law repeatedly.
Since 2017, Elena and Andrey Mikirtichev have been USDA-licensed commercial dog and cat breeders in North Chesterfield, Virginia—breeding hundreds of animals and selling them for thousands of dollars. Throughout this time, USDA inspectors continually documented horrific examples of animal cruelty at this breeding facility. Abuse included failure to provide veterinary care, denying animals access to adequate food and water, and housing animals in unclean and unsafe enclosures.
ASPCA calls for passage of Goldie’s Act as federal court intervenes once again to protect animals at another Virginia facility, one year after the Envigo case exposed USDA’s failures
NEW YORK, NY – A Federal Court in Virginia has issued a temporary restraining order against a USDA-licensed dog and cat breeding facility in North Chesterfield, Va., after agreeing with the Department of Justice that the animals held by the commercial breeder were in serious danger. In response to the court’s decision, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) issued the following statement:
“The Chesterfield case is the latest example of the USDA’s repeated failure to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, even when the conditions are extremely poor and animals are dying,” said Robert Hensley, Senior Counsel, ASPCA Legal Advocacy and Investigations. “Despite recording hundreds of violations for licensed dog dealers last year, the USDA has continuously failed to take any meaningful action against these problematic dealers, and we urge Congress to pass Goldie’s Act to fix the USDA’s broken system and ensure that animals in federally licensed facilities get the protections they deserve.”
Rescue effort has required ‘all hands on deck’ at Iowa City shelter
Groomer Cameron Couch bends under a rescued doodle while grooming her at a donated building in Iowa City on Tuesday. The dog is among 131 that were removed from a puppy farm near Riverside in rural Johnson County last week. The volunteer groomers have typically only been able to groom two to four dogs because of how matted some of the animals’ hair is. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — When Michelle Boss, a hairstylist in Iowa City, read on social media about the 131 dogs that were removed from a puppy farm in rural Johnson County last week, she wanted to help.
“I was so appalled,” Boss said.
She donated money to Iowa City Animal Services, which took the dogs in, and she encouraged friends and family to do the same. But that wasn’t enough.
On Saturday, Boss volunteered to help groom the dogs. She spent three hours trimming badly matted and tangled hair on two large dogs. Boss was back Tuesday to continue the volunteer grooming work, and she wasn’t alone.
One of the 131 dogs seized from Sunset Valley Farm in Riverside is seen here shortly after being relocated to the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center. (Photo courtesy of Iowa City Public Safety)
Last week’s seizure of 131 dogs at a rural Iowa breeding operation has prompted one state lawmaker to call for changes in the way the state oversees puppy mills, dog breeders and brokers.
Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, wrote to Gov. Kim Reynolds this week asking for her cooperation in holding unscrupulous breeders accountable.
In his letter, Jacoby wrote, “It’s time for us to work together to fix this problem. I look forward to a strong and immediate bipartisan effort to end this wrong. It is as simple as inspection and enforcement. We need to stop unscrupulous puppy mill owners by strengthening the laws that govern commercial breeders, increase inspections, and penalize those who violate the law.”
Jacoby’s letter to the governor comes one week after the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship inspected Sunset Valley Farm, a commercial dog-breeding operation in the town of Riverside.
One of the 131 dogs seized from Sunset Valley Farm in Riverside is seen here with her puppies shortly after they were relocated to the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center. (Photo courtesy of Iowa City Public Safety)An IDALS inspector reported finding 131 dogs on the property, many of which were found to be in distress. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office removed the dogs from the property, although one of the dogs subsequently died, reportedly from heatstroke. The dogs are now in the custody of the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center.
The dogs were being housed in an unsafe breeding kennel in Iowa City.
The Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center and other locations received 131 dogs Thursday following an investigation of a breeding kennel in Iowa City with unsafe living conditions.
Before coming to the center, the dogs were housed in a breeding kennel in Iowa City. Chris Whitmore, director of the center, said the breeding kennel surrendered all dogs and puppies, and the center is now working on triaging and vetting them. The incident is still under investigation by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The operator of Even Keel Exotics agreed to surrender his USDA license and over 100 animals after the Department of Justice sued him in Federal Court.
Zachery Keeler was an exotic animal dealer who sold thousands of hedgehogs, foxes, sugar gliders, prairie dogs, skunks and wild cats every year and hosted animal encounters and behind-the-scenes tours of his Michigan facility, Even Keel Exotics.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had licensed the facility for over a decade and documented serious animal care and public safety issues for nearly as long. Yet, the USDA never took meaningful action to stop Keeler even when beginning last year he refused to let the agency onto his property for required inspections.
Wisconsin ranks No. 4 for the number of dog breeders in the state cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of health and safety rules so far this year, according to reports compiled by Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa-based animal welfare organization.
The reports cover the first six months of 2023. With 28 breeders cited for USDA violations, Wisconsin trails Ohio with 54, Iowa with 44 and Missouri with 36. The Wisconsin citations range from issues such as outdoor dog runs that have not been cleaned to one incident in which unclosed stove vents caused the temperature inside of a dog shelter to rise to 146 degrees, killing 26 puppies.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The Louisville Metro Council is considering an ordinance that would ban the retail sale of cats and dogs in pet stores and outdoor spaces like flea markets and parking lots.
It would give pet stores one year to phase out the sale of pets before it is enacted and would not impact the adoption process at local shelters.
District 20 Councilman Stuart Benson introduced the ordinance.
"This ordinance was created as a result of my work with non-profits and animal advocates as well as constituents who have contacted my office regarding a variety of problems they have had with puppy mills as well as businesses that utilize them,” Benson said in a statement. “This ordinance is focused on improving the living conditions for animals sold within Metro pet stores and encouraging the adoption of rescued and otherwise abandoned dogs and cats. I appreciate the support this ordinance has already received and hope to have this ordinance passed by the Metro Council’s Safety Committee in the coming weeks"
Seventeen Iowa breeders cited in the second quarter of 2023
Seventeen Iowa dog breeders were cited for regulatory violations in the second quarter of 2023, with Iowa again ranking as one of the states with the highest number of violators.
Between April 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited 17 Iowa breeders for violations of the federal regulations, according to data compiled and analyzed by the Iowa animal-welfare organization Bailing Out Benji.
Bailing Out Benji is a national nonprofit organization that exists to provide transparency into the puppy mill industry.
Submitted by Kimberly B. and Denise L, Littleton, CO
My sister and I have been in animal rescue for almost 10 years. We have adopted four dogs and two cats and have worked around several rescue animals; however, Skylee, our seven-year-old Golden Retriever, is our first adopted puppy mill survivor. Nothing can prepare you for what you witness as a result of these poor animals being in that kind of environment.
Skylee has been with us just over eight months, and she is doing well. When she initially came to live with us, she had minimal social skills with people or other dogs. She came to us through a Golden Retriever rescue in Colorado, but before that, she was adopted twice and returned.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed bills to stop the sale of puppy mill puppies and kittens in pet stores (HB 2915) and to end the sale of animal-tested cosmetics (HB 3213). Kotek also recently signed a package of housing bills that included funding for domestic violence and homeless shelters to better accommodate people with pets.
“Oregonians believe in a better world for animals. These measures mitigate suffering in puppy mills and animal testing laboratories, and help people keep their pets through challenging circumstances,” said Kelly Peterson, Oregon state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “We are eternally grateful to Rep. David Gomberg, Rep. Courtney Neron, and Sen. Deb Patterson for championing these bills and share in this celebration with our dedicated coalition partners and advocates throughout the state.”
HB 2915 stops any additional pet stores in the state from selling puppies or kittens and phases out these sales in existing stores. This bill will drive the local pet market in Oregon toward more humane sources like shelters, rescues and responsible breeders. Oregon is the seventh state to take a stand against the puppy-mill-to-pet-store pipeline, joining Washington, California, Illinois, New York, Maryland and Maine.
“With this bill, the entire West Coast is now closed off to pet stores that view puppies as mere products, bringing us closer to the day when cruel puppy mills have nowhere left to sell,” says Peterson.
“Blistering Heat” “Soaring Heat Index” “Scorching Heat Wave”
It has been a record-breaking hot summer, especially in the Midwest, and many pet parents are taking special precautions to care for their dogs during extreme heat, such as keeping pets inside in the air conditioning, limiting outdoor time and making sure fresh water is always available.
But dogs in puppy mills can't escape the extreme temperatures.
Puppy mills are spread out all over the U.S., though they are most concentrated in Midwestern states—the same states that have dominated the headlines for dangerous temperatures.
In 2022, the HSUS was approached by the U.S. Department of Justice to remove nearly 4,000 beagles after alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act at a breeding facility in Virginia. The Better CARE for Animals Act would strengthen the capabilities of the DOJ to take action in animal welfare matters. Meredith Lee/The HSUSx
This sensibility is at the heart of the Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement (CARE) for Animals Act. Introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and John Kennedy, R-La., and Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Penn., and Mike Quigley, D-Ill., the bill would usher in a new era of enhanced interagency cooperation to fight cruelty and uphold the proper treatment of animals.
The bill is designed to strengthen the capabilities of the U.S. Department of Justice, which has played an important enforcement role in animal fighting cases over the years, and more recently in cases involving animal exhibitors and dealers. With greater authority the agency could do more.
An Appanoose County man accused of animal neglect in the operation of a puppy mill has been sentenced to two years of probation.
Henry Sommers, the 84-year-old owner of Happy Puppy on 141st Avenue in the town of Cincinnati, was arrested in February by the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office. Sommers was charged with seven separate offenses: two counts of animal neglect resulting in serious injury or death, three counts of animal neglect resulting in injury, and two counts of animal neglect without injury.
The Appanoose County Attorney’s Office then negotiated a plea agreement that resulted in five of the seven charges being dismissed in return for a guilty plea on the two felony charges of animal neglect resulting in serious injury or death.
Sommers was recently sentenced to two years in prison, with that sentence suspended by the court. He was ordered to serve two years of probation and pay $1,710 in fines.
Featured Story:
On July 20, 2023, actor Bellamy Young, animal advocates, puppy mill survivors and members of Congress joined us for “Howl to the Hill,” a rally on Capitol Hill. The event supported Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788), legislation that would ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does its job to protect dogs in federally licensed puppy mills.
Currently, 250,000 dogs are languishing in USDA-licensed puppy mills. The USDA is turning a blind eye and failing to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, allowing dogs to suffer in cruel facilities.
Goldie’s Act is named after a Golden Retriever who lived in an abhorrent Iowa puppy mill operated by Daniel Gingerich. The USDA witnessed her decline for months yet failed to intervene. She died in that puppy mill. She didn’t even have a name until we learned about her fate.
“Howl to the Hill” event shines a light on the USDA’s shameful pattern of inaction, with advocates calling on Congress to pass Goldie’s Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) hosted “Howl to the Hill” on Capitol Hill to rally support for Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788), which would ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does its job to protect dogs in federally licensed puppy mills. Named in honor of a Golden Retriever who suffered and died at a USDA-licensed puppy mill in Iowa, Goldie’s Act would require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, impose penalties for violations, and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect.
Big news: there is an opportunity to pass groundbreaking federal legislation to protect dogs in puppy mills—and YOU can play a critical role in making that happen!
Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788) is a federal bill named in honor of Goldie, a Golden Retriever who suffered without adequate fresh food, water or veterinary care in an Iowa puppy mill that was licensed and overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She lived and died in a dirty cage, never having experienced human kindness. Though her death could have been prevented, the USDA—the agency required to enforce the federal law that protects animals in puppy mills—turned a blind eye, even after witnessing her suffering.
Sadly, Goldie’s story is not unique. Dogs in American puppy mills continue to live and die in horrific conditions under the USDA’s watch.
Join us July 17-21, 2023, and call on Congress to pass Goldie’s Act, a bill that would require the USDA to uphold its duty to protect the thousands of dogs and puppies still living in cruel puppy mills. Help pass Goldie’s Act by taking one quick and easy action each day this week—we can make the greatest impact by working together.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) licenses businesses that breed and sell animals wholesale, and the agency is responsible for ensuring that these businesses provide humane care.
But that’s not what happens. The USDA isn’t doing its job.
The agency has a history of letting cruelty go unreported and unpunished. Here are eight examples of the USDA failing dogs; this information came from the agency’s own inspection reports. This is not an exhaustive list—there are countless examples of the USDA’s failure to do its job.
Warning: The following information and pictures are disturbing.
Calling all dog-lovers and animal advocates! Join us this month in Washington, D.C., for an outdoor rally in support of Goldie’s Act, a federal bill that would require the USDA to do its job and protect dogs in puppy mills.
On Thursday, July 20, you and your pup are invited to show your solidarity with Goldie, a beautiful Golden Retriever who tragically suffered and died at a USDA-licensed puppy mill. The USDA watched for months as her condition continued to decline—and did nothing to save her. Goldie’s Act was named in her honor.
This event has a new date and time!
DATE: Thursday July 20, 2023
TIME: 9:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. ET
LOCATION: The U.S. Capitol, on the grass between Independence Ave. SE and First St. SE [MAP]
Body cam video shows over 30 dogs rescued from U-Haul truck
Harrowing body cam footage shows the moment officers rescued over 30 dogs from a U-Haul truck that was sitting in the Oklahoma City heat during one of the hottest months on record.
On June 5, Oklahoma City police were dispatched to a Walmart after some employees noticed a U-Haul truck that was parked in the middle of the parking lot, according to FOX 25.
Since 2008, the American Kennel Club has opposed more than 450 bills advancing various protections for dogs, including measures to regulate the treatment of dogs at massive breeding operations. The HSUS
New research conducted by our Stop Puppy Mills campaign reveals that the American Kennel Club, a purebred dog registry organization that used to call itself “the dog’s champion,” has opposed more than 450 bills that aimed to help pups since 2008. What’s more, its opposition has escalated, at the same time that dozens of AKC-linked breeders have appeared in our annual Horrible Hundred reports on problem puppy mills, and others have been charged with or convicted of animal cruelty.
Following a huge loss before the Supreme Court, groups representing industrial animal agriculture have urged federal lawmakers to introduce the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act. Though the title of the bill sounds innocent, this legislation infringes on states’ rights, ignores the will of voters and threatens to erase state animal-protection laws ranging from bans on cruel farming practices to protections for dogs in puppy mills. A clear overreach of federal power, the EATS Act could eliminate existing laws and stop states from passing new laws, creating a disastrous race to the bottom for animal welfare.
A veterinarian who facilitated the sale of hundreds of puppies to Iowa brokers and retailers has had her license suspended on an emergency basis after allegedly performing surgical procedures on her kitchen island.
The Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board has summarily suspended the license of Dr. Darcy W. Overturf of Hillpoint, Wis., citing an urgent need to protect the public welfare. The board alleges Overturf admitted performing surgeries and other medical procedures on the kitchen island inside her home.
Investigators for the board also alleges Overturf improperly signed the various certificates of veterinary inspection that are needed for the transfer of dogs from and between breeders. Those documents, commonly called CVIs, are used to document the fact that the animals were physically examined by a veterinarian and can be sold to dealers in other states. Overturf is alleged to have admitted that she allowed the sellers for whom she worked to fill out significant portions of some of her CVIs.
At the request of the Pepin County Sheriff’s Office, we are assisting with the rescue of nearly 90 dogs and puppies from a breeding operation in Wisconsin. When investigators arrived on the scene, they found dogs of varying breeds and sizes, including puppies and pregnant dogs living in unsanitary conditions. Two horses and five donkeys were also found on scene. Some of the animals had dirty hair coats and appeared to be suffering from untreated medical issues requiring immediate veterinary treatment.
Under the federal Animal Welfare Act, animal breeders and dealers licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are required to make their premises available for unannounced inspections, the purpose of which is to ensure animals are receiving at least the minimum standard of care required by law.
Although these are supposed to be surprise inspections, the USDA allows businesses to identify optimal hours for inspections. Despite this accommodation, upon an inspector’s arrival, licensees are often unavailable or tell the inspector it is not a good time. The USDA marks this as an “attempted inspection” and leaves without viewing the animals.
The USDA claims their inspection process ensures that licensed animal breeders and dealers follow the law. How can that be true if the USDA allows licensees to willfully and repeatedly refuse federal inspection of their premises?
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The list contains 100 puppy mills that are considered the worst of the worst.
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Humane Society for the United States releases an annual “Horrible Hundred” list, documenting problem puppy breeders and dealers across the U.S. Five entries from Wisconsin made the grim list, putting the state in unfortunate company.
“A puppy mill is a commercial dog breeding kennel where the dogs are treated like agriculture commodities rather than pets; they’re treated like breeding machines. And so you’re going to have just rows and rows of cages of dogs that are just being bred every heat cycle until their bodies wear out,” said the Humane Society’s John Goodwin.
Goodwin is the senior director for the organization’s Stop Puppy Mills campaign. He says the places and breeders on the list are there due to horrible sanitation conditions, overcrowding, and untreated medical issues/injuries. Five places or breeders are listed in Wisconsin out of the hundred on the list. The data is compiled by tracking state and federal citations and violations.
Inspectors found more than 125 ill or injured dogs at Steve Kruse’s Stonehenge Kennel between 2015 and 2023. (USDA/ 2022)
The Humane Society of the United States has released its annual report highlighting 100 problem puppy mills.
Kansas tied for the fifth-most, with six puppy mills in the 2023 "Horrible Hundred" report. There were seven in the 2022 report and the 2021 report.
The HSUS said in a release that Kansas puppy mills appeared in its report for keeping dogs in dirty, small cages with piles of feces.
"At one facility, the breeder [Mary Moore] admitted to tossing dead puppies into a field," the release said. "The same facility also had 264 dogs and none of the adult dogs had had regularly scheduled veterinary examinations since 2021."
HSUS's annual report documenting 100 of the country's known puppy mills (PDF) has been released for 2023.
The Humane Society of the United States is reporting on problem puppy mills, including some dealers (re-sellers) and transporters. The Horrible Hundred report is a list of known, problematic puppy breeding and/or puppy brokering facilities.
It is not a list of all puppy mills, nor is it a list of the worst puppy mills in the country, but rather a list of dog breeders to avoid.
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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Animal Rescue teams from Iowa and Missouri say they removed 34 dogs from a northern Missouri breeding operation this week.
In a press release on Thursday, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa said it worked with Wayside Waifs in Kansas City.
The operation voluntarily surrendered American Eskimo, Golden Retriever, and Labrador Retriever dogs of all ages.
The dogs will need vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries, and some will even need eye and dental surgeries before they will be ready for adoption, the ARL said.
“These dogs are arriving at a time when animal shelters across the country are seeing a record high number of dogs in their care and the ARL and Wayside Waifs are no exception,” said Tom Colvin, ARL CEO.
DES MOINES, Iowa —A new report shows Iowa has the second-highest number of puppy mills in the country.
The Humane Society just published its annual "Horrible Hundred" list. Thirteen Iowa dog breeders appear on this year's list. Ohio also has 13.
In a photo taken by a state inspector, a dog stands looking away from the camera, her tail pointing down. At first glance, this image may seem like a sweet photo because of the boxer’s soft brown eyes and emotional expression. But farther up in the frame, the dog’s body tells a different story. Her ribs jut out; her hip bones and spinal column are starkly visible. And just beside her emaciated body is a pile of five tiny puppies sleeping next to an empty bowl.
Protect dogs from cruel puppy mills!
A Missouri Department of Agriculture inspector documented this boxer, whose name is Lindy Lou, at a breeding facility that is still licensed, not only by the state, but by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The owner, Ellen Roberts (Rocky Top K-9s), is listed in our Horrible Hundred report for the eighth time. Lindy Lou was not confiscated; the inspectors required the owner to have her treated by a veterinarian within two days of the inspection. Despite inspectors finding many ailing dogs in her kennel over the span of a decade, it appears Roberts has faced no serious repercussions, and her “business” is still operating.
Of the eight Pennsylvania kennels listed in the report, six are from central Pennsylvania, including four from Lancaster County, the Humane Society said.
LANCASTER, Pa. — Pennsylvania ranks among the worst states cited in the Humane Society's annual "Horrible Hundred" report, which lists 100 problem puppy breeders and dealers across the U.S.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - A recent study lists Iowa second only to Missouri for the number of puppy mills in the country. The research done by the Humane Society U.S. is called ‘The Horrible Hundred’ because it shows the horrors that typically come with puppy mills and animal breeders.
The Humane Society says 240 puppy mills on its list have been shut down nationwide over the past few years. This year, the study put 13 Iowa dog breeders on the list. That’s the same number as Ohio.
Iowa’s high ranking is discerning for many humane societies and animal shelters across the state.
“Our animal welfare laws are pretty sub par. We’ve got a lot of work to do. I know the HSUS Iowa is working really hard to make changes to our laws and ordinances here, but unfortunately they’re just really far behind where we should be,” said Iowa City Animal Services Officer, Devon Strief.
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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Iowa is among the states with the most problematic dog breeders, according to an annual report.
The Humane Society released its “Horrible Hundred” report, which lists problematic puppy breeders and dealers across the country to raise awareness and encourage buyers to choose adoption or buying only from carefully-screened breeders.
Iowa and Ohio are tied with 13 dealers making the list. That comes in second only to Missouri, which has the most, with 31. Missouri has had the most problematic dealers for 11 years in a row.
In late April 2023, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the USDA agency responsible for oversight of animal businesses and farm animal health, released its five-year strategic plan [PDF] for 2023-2027. The ASPCA submitted comments on its draft proposal, urging the agency to keep animal welfare front and center in its animal programs and to steer its failed Animal Welfare Act enforcement program back on track.
Easton City Council gave final approval to a new ordinance that bans the sell of dogs, cats and rabbits by pet shops within the city.
And because every squeak matters, a last-minute amendment to the law will ban the selling of guinea pigs also, the council said.
Guinea pigs are considered one of the country’s most popular pets, according to reports.
“This decision puts the city on the cutting edge of a national movement and sends a direct message to puppy mills across the country,” Easton resident and volunteer with the Lehigh Valley Humane Society Stephanie Gallagher said.
The Humane Society estimates 10,000 puppy mills are currently operating in the U.S.
WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Josh Harder (CA-9) co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to stop breeders from mistreating dogs and puppies by bolstering federal standards for commercial dog breeders. This legislation comes after dozens of puppy mills across the country have been shut down because of horrific neglect and inhumane treatment, including the heartbreaking story of an Iowa puppy mill where 199 dogs were killed in a single day. Right here in the Central Valley last year, 150 dogs were rescued from a puppy mill in Modesto.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal proposed laws against animal abuse at the Dog Star Rescue in Bloomfield Monday.
If approved, the Better Care for Animals Act will strengthen the U.S Department of Justice's enforcements under the Animal Welfare Act.
A second law, the Goldie's Act, will ensure that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will enforce laws intended to protect dogs in puppy mills.
Iowa continues to lead the nation in the number of regulatory violations committed by puppy mills.
During the first quarter of 2023, federal inspectors cited the nation’s licensed dog breeders for 303 violations. Of those, 107 were committed by Iowa breeders.
The 107 violations were committed by 26 different Iowa breeders, which means Iowa also leads the nation in the number of puppy mills that were cited by regulators during the first three months of 2023. The No. 2 state, Missouri, had 31% fewer puppy mills cited for violations than did Iowa.
Update May 1, 2023: Despite Kruse’s history of Animal Welfare Act violations and that he appears to have unlawfully auctioned off a dog during his suspension under another breeder’s name, there is no record of the USDA inspecting Kruse's dogs after issuing a 21-day suspension. The suspension has now lifted, and Steve Kruse continues to be licensed under the USDA to broker dogs without any restriction.
Update April 10, 2023: The USDA temporarily suspended Steve Kruse’s license for 21 days at the end of March 2023. Despite the suspension and a recent inspection documenting numerous dogs suffering from painful, untreated health conditions, there are no reports showing that any dogs have been removed from Kruse’s care.
While the suspension is a victory, the dogs at Kruse’s facility still remain in danger with Kruse’s history of abhorrent violations of the law. Goldie’s Act continues to be vital in the fight against puppy mills. Sign our form today to tell Congress to support Goldie’s Act!
February 24, 2023: Public records released last week by the USDA show 199 dogs were transferred to a puppy mill operated by Steve Kruse, and soon after, they were all euthanized by his veterinarian in a single day.
Steve Kruse is no stranger to the puppy mill industry. Over the past 30 years, he has built a massive business breeding and brokering dogs. Despite a long and troubled history of animal care violations U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to unquestioningly issue Kruse licenses to keep and sell dogs.
Animal welfare advocates are asking Lee County officials to consider filing criminal charges against one of Iowa’s largest dog breeders.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended the breeder’s license of Steve Kruse, whose Stonehenge Kennels is located at 2345 Highway 16 in West Point.
In its notice to Kruse, the USDA said the 21-day suspension was based on the agency’s conclusion he had willfully violated Animal Welfare Act regulations and was failing to meet the minimum standards for licensing.
Owner once threw a bag of dead puppies at an inspector
Steve Kruse, whose Stonehenge Kennels is located at 2345 Highway 16 in West Point, was notified March 30 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture was suspending his license for 21 days. In its notice to Kruse, the USDA said it was taking the action because the agency had reason to believe he had willfully violated Animal Welfare Act regulations and was failing to “meet the minimum standards for animals.”
A dog at a massive breeding operation in Missouri, where federal inspectors found thin nursing mother dogs and a limping dog with an open sore, and state inspectors found ramshackle cages, bloody diarrhea and several instances where dogs weren’t given the minimum required space, among other issues. Missouri Department of Agriculture
In a country where political tempers often run hot, agreement can seem incredibly rare. But, regardless of party affiliation, a consensus is emerging that our companion animals should be treated with basic decency—and this is not how kitten and puppy mills treat dogs and cats.
Update May 1, 2023: Despite Kruse’s history of Animal Welfare Act violations and that he appears to have unlawfully auctioned off a dog during his suspension under another breeder’s name, there is no record of the USDA inspecting Kruse's dogs after issuing a 21-day suspension. The suspension has now lifted, and Steve Kruse continues to be licensed under the USDA to broker dogs without any restriction.
Update April 10, 2023: The USDA temporarily suspended Steve Kruse’s license for 21 days at the end of March 2023. Despite the suspension and a recent inspection documenting numerous dogs suffering from painful, untreated health conditions, there are no reports showing that any dogs have been removed from Kruse’s care.
While the suspension is a victory, the dogs at Kruse’s facility still remain in danger with Kruse’s history of abhorrent violations of the law. Goldie’s Act continues to be vital in the fight against puppy mills. Sign our form today to tell Congress to support Goldie’s Act!
February 24, 2023: Public records released last week by the USDA show 199 dogs were transferred to a puppy mill operated by Steve Kruse, and soon after, they were all euthanized by his veterinarian in a single day.
Steve Kruse is no stranger to the puppy mill industry. Over the past 30 years, he has built a massive business breeding and brokering dogs. Despite a long and troubled history of animal care violations, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to unquestioningly issue Kruse licenses to keep and sell dogs.
On March 16, 2023, the ASPCA sent an open letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and members of Congress to take immediate action to protect dogs from government-sanctioned cruelty following an appalling USDA cover-up of the Envigo case.
Iowa’s congressional delegation was doggedly pursuing legislation this week ranging from anti-animal cruelty proposals and restrictions on veterinary drugs to bills promoting fossil fuel production and ethanol.
Nunn joins support of dog protection bills
Rep. Zach Nunn joined with a bipartisan group of House members to support Goldie’s Act and the Puppy Protection Act, bills that aim to protect dogs from puppy mills and cruel living conditions.
Iowa dog breeders had the worst record in the nation for violations in 2022.
Protections for Iowa dogs could become federal law, if two bills reintroduced by Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa 3) pass.
Nunn, three other Republicans and two Democrats, reintroduced former Rep. Cindy Axne’s (D) bipartisan bill, nicknamed Goldie’s Act.
The bill would crack down on loopholes for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and strengthen requirements for US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections.
The bill would crack down on loopholes for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and strengthen requirements for US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections.
“Dogs are family members, and they deserve the best defense from people who would do them harm,” Nunn said in a press release. “These bipartisan bills are important to ensure better protection for dogs and to hold individuals accountable for cruel behavior.”
In memory of Iowa dog
Goldie’s Act was named in memory of one of the dogs abused at the Wayne County puppy mill owned by Daniel Gingerich. Goldie, a golden retriever, was extremely malnourished, but her condition was never officially reported or noted as a violation of the AWA.
Last Friday, U.S. Representatives Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Zach Nunn (R-IA) took a stand against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) failure to protect animals at puppy mills by reintroducing Goldie’s Act, a federal bill to strengthen the USDA’s enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. Recent high-profile cases reveal the USDA’s total failure to protect animals in federally licensed facilities, as the law requires. Goldie’s Act is urgently needed to ensure that the USDA is fulfilling its legal obligation of protecting animals in commercial facilities by documenting violations, helping animals who are visibly suffering and sharing information with local law enforcement.
Goldie's Act would ensure the USDA does its job to protect dogs in federally licensed puppy mills
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) commends U.S. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.),Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Chris Smith (R-N.J.), and Zach Nunn (R-IA) for introducing Goldie's Act (H.R. 1788), a federal bill that will ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does its job to protect dogs in federally licensed, commercial dog breeding facilities, also known as puppy mills. This must-pass legislation is desperately needed to right the USDA's abject failure at enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which has led to untold animal suffering.
In West Point, Iowa, a large-scale, commercial breeding facility called the Stonehenge Kennel contains more than 800 dogs. Here, since 2015, more than 100 dogs have been found sick or injured; some had open lesions and could barely walk. As recently as December 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found multiple dogs there suffering from visible hair loss, crusty or dirty eyes and ears, swellings on their legs, paws, abdomens and several other painful issues. Violations like this have been documented at the massive facility again and again for over a decade. The Stonehenge Kennel has violated the USDA’s regulations frequently enough to land in our annual Horrible Hundred report five times.
On March 9, 2023, the global news agency Reuters published shocking, new details about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) mismanagement of a 2022 case involving Envigo, a mass-breeding company with multiple locations that supplies dogs for research and experimentation. They found:
Newly disclosed records indicate 199 surrendered dogs were euthanized in one day
The state board that oversees Iowa’s veterinarians will be taking no public disciplinary action against the veterinarian connected with the Daniel Gingerich puppy mill case.
In September 2022, two Miami pet stores—Glamorous Puppies and Puppies Secret—received Yorkshire Terrier puppies from one of the most notorious commercial dog dealers in the country, according to newly received documentation from the State of Iowa.
Stephens County, Oklahoma – An estimated 200 dogs were discovered at a Stephens County, Oklahoma, residence when police went to the home in mid-February to investigate a murder. Evidence at the home led Stephen’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies to arrest 49-year-old Karen Jean Prichard on suspicion of second-degree murder, and dismal conditions at her Marlow property prompted further investigation resulting in 113 counts of cruelty to animals.
Goldie’s Act was named after Golden Retriever #142, who was a victim of one of the most egregious puppy mill cases we have seen to date. She lived without clean food and water, space to play, and love. She didn’t even have a name until we gave her one when we learned about her and the heartbreaking way she died.
Public records released last week by the USDA show 199 dogs were transferred to a puppy mill operated by Steve Kruse and euthanized by his veterinarian just days later.
Steve Kruse is no stranger to the puppy mill industry. Over the past 30 years, he has built a massive business breeding and brokering dogs. Despite a long and troubled history of animal care violations, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to unquestioningly issue Kruse licenses to keep and sell dogs.
One breeder who operated a puppy mill under this arrangement with Kruse is the notorious Daniel Gingerich. A portion of Gingerich’s commercial breeding business was on a property owned by Kruse. Records show Kruse transferred hundreds of dogs to Gingerich, and when the USDA inspected Gingerich’s facility on that property in July 2021, they had more than enough evidence to confiscate the dogs and revoke Gingerich’s license for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Instead, the USDA agreed for the dogs to be returned to Kruse, even though he had years of documented violations of his own.
Public records obtained from the USDA last week revealed that just a few days after the dogs were transferred back to Kruse, 199 were “euthanized” by his veterinarian [PDF].
On February 14, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published its annual summary of the enforcement actions taken against those who aren’t in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)—the only federal law protecting dogs in commercial breeding and dealing facilities.
My newly adopted doggie, Minnie, is a Toy Poodle who spent the first four years of her life in a filthy cage, covered in fleas, ear mites, and matted fur full of her own feces. She was forced to have litter after litter.
HOLMES COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found the number of high volume dog breeders registering with the state soaring.
Hundreds of large volume dog breeders are now in Ohio, the numbers confirmed this month by the Commercial Dog Breeding Advisory Board.
In 2018, there were 290 high volume dog breeders licensed in Ohio. In 2019, 418. Now there are over 600 large volume dog breeders in the state.
Iowa’s dog breeders had the worst record of compliance with federal regulations in 2022, accounting for 36% of all violations cited nationally.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited dog and cat breeders and brokers for 795 violations in 2022, a total that excludes citations for “missed” inspections resulting from USDA officials not gaining access to the operations.
Earlier this week, a dog breeder in Iowa was arrested by the Appanoose County Sheriff. Henry Sommers, a USDA-licensed breeder until he voluntarily cancelled his license in mid-January, has been charged with two counts of animal neglect with serious injury, three counts of animal neglect with injury and two counts of animal neglect without injury.
For over a decade, and while he was licensed by the USDA, Henry Sommers bred puppies to be sold in pet stores across the country, and he has been harming dogs for just as long.
County law enforcement officials say they are investigating a rural Iowa dog breeder who is being sanctioned by federal regulators.
Henry Sommers, the owner of Happy Puppy on 141st Avenue in the town of Cincinnati, was arrested Tuesday by the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office. Sommers, whose business has a long history of regulatory violations, was recently fined $12,600 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a string of violations over the past six years.
Fighting the big fights for animals means that we are constantly working at an enormous scale to change thousands and thousands of lives—from securing the passage of animal protection laws and filing lawsuits on behalf of animals to conducting investigations and rescuing animals from crisis situations. But today I want to focus on one of those lives in remembrance: a poodle named B.B., who passed away in the loving arms of her adopter earlier this month.
In November 2021, at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, the ASPCA assisted in removing, transporting and sheltering more than 500 dogs and puppies in the care of a USDA-licensed breeder in Seymour, Iowa. The animals were surrendered after the USDA documented over 190 violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
For years now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has displayed an unacceptable pattern of insufficient enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), leading to serious harm imposed upon innocent animals. Specifically, those provisions which require commercial breeders to be licensed and provide care for the dogs at their facilities have gone alarmingly unenforced and ignored
Take the case of breeder, Daniel Gingerich, and Golden Retriever #142, who was later named Goldie by the animal protection community. When federal inspectors at the USDA first found Goldie, she was so emaciated that her ribcage and hipbones protruded. The state of the facility was horrific: the dogs were surrounded by excrement and vermin and lacked access to food and water. Despite these conditions, the USDA took no enforcement action and as a result, Goldie died on Gingerich’s property.
Update: January 11, 2023
We analyzed the USDA’s inspections, documented violations, and enforcement actions for the 2022 fiscal year, and it is clear the agency is still failing at its job to protect dogs in puppy mills. The USDA documented over 800 violations of the Animal Welfare Act by licensed dog breeders (puppy mills) and puppy brokers–collectively referred to as "dog dealers"–last year.
The owner of a rural Iowa dog-breeding business was arrested Tuesday and charged with seven counts of animal neglect.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has fined Henry R. Sommers, who runs the Happy Puppy dog-breeding operation on 141st Avenue in the Appanoose County town of Cincinnati, $12,600. The fine stems from numerous citations for regulatory violations over the past six years.
Following the tragic death of a golden retriever at an Iowa puppy mill in 2021, the ASPCA and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa teamed up to save 500 puppies. Now, these orgs are urging Congress to pass legislation that would help animals who are living in inhumane conditions.
A rural Iowa breeder who euthanized unwanted dogs with unauthorized stomach injections and then left the animals alone to die has been fined $12,600 by the federal government.
Henry R. Sommers, who runs the Happy Puppy dog-breeding operation on 141st Avenue in the Appanoose County town of Cincinnati, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for numerous violations over the past six years.
We have obtained documents showing that the USDA’s Animal Care Division gave cash awards to 17 staff members who were involved with the notorious 2021 Gingerich puppy mill case in Iowa. The documents redacted the specific dollar amounts of the awards, which recognize exceptional performance or achievements by USDA staff, but based on agency guidelines, the awards likely total tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars. Given the USDA’s mishandling of that case over the course of many months, and its lack of action to intervene to save the dogs—or even to revoke Gingerich’s license to breed—this is a staggering, outrageous development.
After passing the New York Legislature by large bipartisan majorities, the New York Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill has been signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, ending the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York State's pet stores.
After successfully making it through the New York State Legislature, the fate of the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill is in Governor Hochul’s hands. The groundbreaking legislation that would end the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York pet stores only needs the Governor’s signature to become law.
The puppy mill pipeline is a cruel industry that puts profit over the well-being of the animals. Puppies sold in pet stores come from commercial breeding operations, also known as puppy mills, where breeding dogs are often kept in crowded cages, forced to produce litter after litter with little to no veterinary care, adequate shelter or socialization. Their puppies are trucked into New York from all over the country, where they are sold in pet stores.
Two New York pet stores–Teacup Pup and Astoria Pets in Queens–were recently shipped puppies from one of the most notorious puppy suppliers in the country, and we have the documentation from the state of Iowa showing the transactions.
This latest information adds to the mountain of evidence that demonstrates why New York must do more to protect animals. Governor Hochul must act swiftly to sign the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill and stop cruel, out-of-state commercial breeders from profiting in New York.
Iowa continues to lead the nation in puppy mills sanctioned by the federal government, with far more violations cited in Iowa this year than any other state.
There have been at least 623 documented violations across the country to date this year, with Iowa operators responsible for 42%, or 267, of the total. The states that are next on the list are Missouri, with 75 violations; Wisconsin, with 59 violations; and Indiana, with 29 violations.
National data on violations is collected and analyzed by Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa-based animal-welfare organization that uses U.S. Department of Agriculture records to track regulatory compliance of breeders and kennels.
It has been one year since the ASPCA assisted the Animal Rescue League of Iowa with the rescue of more than 500 dogs living in horrific conditions at a USDA-licensed Iowa puppy mill operated by Daniel Gingerich. Though Gingerich had a long, documented history of animal welfare violations, in November 2021, he surrendered the dogs, but only after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint, and a federal restraining order was issued against him.
To give an inside look at our efforts to help dogs in cruel puppy mills and ensure the USDA is enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, one year later, we’ve asked ASPCA experts to reflect their role in the rescue, rehabilitation and legal work surrounding this case.
Today (Nov. 1) marks a year of recovery for hundreds of dogs rescued from an Iowa puppy mill. KCCI was there as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Animal Rescue League conducted the largest dog rescue in state history at the Gingerich Farm in Wayne County.
One year ago the ARL conducted the biggest puppy mill rescue in our nearly 100-year history. More than 500 dogs had been living in horrendous conditions at the hands of former Iowa breeder Daniel Gingerich, who is now permanently banned from breeding and selling dogs anywhere in the country.
The massive rescue operation spanned multiple days at multiple properties, but dog after dog, puppy after puppy, our team carried them all to safety. They finally got the medical care and behavioral care they needed, the love they had been missing for so long, and the caring homes they had always deserved.
One year later, watch the video above to see how your support changed these 500+ dogs’ lives and watch until the end for a special update on Doree, the dog who could not even stand at the time of her rescue!
October 6, 2022: In response to this enforcement disaster, 49 members of Congress, in two separate letters, expressed concern about the USDA’s failure to enforce the Animal Welfare Act.
In an effort to "conserve staff time and resources," Iowa regulators have slashed the penalty imposed on one of the state’s most notorious puppy mill operators.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has cut the fine it imposed last October against former dog breeder Daniel Gingerich, reducing it from $40,000 to $10,000.
State and federal regulators don’t track where breeders are shipping animals
An Iowa state agency is charging a nonprofit group $225 to offset the expense of searching for puppy-mill records the agency now admits it doesn’t maintain.
Iowa continues to lead the nation in puppy mills sanctioned by the federal government and is expanding its lead over other states.
During the second quarter of 2022, a total of 23 Iowa breeders and brokers were cited for regulatory violations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Missouri came in a distant second place for the number of violators, at 13.
This Bulldog puppy was living in filth and pacing in circles in his enclosure at a federally licensed puppy-breeding facility in Iowa. The facility’s licensee told an inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the puppy had an open wound on his neck when he was one week old. He also said that he sewed it up himself with a needle and thread and that he did not seek medical care for the puppy.
Thursday, July 21, 2022, is No Pet Store Puppies Day, a day to remind pet-lovers everywhere that puppies in sold pet stores very likely come from puppy mills (even if the pet store tells you that’s not true!).
The father of Daniel Gingerich, a former Iowa puppy mill operator sentenced to jail and fined $60,000 for animal-welfare violations, has been cited for operating an unlicensed dog-breeding operation in Ohio.
Last year, federal officials pursued civil charges against Daniel Gingerich for dozens of regulatory violations at his dog breeding operation, Maple Hill Puppies, in Wayne County. That effort culminated with Daniel Gingerich surrendering more than 500 dogs to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and agreeing to never again participate in a licensed business covered by the federal Animal Welfare Act.
The votes are in-the U.S. House of Representatives just passed a broad spending package to fund various federal agencies for Fiscal Year 2023. The federal budget operates on fiscal years that run from October 1 to September 30, so this FY2023 bill will take effect later this year.
October 6, 2022: In response to this enforcement disaster, 49 members of Congress, in two separate letters, expressed concern about the USDA’s failure to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. In one letter [PDF], members of Congress requested answers from the USDA about their decision to renew Envigo’s license despite evidence of flagrant violations of the law, while the other letter [PDF] urged the USDA to reform its enforcement program to address and prevent ongoing abuse of animals.
July 10, 2022: The Department of Justice and Envigo reached a settlement on July 15, 2022. As expected, Envigo can no longer operate at the Cumberland, Virginia, facility, and all dogs remaining at the location will be transferred to animal shelters.
Unfortunately, Envigo will not be subject to any further civil action, they will pay no fines and the settlement does not prevent Envigo from continuing to operate other locations. In fact, the USDA just renewed Envigo’s license for another year.
July 8, 2022: In 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) asked a federal court to intervene and protect hundreds of dogs who were being held in a commercial breeding facility in Iowa. More than 500 dogs were later removed from the facility run by USDA-licensee Daniel Gingerich.
Great news for animals! This week, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee introduced a draft of its bill to fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for fiscal year 2023. We are thrilled to share that it contains several ASPCA-supported measures that will help improve the lives of animals for years to come.
Today, the New York State Legislature passed the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill, groundbreaking legislation that will end the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York pet stores.
Issues include frozen water, wood shavings in food, untreated injuries and lethal injections
An Iowa dog breeder who admitted killing some of his unwanted dogs with stomach injections and then leaving them alone in their cages to die is among the Iowans listed in the Humane Society of the United States’ annual list of the nation’s 100 worst dog breeders (PDF).
Six months ago this week, the ASPCA, along with Animal Rescue League of Iowa, removed over 500 dogs from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-licensed dog breeding facility belonging to Daniel Gingerich. We are happy to share that almost all of those dogs are now in loving homes, while a few others are still receiving necessary medical and behavioral care.
In honor of National Animal Advocacy Day (April 30), actors Eric McCormack and Edie Falco join the ASPCA to support Goldie’s Act, federal legislation that will protect dogs in puppy mills
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) released new data from a national poll conducted by Lake Research Partners that revealed 77 percent of Americans support federal legislation that would end puppy mills. Additionally, 71 percent of Americans support federal legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) with support extending across political party, age, gender and regardless of whether the respondent lived in a rural or urban setting.
In a USDA-licensed dog-breeding facility in Iowa, a young Golden Retriever suffered without fresh food, water or veterinary care. She lived and died in a dirty cage, and she never experienced a safe, loving home. She was even denied a name: the breeder who owned her merely referred to her as Golden Retriever #142. We named her Goldie, and this week is for her.
Commercial dog breeders, also known as puppy mills, are supposed to meet certain care standards-and it's the USDA's job to make sure that they do. But the USDA has neglected its duties for far too long, leading to tragic outcomes for dogs like Goldie. To prevent future suffering, we must pass Goldie's Act: aspca.org/goldiesact
Each year, the ASPCA honors animal welfare professionals, members of law enforcement and public officials for their exceptional efforts to tackle animal cruelty across the country. Earlier this week, six remarkable individuals were celebrated with the 2022 ASPCA Champion for Animals Award.
Each year, the ASPCA honors animal welfare professionals, members of law enforcement and public officials for their exceptional efforts to tackle animal cruelty across the country. Earlier this week, six remarkable individuals were celebrated with the 2022 ASPCA Champion for Animals Award. From New York to Iowa, these Champions worked relentlessly toward a shared goal: protect dogs in puppy mills.
Update March 15, 2022- After passing the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, President Biden signed the federal omnibus Appropriations Bill for the 2022 fiscal year into law. Here’s what you need to know, and how this bill will impact critical animal welfare initiatives.
What is an Omnibus Appropriations Bill?
An omnibus is a fancy word for a giant annual spending bill that outlines funding for all the departments and agencies of the federal government. It includes funding decisions addressing everything from defense spending to healthcare, tax provisions to cybersecurity, and, yes, animal welfare!
When the Appropriations Bill was released by House and Senate negotiators this week, our team jumped to work to review the elements of the bill that we influenced and compile a summary for you.
New York State has the chance to make history by passing the NY Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill (A.4283/S.1130). This important legislation will strike a major blow to the cruel and deceptive puppy mill industry by ending the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York pet stores.
We adopted our dog Toy from a Pug rescue group when she was five years old. She was one of 26 Pugs rescued on Independence Day in 2016. Toy lived in a wire cage and was bred time and time again, and she did not receive any veterinary care.
The puppy at the pet store may not have come from where you think it did.
In the months leading up to the U.S. Department of Agriculture shutting down a puppy mill in rural Seymour, Iowa, records show Daniel Gingerich sold more than 500 dogs to pet stores in at least 10 different states.
Update February 23, 2022:
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is pursuing criminal charges against Daniel Gingerich following the rescue of more than 500 dogs and puppies living in horrific condition under his care. One count of animal neglect against Gingerich relates to Goldie the Golden Retriever, who died on the property after enduring prolonged and extreme suffering.
Puppy love is real.
Sadly, so is cruel breeding. Dogs in puppy mills live without love–they’re bred for profit and kept in tiny cages, all to keep the inhumane puppy industry in business.
For more than a century, the ASPCA has worked hard to create, promote, enact and enforce stronger animal-protection laws. Advocating for animals continued to keep us busy last year! Throughout 2021, the ASPCA’s dedicated members and supporters answered our calls for action, and together we made a real difference for animals.
In November, the ASPCA assisted with the rescue of more than 500 hundred dogs from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-licensed commercial dog breeding facility in Iowa. The breeding facility was owned by Daniel Gingerich and was licensed by the USDA in 2019, but the agency didn’t inspect his facility until 2021. When the USDA finally inspected the facility, they found many animals suffering: dogs hidden from inspectors, ongoing disease outbreaks like parvovirus and distemper, heat distress, lack of water and food, dead and dying dogs–over 200 violations of the Animal Welfare Act in total. Dogs were sick and dying on the USDA’s watch.
Prompted by a groundswell of community interest in shutting down the cruel puppy mill pipeline, cities and counties across the country have adopted local laws to end the sale of dogs and cats in stores. Profitable and successful pet stores in the U.S. do not sell dogs and cats, and people are taking notice–selling pets in stores relies on an unsustainable, inhumane network of commercial breeding operations.
Today, the ASPCA joined the New York Attorney General Letitia James at a press conference announcing a lawsuit against Shake A Paw®, a retail pet shop that sells puppies, for unlawfully and deceptively selling sick puppies to unsuspecting consumers at its two Long Island locations. The lawsuit claims Shake A Paw falsely advertised sick pets as healthy, fabricated health certificates, failed to disclose animals’ medical conditions, misrepresented puppies’ breeds and refused to reimburse consumers for veterinary bills.
U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne is pushing Goldie's Act, a bill that requires more frequent USDA inspections, cooperation between local and federal law enforcement and harsher penalties for owners who don't properly care for the dogs.
Submitted by Kimberly W., Las Vegas, NV
I purchased Trevor not knowing about the problems with buying puppies from pet stores. Trevor is a Basset Hound, and he is five years old now. I bought him in 2016, and I paid around $3,000 for him.
New bill seeks to amend the Animal Welfare Act after more than 500 dogs were rescued from a USDA licensed dog breeding facility in Iowa.
WASHINGTON, DC – The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today commends U.S. Reps. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Susan Wild (D-Pa.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) for introducing Goldie’s Act, a federal bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which is intended to protect dogs in puppy mills. This legislation is a needed response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) abject failure to enforce the AWA and consistent pattern of abdicating its duties, which has led to untold animal suffering. The bill will require more frequent and meaningful inspections, confiscation of dogs who are suffering, imposition of deterring monetary penalties against licensees who violate the law and require the USDA to share information with law enforcement agencies.
New bipartisan bill named in memory of Goldie, one of 500 dogs kept in abhorrent conditions at Iowa puppy mill that had a documented history of violations
Yesterday, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) introduced new bipartisan legislation to close enforcement loopholes in the Animal Welfare Act. This is in response to the recent closure of a Iowa puppy mill in Wayne County that amassed nearly 200 violations of the law before being shut down by a court order.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture would be required to report and impose penalties when dog breeders violate the Animal Welfare Act under a new bill proposed by Rep. Cindy Axne.
The bill is named "Goldie’s Act," after a golden retriever who died under the care of Iowa puppy mill owner Daniel Gingerich, who operated in Iowa for two years and amassed over 100 violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
You are truly a lifesaver! Without your continued support for animals in need, we would not have been able to accomplish all that we did in 2021. Animal lovers like you are the reason so many vulnerable animals get second chances throughout the year. And while you may not be able to witness firsthand all the incredible outcomes your support creates, everything we do would be impossible without you by our side. You have helped changed so many lives for the better!
The ASPCA recently assisted with the rescue of more than 500 dogs from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensed commercial dog breeding facility in Iowa. Daniel Gingerich was licensed by the USDA in 2019, but the agency didn’t inspect his facility until 2021. When the USDA finally inspected the facility, they found many animals suffering, dogs hidden from inspectors, ongoing disease outbreaks like parvovirus and distemper, heat distress, lack of water and food, dead and dying dogs–over 190 violations in total. Dogs were sick and dying under the USDA’s watch.
Across the U.S., puppy-selling pet stores and commercial pet breeders have failed to convince courts to undo laws fighting puppy mill cruelty.
Last week we announced that more than 500 dogs living in horrific conditions at a USDA-licensed breeding facility were surrendered by breeder Daniel Gingerich, who supplied puppies to pet stores in multiple states.
For her entire 4 years of life, she churned out puppies for Daniel Gingerich, a commercial breeder with a long history of animal cruelty. And now that she could no longer even stand, she had been discarded, left to suffer alone. She was one of 500+ dogs the ARL recently assisted in rescuing.
The ARL Mobile Rescue Team has arrived back in Des Moines after a multi-day rescue operation to remove more than 500 dogs from a commercial breeder at six locations in Iowa. The dogs were saved from horrific conditions at the hands of Daniel Gingerich, who has been accused of 190 violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The operation to save these dogs began weeks ago, and while they are finally safe, the hardest part is still ahead. Now they need YOU.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa and other organizations have rescued over 500 dogs from Iowa puppy mill owner Daniel Gingerich. ARL officials said it was their largest rescue and the dogs are being treated and prepared for adoption.
“All dogs are now safe, are being brought to health, and have been given a second chance at life,” said Tom Colvin, CEO of the Animal Rescue League.
Animal Rescue League of Iowa, in coordination with the ASPCA, requested to assist with animal removal, transport and sheltering
Animal Rescue Corps, Bissell Pet Foundation, First Medical Inc., Hills Foundation, Iowa State University, IVMA, RedRover, Wayside Waifs and Wisconsin Humane Society also providing assistance with transport and daily care for the animals
SEYMOUR, IOWA-At the request of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL), in coordination with the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), is assisting with the removal, transport, and sheltering of more than 500 dogs and puppies currently in the care of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensed breeder in Seymour, Iowa. Daniel Gingerich agreed to surrender all of the animals in his care after the USDA documented more than 190 violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
SEYMOUR, IOWA - As volunteers and workers from the ASPCA and Animal Rescue League of Iowa work to take hundreds of dogs from his rural Iowa properties, Daniel Gingerich has agreed to permanently stop selling, breeding or brokering dogs. Wayne County Sheriff Keith Davis says Gingerich will soon face criminal charges.
Submitted by Barbara and Charlie S., California
On November 12, 2018, the ASPCA was called in to assist with evidence collection, transport and sheltering of 160 dogs from a breeding facility in Worth County, Iowa. Upon arriving at the scene, investigators discovered the dogs, all Samoyeds, living in frigid, overcrowded conditions without food. In addition, their water was frozen, leaving them without drinking water.
Researchers have been tracking a drug-resistant bacteria transmitted from pet store puppies to humans–Campylobacter jejuni. Findings are outlined in a recent report published in JAMA Network Open.
Update: On September 24, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed an administrative complaint to revoke Daniel Gingerich’s license to operate his commercial breeding facility. This came after more than 100 recorded violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and multiple dogs dying under Gingerich’s watch.
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order against an Iowa dog breeder described by regulators as one of the nation’s biggest repeat violators.
U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Rose issued the order this week, just one day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture brought suit against Daniel Gingerich, formerly of Seymour, for numerous violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Yesterday we delivered the results of our recent petition to the White House, urging President Biden to direct the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) do its job and protect dogs in puppy mills. This call to action comes to President Biden as the USDA has struggled to adequately respond to one of the most egregious examples of puppy mill cruelty we’ve ever seen. The delivery included a selection of personal puppy mill stories submitted by ASPCA supporters and over 130,000 signatures.
Happy National Dog Day! As we celebrate pups everywhere, we would also like to highlight the work of the advocates who are building a more humane world for dogs.
This week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations advanced provisions to protect animals in the Agriculture Appropriations bill-a huge annual bill that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other federal agencies. This bill outlines protective measures that could benefit dogs in puppy mills, horses and farmed animals.
In a series of audits since 1992, the USDA’s internal investigators, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), has consistently identified major deficiencies in the USDA’s oversight of dog dealers, resulting in the grossly inhumane treatment of dogs in commercial breeding facilities (commonly referred to as puppy mills).
As a leader in disaster response, the ASPCA helps animals across the country affected by wildfires, tornados, winter weather and other disasters. We witness firsthand the devastating effects of failing to include animals in disaster planning.
Update-July 29, 2021: Today, the U.S. House passed its federal funding package-and included important advancements for animals! That means the animal protection measures described below have advanced through one chamber of Congress-increasing the odds they will be signed into law. Thank you to the advocates who supported these important initiatives by contacting their federal lawmakers.
This week, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations advanced important measures to protect animals in two government funding bills. The committee reported separate Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations bills to fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Interior Department—both bills contain crucial protections for animals and increased funding for important programs.
The House Agriculture Appropriations bill includes significant animal-protection measures such as...
Florida’s Orange County, home to the city of Orlando, has joined more than 70 other Florida jurisdictions in ending the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in retail pet stores. These laws-nearly 400 nationwide!-are big wins because they can eliminate a critical outlet for cruel puppy mills.
Friday, June 11, 2021, the ASPCA filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for failure to enforce the Animal Welfare Act-a federal law passed more than 50 years ago to ensure the humane treatment and care of commercially bred dogs.
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In the next few weeks, New York State has the chance to make history and strike a major blow to the cruel and deceptive puppy mill industry by passing the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill.
In March 2021, a dog-dealer based in West Point, Iowa, was inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). During the inspection, USDA inspectors found sick and injured dogs [PDF]—including a Bulldog who could not bear weight on her leg, a Samoyed with a swollen eye that leaked discharge down the side of her face, and a Boston Terrier who was so emaciated that her backbone, ribs and hip bones were visible. In total, there were 691 dogs at the facility that day.
