Iowa puppy mills again ranked among the biggest violators

Yahoo

07-02-2025

This dog was photographed by USDA inspectors in January 2023 at a kennel operated by Wuanita Swedlund of Iowa. (USDA photo courtesy of Bailing Out Benji.)
Eight Iowa dog breeders were cited for regulatory violations in the fourth quarter of 2023, with Iowa again ranked as one of the states with the highest number of violators.
Between Oct. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited eight Iowa breeders for violations of federal regulations, according to data compiled and analyzed by the Iowa animal-welfare organization Bailing Out Benji.
The number of violators resulted in Iowa placing third among the states — behind Ohio and Wisconsin — that had the highest number of violators in the fourth quarter.
According to the analysis by Bailing Out Benji, the No. 1 violation cited by USDA inspections, nationally, in the fourth quarter of 2024 pertained to veterinary care for dogs, which accounted for 48% of all violations cited.
Among the 50 states, Iowa has the fourth-highest number of USDA-licensed pet breeders and brokers, with 263 such businesses now operating in the state.
The Iowa breeders cited for violations in the fourth quarter of 2024 include:
John and Orla Nisley of Rolling Organic Acres in Edgewood: This business was cited for a violation related to an attempted inspection on Oct. 30, 2024. The inspector arrived at the kennel at 10:45 a.m. and 'spoke to the licensee who stated they are not available for inspection today and no other facility representative is available. Failure to provide access to the facility, animals, and records for inspection is a serious violation of the Animal Welfare Act and regulations,' the inspector's report states.
The inspector was able to gain entry on Nov. 12, 2024, after which Rolling Organic Acres was cited for four additional violations pertaining to records; cleaning, sanitizing, housekeeping and pest control, and veterinary care. At the time, the kennel's paperwork indicated it had 42 adult dogs on hand, but a count of the animals showed there were only 13 adult dogs, creating some uncertainty as to the whereabouts of the other 29 dogs.
The inspector also noted that enclosures used to house 12 adult dogs had an excessive accumulation of hair and 'brown, dusty organic debris' coating the top of the enclosures, and two of the enclosures had a heavy buildup of cobwebs. The inspector also reported the kennel's attending veterinarian had not been to the kennel in the previous six months, as required, and was overdue for an on-site visit. In addition, six adult dogs did not have a complete physical examination by the attending veterinarian every 12 months as required. The dogs had last been examined in September 2023.
At the time, the kennel had 13 dogs on hand. Rolling Organic Acres recently canceled its USDA license and has, to date, not procured another license. This same kennel was cited for violations in the first quarter of 2023.
According to Bailing Out Benji, Rolling Organic Acres sells to a pet store in New Jersey.
Wuanita and Glen Swedlund of Farmington: This kennel was cited for three noncritical violations during a routine inspection on Dec. 19, 2024. The violations were related to the attending veterinarian and inadequate veterinary care; watering of animals; and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping and pest control.
The inspector reported the kennel did not have the equipment on hand that was necessary to groom a recently acquired female bichon and stated that 'the dog has heavily matted fur on all four legs and tail … This breed of dog requires regular grooming, and although recently acquired by the licensee, the dog appears to not have been groomed for several months.'
In one enclosure that was being used to house three adult dogs, there was an overturned water bowl and the dogs had no access to potable water. The inspector also reported that the sheltered portion of one animal enclosure was 'heavily contaminated with fecal material' covering 80% of the floor.
At the time, the kennel had eight adult dogs on hand.
The Swedlunds have a history of violations dating back to her licensing in 2023, including violations in the first quarter of 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2023.
In December 2023, a USDA inspector visited a dog-breeding kennel located in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business was operating on property owned by Steve Kruse, one of Iowa's larger dog breeders, but was doing business under a license held by Wuanita Swedlund.
The 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 to the inspector that 'the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away.' 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.
In February 2024, a state inspector from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship visited the facility and found additional violations related to inadequate veterinary care. A state inspector wrote in her report: 'Discussed the need to go down in dog numbers to adequately care for dogs on property.'
Waunita Swedlund and IDALS later reached an agreement whereby she agreed to downsize her Cantril operation to no more than 30 adult dogs.
Bailing Out Benji reports that it has records of the Swedlunds selling animals to pet stores in New York and Oregon.
Heath Meyers of Century Farm Puppies in Grundy Center: At the time of this Oct. 22, 2024, inspection, Meyers was cited for a direct violation related to dog enclosures and for one noncritical violation pertaining to the method of identification of animals. The inspector identified one adult female bichon, named Frisky Snowball, that had two toes on her right rear foot stuck in the flooring of her cage.
'The dog was panting with tail wagging, the tail wagging stopped when the facility representative was removing the stuck toes,' the inspector reported. 'The dog was freed from the flooring by a facility representative approximately two minutes later. When the inspector examined the toes, the dog pulled back from the inspector's touch, likely due to tenderness… The dog had a mild limp and was bearing some weight on that foot.' A worker at the kennel told the inspector incidents of that kind occurred 'about two times a year,' with dogs' toes becoming trapped in the flooring.
At the time of the inspection, Century Farm had 154 dogs and puppies on hand. Century Farm was also cited for violations in the first three quarters of 2024 and throughout 2023.
Eli Schrock of Hillview Kennels in Drakesville: This kennel was cited for two noncritical violations during a routine inspection that took place on Oct. 24, 2024. The violations were tied to incompatible groupings of dogs and cleaning, sanitizing, housekeeping and pest control. The inspector reported that the indoor portion of two separate dog enclosures was 'heavily contaminated with fecal material.' In both enclosures, the fecal matter had been 'flattened and smeared across the floor when the dogs walked through it,' and the material was covering roughly half the floor in one enclosure and 80% of the floor in the other.
At the time, Hillview Kennels had 40 dogs and puppies on hand. Hillview Kennels was last cited for violations in 2022.
Floyd and Lisa Klocke of Floyd Klocke Farm in Coon Rapids: This kennel was cited for one noncritical violation during a Dec. 3, 2024, inspection. The inspector reported that five 10-week-old yellow labs had no water available to them in their enclosure. The puppies were reportedly given water at 9:30 a.m. that day, and at 1:30 p.m., the water bowl was observed to be upside down. The puppies were immediately given water, the inspector reported, adding that 'some did not drink while others drank normally.'
At the time, Floyd Klocke Farms had 14 dogs and puppies on hand.
Judy and Gale Dorothy of Stockport: This kennel was cited for one noncritical violation during a routine inspection on Nov. 21, 2024, pertaining to records that indicated a litter of kittens was sold in August 2024, despite there being no record of an adult cat on the premises at that time. There were 46 dogs and puppies on hand at the time of the inspection.
Julie Krause of Buttercream Ranch in Algona: On Oct. 23, 2024, this kennel was cited for five noncritical violations during an inspection. The violations were tied to minimum-age requirements for animals sold, veterinary care and animal enclosures. The inspector reported that Buttercream Ranch sold 17 puppies from five litters and sent them home with their new owners before the puppies were eight weeks old, placing them at risk of health problems.
Also, the kennel's attending veterinarian had not performed the required on-site visits, with the kennel having no record of any such visit since at least August 2023. In addition, 14 adult dogs had not had their required annual physical examination by the attending veterinarian, and Buttercream Ranch could not provide medical records for three dogs named Lottie, Otis and Dexter.
At the time, the kennel had 19 dogs and puppies on hand.
Ross and Valorie Craig of Dunroven Farms in Newell: On Oct. 2, 2024, this kennel was cited for four noncritical violations during a routine inspection. The violations were related to the attending veterinarian and inadequate veterinary care, dog enclosures, and cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control. The inspector reported that a female cat named Poppyseed had a coat that was matted with fecal matter along her lower back, across her spine and around her tail.
The inspector also reported that the staff at Dunroven Farms was checking on some of the cats every other day rather than a minimum of once daily. A cat named Snowy exhibited signs of a 'mild head tilt' — a potential sign of an underlying health issue that could result in the pain or distress — that had not been reported to the attending veterinarian. In addition, litter boxes were not being spot cleaned on a daily basis to remove excrement. At the time, the kennel had 36 cats and kittens on hand.
Dunroven Farms was also cited for violations in the second quarter of 2024.