MISSOURI MILLS

Pamela Baldwin/ Samples Creek Kennel – Edgar Springs, MO: “Excessively Thin” Dogs with Ribs Protruding
In May 2011, Pamela Baldwin received an Official Warning from the USDA for not providing proper veterinary treatment to dogs in her care. Issues included a dog known as “Skooter” who “had a swollen area on the left, lower lip” and two other dogs who “had cloudy substances covering a large portion of the eyes.” A “loose, bloody discharge” was also seen on the ground of one dog’s enclosure, according to inspection reports.

Problems at Samples Creek Kennel seem to have only gotten worse since the official warning was issued. In May 2012, USDA inspectors documented a number of new, serious problems, including four dogs who were so thin that their ribs were showing, and dogs with scabs, hair loss and missing fur. Issues were found yet again August of 2012, when USDA inspectors found a silky terrier with a damaged, watering eye and a limping Bassett Hound, as well as 25 dogs who were “scratching frequently” and appeared to be infested with fleas. USDA #43-A-4762.

Edward Cannon/ E. Cannon Kennels – Novinger, MO: Both a Puppy Mill and a Kitten Mill

E. Cannon Kennels has more than 400 dogs and puppies, according to February 2013 USDA records. It has been cited by USDA inspectors for multiple problems over the years, including a dog with dental issues so severe that she could no longer keep her tongue in her mouth and the inspector could see the roots of her teeth; an ammonia (urine) odor so strong that federal inspectors noted a “burning sensation” in their noses; dirty conditions; and mold found in the dog kibble. In 2011, E. Cannon Kennels received an official warning from the USDA for violations of the Animal Welfare Act regulations.

The facility was also breeding kittens when inspectors visited in July 2012, according to USDA records; 139 cats and kittens were counted in addition to 385 dogs and puppies. Issues with the cattery that have been documented by the USDA included a cat with a dark crusty discharge around both eyes, a flame-point Himalayan with clear mucus film in both eyes, accumulations of clutter, hair, dirt, and grime in the cattery, and a strong ammonia (urine) odor in the cat area. USDA #43-A-4206.

Tina Carr/ Simply Puppies – Hannibal, MO: Dead Dog Found Outside in the Bitter Cold

Simply Puppies has accumulated numerous federal Animal Welfare Act violations over the last several years, including a January 2013 violation for 22 puppies kept on one-inch wire flooring, which is an injury and entrapment risk; February 2011 violations for failure to provide adequate bedding when it was 13.6 degrees F. outside; and one dog who was observed to be shivering with frozen water droplets on the dog’s chin. In 2012, Carr received an official warning from the USDA for previous violations of the Animal Welfare Act regulations. In January 2011, Carr was cited by USDA inspectors for a “direct non- compliance” for a dead dog found by the inspector in a kennel with another dog. The report does not specify how the dog died, but indicates that it may have been due to the bitter cold temperatures: “At time of inspection a female Dachshund (#222) was found dead in an outdoor run with another live dog. [....]the outdoor temperature was 28 degrees F. There were approximately 20 short-haired Dachshunds that were in outdoor enclosures with no bedding available.” (USDA, Jan. 2011). USDA #43- A-5672.
See The HSUS’s Dirty Dozen reports for details at humanesociety.org/puppymillresearch.

Brandi Cheney/ Circle B Farms, LLC – Huntsville, MO: Still Licensed by USDA after being linked to Previously Shuttered Kennel

No list of problematic kennels would be complete without Circle B Farms, LLC, operated by Brandi Cheney. Cheney has been associated with several different business names and breeding operations in Missouri. A previous facility, S & S Family Puppies, which was licensed to both Cheney and her mother, Diana Stephenson, was linked to more than 500 hundred pages of USDA enforcement records, including violations for sick and injured dogs who had not been treated by a vet, dead or dying dogs found on the property, dogs without adequate protection from the
heat and cold, and more. S & S Family Puppies was finally shut down in May 2011, but Brandi continues to operate Circle B Farms, LLC (#43-B-3698), a second puppy mill in a different location. USDA inspections of Circle B Farms in 2011 uncovered a number of new, severe violations, including dogs in need of veterinary care, temperatures inside the kennel registering as high as 109.5 degrees F., failure to provide adequate lighting or electricity, and failure to provide adequate cage space. USDA #43-B-3698 and previous #43- B-0435.
The HSUS has also received consumer complaints about sick puppies sold by this operator. See the HSUS’s 2011 Dirty Dozen report update at www.humanesociety.org/puppymillresearch for more details.

Kimberly Coleman/ TLC’s Kennel – Clinton, MO: Fined $8,250 by USDA
TLC’s Kennel has more than 300 dogs and puppies, but USDA inspectors were not able to check on their welfare in January 2013, when the operator failed to make the facility available during regular business hours for inspection (a violation). Previous violations at the kennel include dogs in wet or freezing weather without adequate protection, including 37 dogs which the inspector noted had “soiled or wet hair coats,” and dogs kept in rusty enclosures with holes in the flooring, strong odors and flies throughout the facility. In 2010, the operator entered in to a settlement agreement with the USDA and was fined $8,250 for violations of the Animal Welfare Act regulations. USDA #43-A-4973.

After accumulating dozens of pages of severe USDA violations between 1993 and 2012, and appearing in the HSUS’s Missouri’s Dirty Dozen update report (at www.humanesociety.org/puppymillresearch) in 2011, this kennel cancelled its USDA license for unknown reasons in March 2012. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the story, as the kennel remains state-licensed in Missouri in 2013. Horrific violations at this kennel documented by federal inspectors included: dogs with painful eye conditions who had not been treated by a vet despite repeat warnings; a seriously underweight mother Rottweiler with her rib and hip bones protruding, who had only two surviving puppies out of a litter of six, a dog who was so badly matted that the inspector could not see her eyes, and dogs “shivering in a crouched position” in 23 degree F temperatures. Inspectors also noted during one visit that the drinking water was frozen in all of the outdoor kennels.

Marsha Cox/ Mar-Don Kennel – Chillicothe, MO: Surfaces Covered in Feces; Dogs in Below Freezing Cold

Marsha Cox, a relative of Lou Cox, was named as one of our original Missouri’s Dirty Dozen in a 2010 report on some of the worst puppy mills in Missouri [See HSUS’s 2010 and 2011 Dirty Dozen reports for details.]
Marsha Cox’s USDA license was cancelled in 2011 after she repeatedly refused access to inspectors and was cited for severe animal care problems, including keeping animals outside in below- freezing temperatures without adequate protection from the cold, underweight animals, and sick animals who had not been treated by a vet. Although Marsha Cox has lost her USDA license, she remains Missouri state licensed in 2013.

Kenneth Dake/ Dake’s Kennel – Dixon, MO : Accumulations of Trash and Waste

Dake’s Kennel has been cited for recurring violations since at least 2007. In December 2012, USDA inspectors found 10 violations, including a Golden Retriever with sores inside her ears, excessive accumulations of trash and waste, unsafe housing, and dogs without adequate protection from the weather when temperatures had been in the 30s at night. Prior violations include storing rat poison two feet away from the dog food, puppies found huddling together in a whelping trailer that was only 42 degrees F at the time of inspection, failure to provide adequate protection to dogs in the outdoor enclosures when the outdoor temperature was 34 degrees F at time of inspection, and excessive accumulations of feces. Dake’s Kennel received an official warning from the USDA in 2011 for violations of the Animal Welfare Act regulations. USDA # 43-A-5402.

LeRoy Detweiler/ Sunset Ridge Kennel – Princeton, MO: “Thin and Listless” Dog Died of Sepsis; Dogs Exposed to Heat Index over 114 Degrees F

Joseph and LeRoy Detweiler had a history of problems under their joint USDA license (#43-A-5447), including an official warning in 2012, but in January 2013 the USDA allowed the Detweilers to cancel the joint license and granted LeRoy Detweiler a new license, USDA #43-A-5786, at the same address.
Violations from the Detweilers’ USDA reports include a lethargic and shivering mother Chihuahua with only one surviving puppy, sick and lethargic puppies lacking veterinary care, a “high death rate” in puppy litters (July 2010), repeated problems with excessive accumulations of feces, dogs kept in unsafe temperatures, including a heat index of 114.1 degrees F in one of the buildings, and many other problems.
Grave problems have been found by state inspectors as well. In May 2012, a Missouri state inspector visited the kennel and found a gravely ill dog. Wrote the inspector: “there is a King Charles Cavalier, dog number 406 that is thin and listless [...] This dog is not trying to stand up. The licensee is keeping a list of dogs that have been treated or that have been seen by the attending veterinarian. Dog 406 is not on that list.” The inspector updated the report five days later, noting that the dog had died after the licensee was required to take him to the vet: “The licensee took the dog immediately to Dr. Alumbaugh. Dr. Alumbaugh put the dog on IVs as soon as it got there. The dog died 2 hours later. The necropsy
show[ed] that the intestine had adhered together, causing [...] septic death.”

Miriam and Neal Feldkamp—Lewistown, MO: Injured Dogs in Need of Vet Care; Puppies Coated in feces

The USDA has found recurring violations at the Feldkamp facility as recently as January 2013, when the kennel was cited for three repeat violations, including a veterinary care violation for two dogs with untreated injuries: a shih tzu with an open, oozing lesion and a dachshund who was limping and had a swollen lower leg. Additional issues found at the same inspection included an excessive build-up of feces; when questioned, the licensee told the inspector that “she cleans the outside portions of the enclosures about once a week” but regulations require that enclosures be spot cleaned daily.
The kennel has also repeatedly been cited for puppies, some as young as three days old, who were found with their feet falling through the wire flooring, a significant risk for entrapment and injury and a violation of both USDA and state regulations.

The HSUS has received numerous complaints alleging sick puppies purchased from pet stores who originated from Country Pets, an enormous puppy mill which houses more than 750 dogs and puppies. The kennel received an official warning from the USDA in September 2012 for failure to provide veterinary care and failing to allow access to inspectors on four prior occasions.

During Country Pets’ most recent federal inspection in August 2012, after twice finding no one present when inspectors arrived to attempt an inspection, USDA inspectors found several dogs in urgent need of veterinary care, including a Shih Tzu with a lesion on her eye who was squinting and blinking, a Bichon with a mass in her mouth, and a weimaraner who was seriously underweight, with his “rib, spine, hip bones, sit bones, and long bones all prominent and easily visualized from a distance.” None of the animals had been examined by a vet, according to the inspection report. During a 2011 visit, USDA inspectors found additional problems, including dogs in need of veterinary care, dogs found panting in excessive heat, and housing in such disrepair that dogs’ legs were falling through the flooring.

One of Country Pets’ co-owners, Cathy Griesbauer, has been linked to numerous efforts to defeat animal protection laws. She was the President of the Professional Pet Association in Missouri in 2010; the PPA actively fought the passage of Proposition B, a ballot initiative designed to improve the care of dogs in puppy mills. USDA #43-A-1843.

Rhonda Gear/ Country Babies – Galt, MO: Dogs without Shelter in 20 Degree Temperatures, Buildings Not Cleaned in Months

Renee Horton/ Horton Kennel – Curryville, MO: Dogs Walking in Diarrhea

Additional violations found at the facility in recent years include a fly infestation, multiple dogs found stepping in their own diarrhea; other dogs with untreated medical issues such as masses and ear problems; and a dog who was matted so severely over 60% of her body that her fur was “heavily twisted and ropey,” per USDA inspectors. USDA #43-A-2675.

Wilma Jinson/ Jinson Kennel – Stella, MO: “Obvious Veterinary Care Problems” per USDA Inspector; Fined by USDA

Jeff Burnside of Washington’s KOMO 4 News expanded upon the Laymon story in February 2013, reporting that consumers across the country were still claiming to receive sick puppies from the facility thanks to unregulated Internet sales: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Loophole-lets-accused- puppy-mill-operator-sell-dogs-online-192901401.html.

Rose Marlow/ Pet Degree Ranch – Wellsville, MO: Received Official Warning for Violating Animal Welfare Act Regulations

Tom Nelson/ Oak Ridge Pets – Macon, MO: Dogs with Fresh Bite Wounds

Joe Overlease/ C & J’s Cockers – Miller, MO: Multiple Consumer Complaints and Many State Violations

The HSUS has received a number of consumer complaints alleging sick puppies sold by C & J’s Cockers, which sells cocker spaniels online and directly to the public. The kennel is not USDA licensed so it can’t legally sell to pet stores, but it sells puppies via its own website, Cocker-spaniels.com, and online classified sites such as Nextdaypets.com.
Between May 2010 and February 2012, Missouri Department of Agriculture officials cited the puppy mill for a number of violations, including overcrowded and dirty conditions, safety concerns, dozens of matted dogs (1/26/2011), no proof of veterinary care (2/7/2012), and unsafe housing conditions (multiple dates). State records indicate that there are currently more than 300 dogs and puppies at the kennel.
The facility is owned by Joe Overlease, former president of the Professional Kennel Club of Missouri. Overlease was a vocal opponent of Proposition B, a 2010 ballot initiative that would have vastly improved the standards of care for dogs in commercial kennels in Missouri. Overlease’s kennel has been state-licensed since November 2003, after state officials found him operating an illegal, unlicensed kennel and required him to obtain a license.

Valente Rios/ Rios Kennel – Galt, MO: Dogs in Complete Darkness; Failure to Obtain Vet Care

The following USDA violations were documented in May 2012: “A female Lhasa Apso, tag #198, was observed to be very thin, her ribs, vertebrae, and hip bones are very prominent and easily visible, and she has a tucked abdomen. There is a very obvious loss of muscle of her front shoulders, front and back legs, making the long bones and shoulder blades visible.” In addition, “a male Boston Terrier, with no ID, was observed repeatedly licking the front of his muzzle. Upon closer observation there is an open wound approximately 1⁄2 inch in diameter under his left nostril. The skin in this open area is reddened.”
On August 3, 2011, a USDA inspector found that a black schnauzer puppy had recently had his ears cropped, even though the licensee “is not trained or qualified to safely conduct painful, surgical procedures involving the amputation of tissue” and the fluid Schrage allegedly used to sanitize his equipment was “discolored and yellow in appearance, did not smell like alcohol, contained a dead floating insect, and had no cap.” The inspector emphasized that surgeries conducted without appropriate
training “could result in pain, distress, infection or injury of animals.”
The HSUS has urged both the USDA and the Missouri Department of Agriculture to shut this noncompliant kennel down and allow the dogs to be sent to shelters and rescue organizations for proper care and placement, and will continue to urge the authorities to take appropriate action. USDA #43-A-1957.

Amos Schwartz – Princeton, MO: Dogs Shivering in the Cold, Underweight Dogs and Open Wounds
Numerous violations have been documented at this kennel over the years, including an issue in February 2012 when a USDA inspector noted a Husky with an oozing eye and a bleeding mass, and a maltese with a dark purple swelling on his paw who was unable to put weight on it, among other problems. During the same inspection, a French bulldog was seen shivering in the cold without adequate protection.
In November 2011, inspectors found an underweight husky so malnourished that “her hips and ribs could be easily visualized, even under her thick coat,” according to the USDA inspector. The inspector also found an Old English sheepdog with an open wound, and other violations. The facility received an official warning from the USDA in 2012. USDA # 43-A-5349.

Kaye and William Waddell – Montgomery City, MO: Dog with Ulcerated Mass Was Not Treated for Four Months, then Euthanized

In March 2011, a veterinary medical officer with the USDA identified a lhasa apso at the Waddell kennel who had “a mass on the underside of her abdomen which was approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. The mass was covered with pink, raised bumps,” some of which appeared to be ulcerated, according to the report, and the “crater-like lesions were oozing blood.” Both the dog’s back leg and the enclosure had fresh blood on them, according to the report. The veterinary inspector informed the breeder that “open wounds are likely painful and allow bacteria and other disease-causing organisms access to the body,” and instructed the licensees in writing to get the dog to a veterinarian within a week and document her treatment. Instead, the inspector found out the following year (2/09/12) that “the licensee waited over four months to have the dog examined by a veterinarian” and at that point had the dog euthanized, violating regulations that require adequate and timely veterinary care for sick and injured animals.

Additional problems found at the Waddells’ facility include medications found in 2012 which had expired in 2001, 2005 and 2010. The inspector noted, “expired drugs may not work as anticipated, could become contaminated, and could harm the animals.” USDA #43-A-0439.

Joyce Young/ Young’s Ozark Kennel – Pottersville, MO: Puppies with their Feet Falling Through Wire Floors