The 2014 List of Missouri Problem Puppy Mills That HSUS Just Put Out Of The 101 Problem Puppy Mills .....

0. MISSOURI 
   
   • Kathie and William Blomberg, Locust Creek Farm, Versailles, MO – Dogs with eye disease. In May 2013, a USDA veterinary medical officer found five dogs with untreated eye conditions at Locust Creek Farm, including dogs with film over the eyes, crusty discharge and lesions on their eyes. The officer also found a Pomeranian with evidence of dental disease so severe that the roots of the teeth could be seen. The dog also had fecal material matted in his fur. The inspector also noted holes in the floor and dirty feeders. The kennel had 378 dogs and puppies at its last known inspection in May 2013. No additional inspections have been recorded in 2014. The HSUS has also received three complaints from people who allegedly purchased sick puppies from Locust Creek Farm. USDA #43-A-1116. 
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   • Kay Butler, High Point Kennel, Montgomery City, MO– Nine puppies died in one week; problems found at nine different state inspections in 2013. Missouri state inspectors visited High Point Kennel at least nine different times in 2013, and found violations at each and every visit, according to state records. In July, the licensee admitted to an animal health officer that nine puppies had died in the past week due to a suspected coccidian infection, yet there appeared to be no record of a veterinary 

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consultation about the problem, according to the inspection report. In November, state inspectors found that there was still no documentation available regarding a veterinary consultation about the high puppy death rate. In December, state inspectors noted that the vet consultation had finally occurred, however, “death loss among litters is still occurring.” Other problems documented at state inspections in 2013 included dogs and puppies who appeared underweight, sick or injured; dogs without adequate protection from harsh weather; puppies crowded into cages that were too small; repeated issues with dogs who were missing or “removed” from the kennel with no record of what happened to them; and strong odors in the kennel. State license #CB-5853.

• Hazel Coleman, Dog-N-Ass Farm, Lebanon, MO – Sick puppy complaints. The HSUS has received several complaints about sick puppies purchased from Dog-N-Ass farm. In April 2013, a USDA inspector cited Coleman for failing to get proper veterinary treatment for a wheaten terrier who could not bear weight on one of his back legs. She was attempting to treat the issue herself by putting Vaseline on the paw wound, per the inspector. The inspector also noted issues with housekeeping and dirty conditions, including mice droppings, cobwebs and food waste on the floors. In 2011 the facility was found to have excessive amounts of feces in two enclosures and no shade in the outdoor kennels, and USDA inspectors took a photo of a puppy entrapped in the wire flooring. USDA # 43-A-2640. 
• Johnny Dake, J & M Kennels, Stover, MO – Dead puppy found lying outside in the cold. In January 2014, a USDA inspector found a 4-week-old shih tzu puppy frozen solid in the outdoor portion of an enclosure at J & M Kennels. She noted that when the operator picked up the body, “imprints from the wire flooring were observed” across the puppy’s body. The inspector noted that the puppy was found in the outdoor portion of the enclosure when overnight temperatures had recently been as low as 2 to -9 degrees Fahrenheit, and that there were no footprints in the snow that might indicate someone had walked around to check on the outside portion of the enclosures. Other sick or injured animals found at the facility included a Boston Terrier who could not put weight on her leg and had an open wound (April 2012), a female Shih Tzu with an oozing lesion on her paw (Jan. 2014) and a male shih tzu who was heavily matted with feces adhered to the fur and matts around his eyes that were “so large that the eyes were difficult to see” (Jan. 2014). In March 2014, USDA inspectors found 11 dogs who did not have any water and the licensee admitted they had not been given water since the evening before; when given water, the inspector noted that many of the dogs “were seen drinking water for at least one minute continuously” as if they had been excessively thirsty. USDA #43-A-4494. 
• Stacy Farley, Lancaster, MO – Dogs smeared with feces, matted clumps as large as baseballs; mother dog had no water. In February 2014, USDA inspectors found five different types of violations at Farley’s kennel, including five dogs with only frozen water in their bowls and conditions so filthy that some of the dogs’ “feet and legs have become soiled with feces and/or urine” from walking in feces-filled enclosures. The USDA had repeatedly warned Farley about the filthy conditions on previous visits, including a “strong and prominent ammonia [urine] odor” in the indoor kennel and accumulations of feces in some of the cages that made it difficult for the dogs to walk without stepping in it. In November 2013, a USDA inspector found one dog so badly matted that some of her mats were as large as baseballs, and noted “these mats were discolored brown possibly due to the fecal and urine accumulation in the enclosure.” The inspector also found a pregnant Maltese who had no water, and when given water at the inspector’s request, the dog “drank almost continuously for over a minute” as if she had not had water in a long time. On another occasion in July 2013, inspectors found a dead mouse floating in a dog’s water bowl and an “extreme insect and rodent problem” throughout the facility, among other problems. In August 2013, this dealer was given an official warning from the USDA for several of these repeated problems. USDA # 43-B-3663. 
• Gary and Ruth Ann Goostree, Rafter “G” Kennel, Rocky Comfort, MO – Husky found with tennis ball- sized mass. In January 2014, a USDA inspector found a breeding female husky with a “hard mass” the size of a tennis ball in her mammary area. The dog had not been recently seen by a vet. The inspector also noted that the whelping building “smelled of ammonia [urine]” and the ventilation system had been turned off. In June 2013, a Chihuahua was found with “matted hair coat, watery eyes and a grey 

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build-up on his molars” and a second Chihuahua was found with hair loss and other skin issues. USDA
#43-A-5677.

• Jeffrey and Judy Gray, Rothville, MO – Dogs with open wounds and scabs. In January 2014, the Grays 
  were issued an official warning by the USDA for repeated problems with inadequate veterinary care and sanitation issues. They were cited for eight different repeat violations in 2013 alone. In October 2013, a USDA inspector found a limping Chihuahua with a foot injury, a Maltese with numerous skin lesions plus a missing foot, and a three-week-old bulldog puppy with thickened, bright red skin at the Gray’s kennel. The Maltese’s open skin lesions had been pointed out on two prior inspections dating back to November 2012, according to the inspector, and had not been addressed. Issues found at prior inspections included a Chihuahua with such severe dental issues that he couldn’t keep his tongue in his mouth (March 2013 and Nov 2012), two Maltese dogs with skin lesions (March 2013), puppies in enclosures smeared with feces (March 2013), medications that expired as many as three to five years prior (June 2013), and repeated problems with excessive accumulations of feces, unsafe housing and dirty conditions. USDA #43-A-4052. 
• Richard Hoffman, Hoffman’s Kennel, Freeburg, MO – Federal inspectors found violations at four different inspections in 2013. Normally the USDA only inspects licensed kennels every one to three years, especially if the kennels have no history of serious problems. But in 2013, USDA inspectors visited Hoffman’s Kennel on five different occasions and found violations almost every time. Documented issues included large accumulations of feces, dogs exposed to frigid winter temperatures and multiple dogs in need of veterinary care, including dogs with lesions, hair loss and signs of infection. USDA #43-A- 3783. 
• Ron Hughes, Circle H Rotts & Labs, Williamstown, MO – Ten dogs in shelters so small they could not stand up. After failing to make the facility available for inspection four times in a row in 2012, USDA inspectors were finally given access to Ron Hughes’ kennel in April 2013. At this time, inspectors recorded violations for unsanitary conditions, inadequate shelter, dogs without adequate protection from the cold and “a significant amount of fecal material” in several cages. They also found ten dogs in cages so small that they could not even stand up. In July 2013 a USDA inspector once again found four dogs in cages so small that they could not stand, sit or lie down normally, despite the prior warning. One USDA inspection in December 2013 was compliant. 
  Missouri state inspectors also found animal care violations in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In February 2014, a state inspector noted that dogs did not have enough protection from the winter weather when the temperature outside was about 20 degrees, and some of the dogs had frozen water. USDA #43-A- 4833. 
• Angelia Kochs, Rocky Creek, Inc., Niangua, MO – Bulldogs could barely walk due to long nails curling back against their pads. In January 2014, Kochs received an official warning from the USDA for failing to provide adequate veterinary care and protection from the weather to dogs on three different dates in 2013 and 2012. Affected animals included a French bulldog who was limping on both front legs; upon further examination the inspector noted “the toenails on both front feet were curling all the way around and back up against the pads” of the feet. The problem was so severe that the inspector noted the dog had bent her feet so that she could walk on “the joint above the padded feet area” rather than her paws (9/5/13). Inspectors also found two other bulldogs whose feet were in the similar condition, including one who was lying down and “shivering from the head to the tail.” Other veterinary problems found at the facility included a French bulldog who was “in distress and attempting to give birth” to a puppy who was halfway out in the breech position, which the owner had not noticed; the puppy was dry, indicating it had been partially exposed for some time. Dogs were also found with hair loss, excessively matted fur, and a leg injury. The USDA counted more than 300 dogs and puppies on the property in January 2014. 
  Similar violations were documented in Missouri state inspection reports during several visits in 2013. USDA #43-A-5611. 

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• Barbara Neubert, Barb’s Pups, Formerly Neubert Kennel and Farms, Vienna, MO – Admitted slaughtering downed cows to feed to dogs; rotting meat infested with maggots found in kennels. For at least four years in a row, USDA inspectors have found serious problems at Neubert’s kennel, including rotting meat fed to the dogs, filthy conditions and ill and injured dogs. In January 2013, USDA inspectors 
  found two boxers with leg injuries and another dog with noticeable diarrhea at Neubert’s kennel. The licensee explained that one of the boxers had been bitten by another dog two days prior, but she had not taken the dog to a vet. The inspector noted that the dog’s leg was swollen, she was having difficulty putting weight on her leg and the puncture wound was oozing. Similar problems were documented by USDA inspectors in 2012 
  and 2011. In 2012, 
  Neubert admitted to a USDA inspector that “she was obtaining ‘downer cows’ from the sales barn and slaughtering them on her premises to feed to the dogs,” and that the meat was fed to them raw. The USDA inspector noted 
  concerns about “the safety in the handling of this unusual diet.”
  It appears that despite the USDA’s warnings about feeding rotting meat to the dogs in 2011 and 
  2012, the problem continued well into 2013. A Missouri state inspector noted rotting meat in two of Neubert’s dog kennels in May 2013, and noted, “Meat and bones that become infested with maggots and begin rotting need to be removed from the animals’ pens to reduce disease hazards, insects, pests and odors.” State inspectors also noted an open drain with raw sewage and other disease hazards (5/28/13). 
  Additional USDA violations in 2012 and 2011 included numerous animals with skin problems, open wounds and eye disorders, and an Italian greyhound who was so thin that “the dog’s ribs and top of the back bones were visible, the pelvic bones were prominent and a tucked abdomen was observed.” Neubert received official warnings from the USDA in April 2013 and Sept. 2012 for repeated failure to provide proper vet care and other issues. The HSUS has also received complaints about sick puppies sold from this kennel. Previously licensed with Carl Neubert under #43-A- 5339; current lic #43-A-5777. 
• Brenda Ponting, Hale, MO – Fined by USDA; repeatedly failed to provide clean water. The USDA has documented repeat violations at this facility in 2013, 2012 and 2011, particularly in regards to failing to provide clean water to the animals and other sanitation and safety problems. In January 2012, the USDA issued an official warning to Ponting for six different ongoing issues. In November 2013, Ponting was fined $4,679.00 for the dirty water and three other issues related to inadequate shelter. One inspection in April 2014 was compliant. USDA #43-A-5133. 
• Anna Mary Reiff, Rocky Branch Kennel, Latham, MO – Received official warning for repeated failure to provide adequate veterinary care. Rocky Branch Kennel received an official warning from the USDA in November 2012 for “repeated failure to establish and maintain programs of veterinarian care that use appropriate methods to prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries.” Despite the

A dog with wounded ears sniffs at rotted meat at Barbara Neubert’s kennel in Vienna, MO. /USDA, 2011

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warning, inspectors in February 2013 found a doberman pinscher who couldn’t put weight on a foot with a one-inch “red, raw” lesion. They also found 11 small puppies under eight weeks of age who were outside in the cold when the temperature was only 35 degrees. In March 2014, inspectors found unsafe conditions such as holes and sharp wires in several cages that housed small puppies. USDA #43-A-4696.

• Tom and Debra Ritter, Cornerstone Farms, Curryville, MO – State inspectors found dogs with open sores, hair loss, raw skin and fly-bitten ears; website claims cornerstone farm is “AAA” rated by inspectors. In January 2014, a Missouri state investigator documented fifteen violations at Cornerstone Farms, including “a strong ammonia [urine] odor,” many dogs without adequate space and a litter of seven golden retriever mix puppies who didn’t have any water. When provided with water, the state report noted that the puppies “were observed lapping the water nonstop” as if very thirsty. At a prior visit in June 2013, a state investigator found numerous dogs with health issues, including two dogs with open sores; numerous dogs with “hair loss, areas of red skin with small bumps, cracked and open areas of skin, and scratching observed;” and several dogs with fly-bitten ears which “can be painful and irritating,” according to the inspection report. The report also noted that several dogs had such long curling toenails that it could cause difficulty walking, many dogs did not have adequate space or protection from the weather, and the kennel’s veterinary records were not up to date, among other problems. However, on their website Cornerstone Farms claims to be “AAA Rated by Inspectors.” 
  Cornerstone Farms has more than 500 dogs and puppies on the premises, according to Missouri state records. It sells nine different varieties of puppies online at cornerstonefarms.net, yet HSUS researchers could find no indication that they are federally licensed to do so. The USDA retail rule, which went into effect in November 2013, requires breeders who sell puppies sight-unseen, such as over the Internet, to obtain a USDA license and be regularly inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act, yet no federal licenses under the Ritter name nor under Cornerstone Farms were found by HSUS researchers as of 4/18/14. 
  An eyewitness reported Cornerstone Farms to The HSUS and to local law enforcement. The witness reported that this facility houses hundreds of dogs in substandard conditions. In a statement provided to law enforcement, the witness declared that the operators routinely shoot unwanted dogs and bury them on the property. Local law enforcement declined to take action. Reports about these concerns have been filed with the USDA and the local Department of Agriculture. 
• Patricia A Rowe, Rowe’s Family Kennel, Sheridan, MO – Dog shivering in the cold, repeated failure to provide adequate vet care. Over the past several years, USDA inspection reports show multiple problems at Rowe’s Family Kennel, including excessive accumulations of feces, dogs outside in the cold in January, and dirty food. A USDA inspector noted in January 2013 that a dog was seen “shivering in a corner” when the temperature was 32 degrees Fahrenheit. In January 2012, Rowe was issued an official warning by the USDA for six different violations, including “repeated failure to provide adequate veterinary care.” 
  Despite the warnings from USDA, Missouri state inspectors found a similar issue when they performed an inspection at Rowe’s Family Kennel in December 2013. The state inspector noted that it was 8 degrees Fahrenheit outside and the dogs’ water was frozen. USDA #43-A-2520. 
• Josh L. Souza, Chevorlet Ranch [SIC], Phillipsburg, MO – Received an official warning from the USDA for six different repeat violations; dog with grade 5 heart murmur used for breeding. In November 2013, The USDA gave Souza an official warning for six different violations found on six different inspections in 2012 and 2013, including a repeated failure to provide adequate veterinary care and a repeated failure to provide safe housing with enough space and weather protection for the dogs, among other issues. Despite the warning, Souza continued to be cited by USDA for repeated Animal Welfare Act violations as recently as February 2014, for selling underage puppies and other problems. Souza also failed numerous Missouri state inspections in 2013 and at least two in 2014. State inspectors noted issues with accumulations of trash and feces (Feb. 2014), dogs repeatedly found with loose stools and no documentation that a veterinarian was consulted about the issue (Oct. 2013, Jan. 2014, Feb. 2014), 

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and animals repeatedly exposed to harsh weather, including puppies found shivering in a cold barn in January 2014 — an issue which the licensee was also warned about in 2013 and 2012.
In December 2012, Missouri state inspectors found that Souza was continuing to breed a female Maltese named Misty who had been diagnosed with a grade 5 heart murmur; the dog had previously been identified by the attending veterinarian as unsound for breeding. State inspection records also indicate that Souza sells most of his puppies to pet shops in Florida, yet inspectors noted repeatedly that Souza was unable to produce any proof that the puppies had been shipped with health certificates. Breeders who ship puppies across state lines are required by law to ship a health certificate with each puppy indicating that they have been checked by a vet. USDA #43-B-3620.

• Johanna Steele, Lone Sycamore Kennels, Gorin, MO – “Unresponsive” dog found unable to stand, had been injured for three days. Lone Sycamore Kennels passed one USDA inspection in January 2014, but prior to that, violations were found at seven other inspections or attempted inspections in 2013, 2012 and 2011. Issues found in 2013 include dogs crawling with fleas and scratching repeatedly, a miniature pinscher with hair loss who was noticeably underweight, and a Pomeranian named “Woofie” found “laying on his side in an enclosure barely moving and taking very shallow breaths.” A USDA inspector noted that the Pomeranian was “extremely matted with urine and fecal material” and his left eye was “completely covered with a white-yellow mucus-like discharge.” Woofie was “initially unresponsive to physical stimuli and unable to upright himself even with assistance,” according to the inspection report. The licensee told the inspector that the dog had not been eating or drinking on his own for about three days after apparently being injured by other dogs, but that she had not taken him to a vet. No follow-up report was available on the USDA website indicating what happened to Woofie after the inspection date. Veterinary issues were also documented in 2012 and 2011. USDA #43-A-1172. 
• Trina Thomas, Havanese Haven, Elkland, MO – Three USDA warnings for failing to adequately treat bulldog’s eye condition. In April 2012, May 2012, and again in March 2013, a USDA inspector pointed out an English bulldog named Gloria who “had a thick greenish yellow discharge covering the entire left eyeball.” The issue was pointed out more than once, but the dog never seemed to get adequate and complete treatment. In February 2014, the USDA issued Thomas an official warning for a failure to provide adequate veterinary care, failure to properly identify puppies, and failure to sufficiently ventilate the facility, which resulted in strong ammonia [waste] fumes that “burned the noses and eyes of the inspectors.” In October 2013, state inspectors noted that four dogs didn’t have bedding or heat when the temperature was in the 30s. USDA #43-A-5600. 
• David and Esther Troyer, Clark, MO – Injured dogs could not walk normally; received official warning from USDA. USDA inspectors cited this facility in March 2013 for repeated failure to provide adequate veterinary care, including a limping Maltese mix who couldn’t put weight on her leg because of a lesion on her foot and a dog with loose teeth. In November 2012, the kennel was also cited for repeated veterinary care issues for a bichon who could not bear weight on her leg and had swollen paws, a lesion on her foot and as a “yellowish discharge” coming from her ear and “discharge from the eyes.” Five other dogs had severely matted hair around the eyes. The inspector also noted that dirty wire cutters were kept for the use of removing dewclaws in puppies. In reference to the dirty wire cutters, the inspector wrote, “Surgeries performed by individuals without appropriate training could result in pain, distress, infection, or injury of animals.” USDA #43-A-3085. 
• Glenda Watson, Watson’s Puppies 4 U, West Plains, MO – Puppies infested with fleas and ticks, limping and sick dogs, failed seven state inspections, sells online without a USDA license. Eight different breeds of puppies are offered for sale on watsonpuppies4u.com. The website claims that Watson’s Puppies 4 U is “state and USDA licensed,” yet it has not had a USDA license since 2011, according to the USDA’s online database (searched on 4/18/14). Under the new USDA retail rule, which was well-publicized and went into effect in November 2013, the law requires a facility to have a USDA license to legally sell puppies online sight-unseen. 
  Under its state license, the facility failed six inspections in 2013, and has failed at least one so far this year. In February 2014, a state inspector found that the ambient temperature was 12 degrees, 

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numerous water bowls were frozen, and the dogs did not have adequate protection from the bitter cold. The inspector noted that the overnight temperature had been about one degree Fahrenheit. During the same visit, the inspector also noted “piles of bloody liquid stool” in one of the enclosures. The inspection report concluded, “At today’s inspection, the licensee has 115 adult dogs. The licensee continues to have violations regarding husbandry practices and care and either needs to reduce her dogs on-hand inventory or employ additional people to assist her in providing the required husbandry practices and care.” Similar recommendations were made by state inspectors in December and August 2013.
Violations on Watson’s July 2013 state inspection reports included puppies infested with fleas and ticks, excessive flies that were “in [the] dogs’ eyes and covering feces and food waste,” and several dogs in need of veterinary care, including a limping terrier who could not put weight on his paw, an Irish setter with a “nickel sized growth” on one eyelid, and a Boston terrier with a “cloudy, discolored, protruding left eye.” On August 20, 2013, many dogs were found with loose, bloody stools, a schnauzer had one eye swollen shut, and numerous dogs were found scratching, with “fleas and ticks observed on the animals.” Dogs were also found without water when the temperature was 86 degrees. Former USDA #43-A-4919.
• Janelle Yates, Cloverleaf Kennel, Willow Springs, MO – Sick dogs and feces throughout the kennel. After USDA inspectors found a host of serious problems at Cloverleaf Kennel in July 2013, they attempted to return twice to check on conditions but were not given access to the kennel. The problems found included
matted dogs and dogs with veterinary problems, broken and unsafe cages with holes in the flooring, dirty food and water containers, and rodent feces throughout the kennel. In fact, out of the last five visits from USDA inspectors, they were only given access to the kennel during one visit. It is a violation of the Animal Welfare Act not to make the kennel available for inspection during normal business hours. Similar problems found by USDA inspectors in earlier years include two Boston Terriers and an additional nursing female who were “very thin” with dull coats and diarrhea throughout their enclosures (May 2011). That same date, USDA inspectors photographed four puppies found in a wire crate smeared with feces. The inspector noted that there appeared to be worms in the feces and at least one puppy stepped into his food dish while his foot was still covered in feces. USDA #43-A-5324.

USDA inspectors photographed these puppies in a feces-smeared crate at Janelle Yates’ Cloverleaf Kennel in Willow Springs, MO. One of the puppies was witnessed stepping in the feces and then stepping into the food bowl, and the inspector noted that there appeared to be small white worms in the feces. Numerous additional problems were found in 2013. /USDA 2011.

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• Anna and Moses Zimmerman, Ana-Mos Kennel, Barnett, MO – Received official USDA warning for five different repeated problems. In January 2014, The USDA issued an official warning to Ana-Mos Kennel for five different repeat violations, including failing to provide adequate veterinary care and problems with sanitation and unsafe housing. In July 2013 and again in November 2013, USDA inspectors noted that most of the enclosures were so full of feces that “the amount of fecal material present made it difficult for the animals to avoid walking in it.” In January 2014, a state inspection found an injured Yorkshire terrier, and in 2013 the facility was cited for seven other state violations. USDA #43-A-5328.