(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
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ASPCA questions state oversight of Iowa breeder after eight dogs die [1]
['Clark Kauffman', 'More From Author', '- January']
Date: 2024-01-29
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.
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 a Jan. 22 letter to the USDA and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Robert G. Hensley Jr., the senior legal counsel for the ASPCA, asked the two regulators, “What have your agencies done to ensure the care of the 150+ dogs and puppies at this facility?”
The agriculture department has yet to respond to the ASPCA, but a department spokesperson provided the Iowa Capital Dispatch with a copy of a notice the agency sent to Swedlund on Jan. 17, informing her that she must bring the kennel into compliance with regulations by Feb. 1 or risk possible civil penalties. The department also notified Swedlund it would conduct its next inspection of the kennel “on or after Feb. 1, 2024,” to verify compliance.
In his letter, Hensley alleged the kennel has been operating at “Kruse’s direction and with dogs that belong to, and are controlled by, Kruse,” although other breeders are tasked with day-to-day management. Federal court records indicate that one of the breeders who has worked out of the Cantril location while it was owned by Kruse is Daniel Gingerich, who was ultimately barred from doing business as a licensed dog breeder due to numerous animal-welfare violations.
Hensley wrote that Kruse’s subcontracting model of doing business has had “disastrous consequences for hundreds of animals.”
Regarding the December inspection, he stated that “it does not appear that any dogs were confiscated despite their suffering due to violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and the facility is still licensed by USDA and permitted by IDALS.”
Representatives of the Iowa-based animal-welfare organization Bailing Out Benji have filed a complaint with the Van Buren County sheriff and county attorney asking the agencies to consider filing criminal charges in the case.
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https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/29/aspca-questions-state-oversight-of-iowa-breeder-after-eight-dogs-die/
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