Hunter
08/30/23
With the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center still treating dozens of dogs seized from a Riverside puppy mill, a local state lawmaker is calling for changes to regulations governing them.
Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Representative Dave Jacoby of Coralville has written to Governor Kim Reynolds asking for her cooperation in holding unscrupulous breeders accountable. Jacoby wrote, “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.”
Last week, an Iowa Department of Agriculture inspector visited Sunset Valley Farm and found 131 dogs, most of them in distress. Officials said Tuesday that eight of the dogs have died from health issues, including heat stroke and canine parvovirus.
The Gazette reports 60 of the dogs are being taken to an adoption agency in Michigan by a nonprofit organization, and another 30 will be going to other adoption agencies.
The website reports Loren Yoder, the owner of the operation, had been cited by the USDA for violations in the first, second and third quarters of 2022. An official warning was issued in September, leading to Yoder cancelling his USDA license in an apparent attempt to avoid additional inspections.
Iowa often leads the nation in violations cited by animal-welfare inspectors, and as of the first quarter 2023, federal inspectors issued 303 violations to licensed dog breeders; 107 were from Iowa. The state led the nation in the number of puppy mills cited by regulators during the period; the next worst state, Missouri, had 31 percent fewer puppy mills cited for violations.
More details on the violations can be found at iowacapitaldispatch.com