The Humane Society of the United States is reporting on problem puppy mills, including some dealers (re-sellers) and transporters. The Horrible Hundred report is a list of known, problematic puppy breeding and/or puppy brokering facilities.
It is not a list of all puppy mills, nor is it a list of the worst puppy mills in the country.
We provide this update annually, not as a comprehensive inventory, but as an effort to inform the public about common, recurring problems at puppy mills.
The information in this report demonstrates the scope of the puppy mill problem in America today, with specific examples of the types of violations that researchers have found at such facilities, for the purposes of warning consumers about the inhumane conditions that so many puppy buyers inadvertently support.
Featured in this year’s report:
Ohio breeder Joseph A. Miller of Horseshoe Kennel admitted he performed an invasive dental procedure on a dog instead of taking her to a veterinarian, which resulted in her dying while she struggled in his grasp. It appears Miller paid no serious penalty and is still licensed by the state and USDA.
An AKC “champion show dog” breeder in Iowa, Mary Brodersen of Mystical Cockers, who was convicted of animal neglect in 2012 after five dogs were found dead and more than 80 dogs were seized from her property, was granted a new Iowa license in 2020. She and many other dealers in the report are offering puppies for sale on PuppyFind.com.
Missouri’s Department of Agriculture recently gave a new license to a horrific breeder, Deanna Brundage, whose USDA license was revoked in 2008 after seven of her dogs were shot and killed and others were found emaciated or sick.
Kentucky breeder Sharon Richards, who was previously linked to a fire that killed 31 dogs and also pled guilty to felony charges in a different case after dogs were removed from her property in Wisconsin, is still in business and has been found with more dogs living in dismal conditions.
Creek Side Kennel in Kansas, operated by Rebecca Eiler, who provided puppies to Petland and other pet stores, was found with more than 400 dogs and cited by state inspectors for housing violations, including a trough of dog feces spilling onto the open ground; HSUS investigators photographed the kennels of other breeders who sold to Petland and documented rows of small wire cages, and one had cages so short that the dogs’ heads were touching the tops of their wire pens.
Missouri state inspectors found Earl Light’s Corn Creek Kennel in such disrepair that at least one dog was seen sticking their head through a rusty hole in the cage. Missouri cited the breeder in 2020 and 2021 for several issues, but the USDA has not cited him for any violations in several years.
I’m kind of ashamed to admit I live very close to Amish country in Ohio, which is the 2nd largest problem area in the country.
Click here to read the reports from this year and previous years.
Click here to donate to the Humane Society in their continuing fight against animal cruelty.
(I know there are some people who object to the HSUS policies and methods. If you’re concerned about puppy mills, but would rather donate to a rescue, please consider National Mill Dog Rescue.)
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!