DES MOINES, Iowa — The Humane Society of the United States released its annual ‘Horrible Hundred’ list that contains the 100 worst offenders in the dog breeding industry. Fifteen Iowa dog breeders are on the list.
The Humane Society chooses which breeders are put on the list based on the number of violations they receive from state and federal agencies as well as the severity of the violations.
Here are the 15 Iowa breeders that made the Horrible Hundred List:
- Larry Albrecht/Coldwater Kennel, Greene, Iowa
- Helene Hamrick/Wolf Point Kennel, Ackworth, Iowa
- Freeman P. Helmuth/Sunrise Kennels, Corydon, Iowa
- Bruce Hooyer/JKLM Farm aka Shaggy Hill Farm, Sioux Center, Iowa
- Connie and Harold Johnson/Furbabies Forever, formerly CW’s Quaint Critters, Melvin, Iowa
- Linda, Stanley and Bethany Korver, Orange City, Iowa
- Patti Kowitz/Tannin Border Collies, aka Wapsi River Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, Calamus, Iowa
- Steve Kruse/Stonehenge Kennel, West Point, Iowa
- Heath “Rex” Meyers/Century Farm Puppies, Grundy Center, Iowa
- Joel Paris/Paris Puppies Paradise, Ogden, Iowa
- Wuanita Swedlund, Cantril, Iowa
- Ed Van Doorn/Squaw Creek Kennels, Barnes City, Iowa
- Dennis and Donna Van Wyk/Prairie Lane Kennel, New Sharon, Iowa
- Charles Vogl/SCW Frenchies, Atlantic, Iowa
- Terry Yoder/BR’s Dobermans, Riverside, Iowa
John Goodwin, the Senior Director of the Humane Society of the United States’ Stop Puppy Mills Campaign, said that the public can help stop puppy mills by making responsible decisions about where they purchase their pets.
“Puppy selling pet stores, websites that will ship puppies across the country, flea market booths these are the types of places that puppy mills sell the puppies. So we encourage everyone who’s acquiring a new dog and doesn’t want to support puppy mill cruelty to either adopt from a shelter or rescue and right now animal shelters are overwhelmed with dogs. Or if they have their heart set on a specific type of puppy seek out a responsible breeder,” Goodwin said.
To find more details about the Horrible Hundred, you can find the report here.
