Iowa
More Iowa puppy mills cited for federal violations • Iowa Capital Dispatch
Six Iowa dog breeders or kennels were cited for federal regulatory violations during the third quarter of 2024.
Breeders in only two other states – Ohio and Indiana – racked up more violations than Iowa’s breeders during the quarter that began on July 1 and ended on Sept. 30.
The violations are compiled and analyzed by Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa-based, animal-welfare organization that collects and republishes data on violators throughout the nation,
Bailing Out Benji’s most recent report shows that during the third quarter of 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service cited six Iowa breeders or kennels for a total of 19 violations.
During that same period, Ohio kennels or breeders were cited for a total of 40 violations, the most of any state. Indiana ranked second with 22 violations, and Iowa and Michigan were tied for third place with 19 violations each.
The Iowa violators were:
— Rick and Sara Sandbulte of Furever Paws in Sioux Center: On Aug. 22, 2024, this kennel was cited for seven non-critical violations during a routine inspection. The violations pertained to the attending veterinarian and inadequate veterinary care, the time and method of identifying dogs, the housing facilities, and the primary enclosures.
The inspector observed that a poodle named Sassy had a coat that was excessively matted, though she could not be caught for closer inspection because she can bite. The dog was matted under her neck, front rib cage, and front legs, and the hair was “heavily twisted and ropey,” the inspector reported.
In addition, a pug and labrador had excessively long toenails, some of which were curling back underneath the feet. “Long toenails can be painful and cause discomfort when a dog is trying to walk,” the inspector noted, adding that the nails can cause injury if they become caught in the kennel’s plastic flooring. The pug also had growths on both front feet that required veterinary attention.
Also, the enclosures in the “big dog kennel” had solid plastic fronts that were not secured and not in good repair. When the dogs leaned on the fronts, the plastic would push outward, creating a gap that could allow the seven dogs to escape or be injured while attempting to escape.
The inspector also observed that the back wall for seven enclosures had a buildup of brown grime on their surfaces, indicating the required daily spot-cleaning was not taking place, adding to the risk of disease. Inside one enclosure, a metal rod with a sharp point was protruding up through an opening in the floor and was at eye level for the one adult boxer in the enclosure.
In addition, the inspector reported seeing a Boston Terrier puppy housed in an enclosure in which the puppy’s feet were passing through the openings of “the plastic chicken flooring” as the puppy attempted to walk inside the enclosure. “The feet of dogs passing through openings in the flooring can cause injury,” the inspector noted.
When asked about the inspectors’ findings, Sara Sandbulte said, “Honestly, excuse me for being blunt, but it was a bull—- inspection.” She said the USDA inspector had never previously cited the business for any violations but on the day in question he was accompanied by a female state inspector.
“So he was just showing off in front of her, in front of the lady from the state,” Sandbulte said. “I will tell you that when my husband was going through the inspection with him, within the first 10 minutes my husband texted me and said, ‘He’s showing off. He’s trying to look good in front of the state.’ … It was just a bunch of bull—- stuff.”
The Sandbultes had 308 dogs on hand at the time of the inspection. Bailing Out Benji reports that it has records of Furever Paws selling to pet stores in at least four states.
— Steve Kruse of Stonehenge Kennels in West Point: On Aug. 23, 2024, this kennel – one of the largest in Iowa — was cited for one violation pertaining to cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control.
The inspector reported that the food receptacles in the kennel were not being cleaned and sanitized as often as needed. “At least four dogs’ metal food bowls in four enclosures had smeared, dried feces or a thick buildup of dark brown organic material on the inside of the bowls,” the inspector reported. At least one of the bowls contaminated with feces also contained fresh dog food, the inspector added.
At the time of the inspection, Kruse had 493 adult dogs on hand.
Kruse’s Stonehenge Kennels has a long history of violations. Federal records collected by Bailing Out Benji indicate Kruse routes his pregnant dogs to another Iowa breeder, Brian Lichirie, who whelps them and then sells them to pet stores — a process of “puppy laundering” that obscures the true source of dogs sold by retailers.
— Alan and Terisa Steiber of Rockytopp Kennel in Lansing: This kennel is home to 83 dogs and puppies and on Aug. 2, 2024, was cited for five non-critical violations pertaining to records, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, and veterinary care.
The USDA inspector noted that the walls of the dog enclosures and the animals’ feeding receptacles were not being cleaned often enough to prevent an accumulation of brown organic material, hair and thick, grey organic material.
In addition, the kennel’s attending veterinarian had not completed an annual site visit since March 2023, and the mandatory, head-to-tail annual examination of adult dogs had not been performed since March 2023. Also, 25 of the kennel’s 72 adult dogs were overdue for their rabies vaccinations.
Bailing Out Benji reports that it has USDA records indicating Rockytopp Kennel sells to pet stores in the state of Washington.
— Alex De Jager of DJ Kennels in Rock Valley: This kennel, home to 21 dogs and puppies, was cited for inadequate housing facilities during an Aug. 16, 2024, inspection. The inspector reported that two metal self-feeders used to feed two adult dogs had metal surfaces that were rusting and corroding, as did four dog enclosures outside the main building.
— Heath Meyers of Century Farm Puppies in Grundy Center: During a July 25, 2024, inspection, a USDA inspector noted there were 17 dogs over four months old that had yet to be added to the facility’s official record of dogs on hand. The kennel was also cited for inadequate veterinary care, with the inspector noting that Meyers had no current records of the dates on which a distemper vaccine, parvovirus vaccine and deworming medication were administered to a female bichon named Randi. The lack of medical records “makes it difficult to determine if the animals are receiving vaccinations and deworming,” the inspector noted. Both violations were cited as repeat offenses. At the time, Century Farms had 191 dogs and puppies on hand.
The inspector returned on Sept. 26 and noted that 20 of the animals’ primary enclosures had handles with exposed and excessive flaking rust, creating a risk of disease. Also, there was a group of dogs housed together that included two puppies, each under four months old, that created a risk of injury due to incompatibility.
During an April 23, 2024, inspection by the USDA, Meyers was cited for one direct violation pertaining to inadequate veterinary care, and four noncritical violations pertaining to watering, cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, pest control, veterinary care and other issues.
At that time, the inspector noted that while Meyers had a total of 159 dogs and puppies on hand, the maximum number of animals he was allowed to have on hand was 150, raising questions as to whether Meyers was “capable of providing care for that number of animals.”
Nevertheless, the number of dogs at the kennel continued to grow, at least through July when the USDA inspector returned and reported Meyers had 191 dogs on hand. At the time of his September inspection, Meyers had 153 dogs, according to the USDA.
The staff at Century Farm Puppies did not immediately respond to calls, text messages and emails from the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
— William Davenport of Afton: On July 3, 2024, Afton was cited for one violation related to recordkeeping. Afton was also cited for violations in the first quarter of 2024, and in 2023 and 2022.
Tate Schendel on Waukee Northwest boys soccer’s win over Urbandale
Hear from Waukee Northwest goalkeeper Tate Schendel after the Wolves beat Urbandale in the Class 4A boys soccer state semifinals.
It took two overtimes and six penalty kicks to decide a winner in Waukee Northwest’s Iowa high school boys soccer state quarterfinal matchup against Johnston on Monday.
And it looked like the semifinal would go the same way, that is, until Eman Alicic came up big on a penalty kick in the final minutes of the No. 2 Wolves’ state semifinal game against No. 3 Urbandale on Wednesday, June 3.
“It was too long of a game last time,” joked Northwest goaltender Tate Schendel postgame. “From now on, we’re just going to try to close things out, get it done and keep moving on.”
It took more than 10 minutes for either team to record a shot, and even longer for an attempt to go on goal.
The Wolves hammered a dozen shots in the direction of Urbandale’s goal in the opening 40 minutes, but only a couple came close to going in – including a shot from Alicic that bounced out after hitting the corner of the crossbar.
The J-Hawks had fewer chances at the net, but more attempts hit the target. Of Urbandale’s seven first-half chances, four were on goal – and Schendel stopped all of them.
With one defense keeping shots on goal away from their keeper and the other team’s goalie stepping up to make risky saves, Northwest and Urbandale headed to the locker room tied, 0-0, at halftime.
“He’s been with us now for three years as a starter, and each year he’s come up big and done great things,” Waukee Northwest head coach Carlos Acebey said about Schendel. “I don’t think he gets a lot of credit for how well he plays between the goalposts, and he’s a solid player for us.”
The Wolves took control in the second half, firing off 12 more shots – including seven on goal – to Urbandale’s three shots, only one of which made its way into Schendel’s hands. But despite Northwest’s ability to keep much of the pressure on the J-Hawks’ end of the field, the game remained scoreless deep into the second half.
With just under four minutes remaining in regulation, Eddie Mihura won the ball around midfield, and then Alicic sent a cross-field pass that was misplayed by one of Urbandale’s players and made its way to Sully Ervin.
He took the ball downfield on a breakaway, but didn’t get a chance at the net, as a J-Hawks player took him down in the box, resulting in a penalty kick.
“He’s just a little buzz saw,” Acebey said about Ervin. “He creates a lot of problems just because he’s annoying, but he’s a great annoying for us. I love it.”
Alicic – the sophomore star and leading goal scorer on Northwest’s roster – lined up for the penalty kick and nailed it, sending the ball left as Urbandale’s goalie dove to the right.
“He’s really wiser than people give him credit for,” Acebey said. “He’s a sophomore, but he’s very intelligent. His soccer IQ is off the charts. He’s a player that gives us a lot of confidence…and the last three teams that we played have tried to double team, triple team him, and he still is going to get the ball.”
The J-Hawks attempted to get another chance at a goal in the final minutes of the game, but Northwest had an answer for everything Urbandale tried. The final horn bellowed, and the Wolves celebrated their first trip to the championship game since the program’s inaugural season in 2022.
Northwest will face off against No. 1 Ankeny Centennial – still undefeated – at 2:30 p.m. on June 5 at Mediacom Stadium.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
Iowa
Zach Lahn projected to win Iowa GOP governor primary, upsetting Trump’s pick in a state Democrats hope to flip
Zach Lahn will win the Republican primary for Iowa governor, CBS News projects, overcoming a Trump-backed congressman and setting up a November contest against Democrat Rob Sand that could be one of this year’s most competitive gubernatorial races.
Lahn — a farmer and businessman who has touted his ties to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement — prevailed over a crowded GOP field on Tuesday. Sand, who serves as state auditor, ran for the Democratic nomination unopposed.
His victory bucks the recent winning streak of Trump-backed candidates and marks an upset over Rep. Randy Feenstra, who didn’t attend any primary debates and was viewed by many observers as a frontrunner. President Trump endorsed Feenstra last week, calling him “MAGA all the way,” and several top Iowa GOP figures backed him.
Feenstra conceded late Tuesday night, saying in a speech surrounded by his family that the outcome “wasn’t what I wanted.”
Describing himself as a sixth-generation Iowan, Lahn owns a family farm and runs the agriculture, real estate and technology investment firm Homeplace Ventures. He previously worked for the conservative group Americans for Prosperity. He’s running on a populist-inflected platform that he branded “Iowa First” and has said he wants to boost local ownership of farmland, stem the flow of younger Iowans out of the state and address Iowa’s high cancer rate.
“I fear every day we are losing the Iowa we love,” Lahn said in his victory speech Tuesday, castigating out-of-state investors that he says “treat Iowa land like it’s a commodity instead of our inheritance.”
Lahn was endorsed last year by MAHA Action, a group founded by allies of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and he picked up support from the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point Action last week. He was also endorsed by former Rep. Steve King, who was known for incendiary comments about race before Feenstra ousted him in a 2020 primary.
Three other candidates also ran: former Iowa Department of Administrative Services Director Adam Steen, state Rep. Eddie Andrews and former state Rep. Brad Sherman.
Lahn will now face Sand, a two-term state auditor who defeated a GOP incumbent in 2018 after working in the state attorney general’s office.
Sand has focused his campaign on government accountability and faulted Republicans for the state’s economic issues, while pitching universal pre-K and criticizing a school voucher program introduced by GOP officials. He has also sought to cultivate a moderate image on social issues, as Republicans try to cast him as a liberal in centrist’s clothing.
In a campaign video late Tuesday, Sand said Republican voters are “welcome in this campaign,” adding that the state’s political system is “broken” and “all you would get with Zach Lahn it is more of the same.”
Once considered a swing state, Iowa has trended sharply red in recent years as Democrats increasingly struggle on rural Midwestern terrain. Mr. Trump won the state three times in a row, including by a 13-point margin in 2024, and GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds won reelection by 18 points four years ago. Iowa hasn’t elected a Democratic governor in two decades, and Sand is the only statewide elected Democrat, after he won reelection by fewer than 3,000 votes in 2022.
But Democrats are hopeful that a challenging political environment for Republicans, both nationally and in Iowa, could make them more competitive in the midwestern state. The Cook Political Report has rated the Iowa gubernatorial race a tossup, one of five states with that distinction this year, and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics says the race leans red.
Reynolds — who has led the state since 2017 — has one of the lowest approval ratings of any governor nationwide. Iowa farmers also struggled last year after the trade war with China caused Beijing to cut American soybean imports, pushing down prices of one of Iowa’s most widely grown crops, and the war with Iran has caused a run-up in fuel and fertilizer prices.
Reynolds declined to run for reelection this year, setting up Iowa’s first gubernatorial election without an incumbent in the race since 2006.
Lahn lent his campaign $2 million last year, but is heading into the general election at a fundraising disadvantage. His campaign had just over $700,000 on hand as of mid-May, compared to nearly $18.3 million for the Sand campaign. Sand’s wife runs a sizable food and health products company founded by her family called the Lauridsen Group, and the Democrat’s campaign coffers have been bolstered by millions in contributions from his in-laws.
Sand raised about $9.7 million between the start of the year and mid-May, just over $3 million of which came from members of his wife’s family. Lahn raised just under $1 million.
Beyond the governor’s race, Iowa also has an open Senate contest after Ernst declined to seek reelection, drawing interest from Democrats, though Republicans likely have a sizable edge. Democrats are also heavily targeting two of Iowa’s four House seats, including the 1st District, where incumbent GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won by fewer than 1,000 votes in 2024.
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