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.
Wells Fargo Arena signage removed in preparation for Casey’s Center
See Wells Fargo Arena signage be removed from the arena in preparation for the venue’s renaming to the Casey’s Center on July 1, 2025.
The Iowa Events Center could soon get a new operator as Polk County leaders consider putting the complex’s management contract up for bid for the first time since its opening.
Polk County officials are poised to bid out a management contract for the Iowa Events Center complex in downtown Des Moines as its current agreement with the Oak View Group expires this year.
Polk County supervisors in mid-June voted 3-2 to hire the event center’s representative, JLL Consulting, to help select and oversee its next operator during the first year. That agreement will cost $197,500, county documents show. Outgoing supervisors Angela Connolly and Tom Hockensmith voted against the move.
Connolly said the county could use a consultant to better understand the complex’s operations and budget. Still, she and Hockensmith agreed it would be difficult for a new firm to outdo Oak View Group’s success.
“And it just seems to me that we are trying to fix something here that is not broken,” Hockensmith said.
The county-owned Iowa Events Center complex is Des Moines’ primary convention center and arena. The complex includes the EMC Expo Center — previously Hy-Vee Hall — Community Choice Convention Center and the Casey’s Center. Formerly the Wells Fargo Arena, the nearly 17,000-seat arena was renamed the Casey’s Center in July 2025.
The events center has hosted acts such as Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and The Eagles.
Oak View Group has managed the events center since acquiring in 2021 its original contractor, Global Spectrum/Spectra, which had held the contract since 2004. The firm describes itself as a full-service venue management company that helps clients host sports, live entertainment and conventions, according to the complex’s website.
The Iowa Events Center brought in about $1.8 million to the county in fiscal year 2025, which began July 1, 2024, general manager Chris Connolly told the Des Moines Register. As they close out the 2026 fiscal year, they’re projecting about $2 million in revenue. In the 2024 fiscal year, the events center had its best operating year, raking in more than $3 million, Connolly said.
He points to the firm’s role in selling the naming rights of the arena to Casey’s and the expo center to EMC Insurance. Before the arena opened in 2005, Wells Fargo paid $11.5 million for the naming rights for 20 years. Casey’s paid $18.3 million to have the rights for 10 years.
Beyond the numbers, “we’ve forged relationships with these people for years and think that that is huge,” he said of partnerships with corporations like Casey’s and EMC.
Connolly said the Oak View Group was told last fall that the county would likely hire a consultant and the management contract could be out for bid. That’s standard practice, he said.
“None of it was a surprise. We get it,” Connolly said. “Like I said, I think our performance speaks for itself, so I’m not worried about that. If a consultant wants to come in and take a look at it, maybe there’s some efficiencies that can be improved.”
He said Oak View Group would bid on the contract should the county issue a request for proposals.
“I almost see this as going through a process … and whatever direction that goes, we’ll be ready for it,” Connolly said.
Outgoing supervisor chair Matt McCoy told colleagues that bringing in JLL Consulting to help oversee a competitive bid process affirms the county’s responsibility to be transparent with taxpayers about its contracts.
“You do RFPs with long-term partners to keep each other honest and to make sure that you’re getting a rigorous review of investment of Polk County taxpayer dollars,” he said.
“And to just say we’re not going to do that, to me, it shorts the taxpayer. It tells the taxpayer that, you know, we have such a cozy relationship that we don’t even need to go out and check our numbers,” McCoy added.
Hockensmith pushed back, saying that Oak View Group’s revenue numbers are undisputed and calling McCoy’s comments vindictive.
Supervisor Mark Holm said he views the action as primarily bringing JLL on board to evaluate operations and budgeting for the future.
JLL Consulting will help Polk County build a framework for the new operator contract, which includes ways to measure the complex’s success and details on monitoring the facility’s condition, according to county documents.
Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines and Polk County government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com.
With June rapidly finishing up, that means the Iowa high school softball season is preparing to enter the stretch run of the year.
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Softball Tournament will begin Monday, July 20, in Fort Dodge at Rogers Park, bringing together many of the top teams and players in the state. High School On SI Iowa currently provides a Top 25 state softball power rankings, so now, we need to see who the top players are.
Below are the nominees for the High School On SI Iowa Class 1A Softball Midseason Player of the Year in each classification. Stats listed with the player are from Bound and based on those numbers imputed as of June 26, 2026 at noon CT.
Feel free to vote as many times as you like, with voting set to close on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
High School On SI Iowa Class 1A Softball Midseason Player Of The Year Nominees
Rachel Eglseder, Edgewood-Colesburg, Senior
Eglseder owns a 16-5 record, striking out 225 batters with a 1.66 earned run average while adding 11 extra-base hits and 40 RBI at the plate.
Rylee Mudderman, Kee, Junior
Mudderman continues to be a difficult out, batting .488 this season with two homers, 11 doubles and four triples. She has driven in 38 and scored 35 times, stealing 10 bases.
Faith Shirbroun, St. Edmond, Senior
Speaking of tough outs, Shirbroun owns a batting average of .606 this season, recording seven homers, 17 doubles and five triples. She has driven in 36 and scored 37 times, stealing 22 bases while setting several school records for hitting.
Sydney Lovrien, Clarksville, Senior
The ace for the defending state champions, Lovrien is 13-5 with 100 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. She also has 23 hits and 21 RBI at the plate.
Sam Kruckenberg, Mason City Newman Catholic, Senior
A veteran now, Kruckenberg owns an 18-4 record with 227 strikeouts and a 1.23 earned run average. She is batting .440 with five homers, 11 doubles and 23 RBI at the plate.
About Our Midseason Player of the Year Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
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The Iowa chapter of the Land Improvement Contractors of America (LICA) officially opened a new facility on its 80-acre demonstration farm in Marshall County Thursday.
Iowa LICA President Scott Bohle said having classroom and meeting space will make it easier to educate the next generation of professional contractors, along with government employees, lawmakers and students, to help conserve soil and water in the state.
Bohle said the building “gives people a place to gather, collaborate and continue the important work that defines our association.”
Just outside the new space are wetlands, terraces, sediment control basins, bioreactors and other features, which members have built since LICA purchased the farm near Melbourne in 2000.
“We call it the one-stop shop, where you can see anything being put to practice by our landowners,” said Kelby Kiefer, executive director of Iowa LICA.
Together, these “edge-of-field” practices remove 50% of phosphates and almost 100% of the nitrates from the runoff of a 1,000-plus acre watershed, according to the association.
Adding more wetlands, saturated buffers and bioreactors across the state are a key part of Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. It aims to cut nitrogen and phosphorus losses from farm fields by 41% and 29%, respectively.
The strategy is part of a broader effort to reduce nutrient pollution in the state’s waterways and the Gulf of Mexico by 45% compared to the 1980-96 baseline period. It does not include a target date.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the state has accelerated edge-of-field practices in recent years, in part through the Batch and Build model. The approach bundles projects in a targeted watershed to reduce costs and save time for farmers and contractors.
Nearly 150 nitrate reducing wetlands and around 500 saturated buffers, bioreactors and multi-purpose oxbows had been built in the state as of 2024. Thousands more will be needed to meet the state’s nutrient reduction targets.
“[Clean water is] something we need to be focused on, and we can be proud of the work that’s happened, but we know that we need to do more,” Naig said. “Buildings like this help.”
Naig said scaling up conservation infrastructure across the state will require more skilled contractors. He described them as the “critical link” between concepts and “getting things on the ground.”
“It’s from that point where you say, ‘We have a design that’s ready to go, a willing landowner,’ but somebody needs to make it happen,” Naig said. “The land improvement contractor sits in that very important spot.”
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