(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
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Breeder agrees to downsize after dogs die due to cold weather • Iowa Capital Dispatch [1]

['Clark Kauffman', 'More From Author', '- March']

Date: 2024-03-20  

State regulators are requiring a southern Iowa dog breeder to downsize her business in the wake of several of her animals dying due to the cold.

In December 2023, a federal inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited a dog-breeding kennel, located in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business operates on property owned by Steve Kruse, one of Iowa’s larger dog breeders, but it is operating under a license held by Wuanita Swedlund.

The federal inspector reported that in November 2023, a French bulldog named Bethany gave birth to four puppies, three of which were found dead within days. Swedlund allegedly indicated “the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away,” the inspector reported.

Three other puppies, born to a rottweiler, were also found dead at the kennel, with Swedlund allegedly telling inspectors “they must have gotten too cold and died.”

In addition, a puppy born to Megan, a sheepdog, had to be euthanized after a dog in a nearby enclosure chewed through the wall into the puppy’s enclosure and tore the flesh from one leg, leaving the bone exposed. A short time later, a sheepdog puppy from the same litter was determined to be missing. “The licensee states they did find a single bone and assumed Megan ate her puppy,” the inspector reported.

At the time, inspectors indicated they’d be returning to the business on Feb. 1 to conduct a follow-up inspection.

State records indicate that an Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship inspector visited the facility early last month and, despite the advance notice, found additional violations related to inadequate veterinary care.

The IDALS inspector wrote in her report: “Discussed the need to go down in dog numbers to adequately care for dogs on property.” State and federal records indicate the number of dogs at Swedlund’s kennel had been increasing prior to that visit — from 157 dogs and puppies at the time of the Dec. 21, 2023, inspection to 159 dogs and puppies on Feb. 1.

Late last month, Swedlund and IDALS reached an agreement whereby Swedlund has agreed to downsize her operation to no more than 30 adult dogs. She will have to comply with that limit for at least one year.

The agreement imposes no limits on the number of puppies — defined as dogs under 12 months of age — that Swedlund can have on hand. Throughout 2023, the number of puppies Swedlund had on hand was close to half the number of adult dogs.

Representatives of the Iowa-based animal-welfare organization Bailing Out Benji have filed a complaint about Swedlund’s operations with the Van Buren County sheriff and county attorney. To date, no charges have been filed in the case.

This week, Bailing Out Benji asked Van Buren County officials to review the matter again in light of IDALS’ most recent actions.

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