Stock photo of a dog in a wire enclosure. (Photo via Canva)
A southern Iowa dog breeder has been cited for multiple violations including the death of six puppies that were left in the cold.
No fines or penalties have been imposed in the case.
In December, a federal inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited a dog-breeding kennel in the Van Buren County town of Cantril. The business is located along Highway 2 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 inspector reported that on Nov. 24, 2023, a French bulldog named Bethany gave birth to four puppies. About one week later, three of the puppies were found dead, the inspector reported.
“The licensee stated they could feel a strong, cold draft at the front of the enclosure from a space in the front of Barn No. 1, and it was a cold day the day that they found the puppies deceased,” the inspector’s report states. “The licensee told the inspector the puppies must have gotten too cold and passed away.”