Furry Babies
2353 Fox Valley Center Drive
Aurora, IL 60504
630-528-2488
Date and time of CAPS investigation: 3-3-25; 1215
Approximate number of dogs observed at time of investigation: 15 puppies
The store had about nine crib-shaped enclosures for puppies. Each enclosure was about three feet wide, five feet long, raised slightly above the ground on stilts, and open on top for customers to look down and see puppies inside. Enclosures had solid floorings with water dishes and toys on them. I saw one to three puppies, of various breeds, per enclosure. The only information about puppies on their enclosures were their breeds and genders.
I spoke to two employees about the store and puppies they sell. They said the store is owned by a woman named Jesse, who does not own the Lombard store. One employee asked if I was interested in a puppy, and I said I was wanted to know about a Yorkie. Immediately the employee asked if I would want to hold the puppy, and I said I didn’t want to before I was sure about making a purchase. The employee then picked the puppy up and held the puppy in front of me, saying I should take a picture. After I did so, she kept holding the puppy up in front of me until I stepped back from her.
Lies about breeders
A worker told me that financing is offered for puppies, and that the store doesn’t buy from mills. I asked about specifics of breeders, and she only told me that the breeding dogs are “free-roaming,” and not contained within enclosures. She told me that they are allowed to move around properties with large, open yards.
I asked to see breeder information on the Yorkie, and she showed me information for Mary Shetler (31-A-0983).
The store buys from numerous breeders who have dozens to more than a hundred dogs in commercial kennel environments. None of the breeders used by this store have dogs that are “free-roaming.” This is true for all commercial breeders.
Breeder information obtained during store investigation
Mary Shetler, 5632 Wirick Rd, Fredericktown, OH, 31-A-0983
Breeder information obtained from the Furry Babies Aurora website
David Miller, Baltic, OH, 31-A-0428, 134 adults, 77 puppies at 2/23/22 USDA inspection; 137 adults, 115 puppies at 1/12/22 USDA inspection; 147 adults, 127 puppies at 5/22/19 USDA inspection. He has not been inspected in over two years.
David R Yoder, Millersburg, OH, 31-A-0666, 48 adults, 35 puppies at 5/8/24 USDA inspection
Ervin Raber, Golden View Kennels, Baltic, OH, 31-A-0124, 37 adults, 4 puppies at 5/8/23 USDA inspection
Sunset View Kennels (also says Valley View Kennel as site name on inspection reports and on USDA APHIS website), 9801 Fall Creek Rd, Ste 332, Indianapolis, IN, 31-A-0665 (licensed cancelled 8/11/22), 151 adults, 125 puppies a6 5/23/22 at USDA inspection. Address is a UPS store. USDA should require breeders to use the address of their facility on their license and inspection reports. In addition, 31-A or B is for USDA licenses in Ohio, not Indiana, which is 32-A or B.
Previous address on USDA inspection reports and the actual physical location: 30266 TR 213, Fresno, OH, 219 adults, 150 puppies at 2/8/21 USDA inspection; 253 adults, 130 puppies at 7/10/19 USDA inspection; 242 adults, 158 puppies at 5/18/23 USDA inspection; 265 adults, 215 puppies at 6/28/17 pre-license inspection. Having a total of 480 dogs and puppies at a pre-license inspection indicates that they were selling puppies to pet shops without a federal license.
USDA photos (2013) for Daniel and Ida Schlabach, owners of Sunset View Kennels)
Rosie Hershberger and Menno Yoder, Millersburg, OH, 31-A-0535, 55 adults, 44 puppies at 3/11/24 USDA inspection; 55 adults, 40 puppies at 3/7/24 USDA inspection at which inspector cited him under 2.40 Veterinary Care for not telling his veterinarian that there was a Dachshund puppy with a deformed, blind eye. During the inspection, the licensee called his attending veterinarian and was given “further guidance” for this condition.
John Yoder, Ridge View Puppies, Millersburg, OH, 31-A-0732, 64 adults and 99 puppies at 9/20/23 USDA inspection
Mose Nisley (license is under Mary NIsley), Malta, OH, 31-A-0759, 100 dogs, 161 puppies at 3/30/22 USDA inspection. This facility has not been inspected in more than two years.
Leon Yoder, Fredericksburg, OH,, 31-A-0418, 16 adults, 36 puppies at 11/3/22 USDA inspection
David Schlabach, Millersburg, OH, 31-A-0647, adults, 27 puppies at 1/12/23 USDA inspection
Ivan Raber, Millersburg, OH, 31-A-0750, 73 adults, 108 puppies at 3/14/24 USDA inspection
Daniel Miller, Fresno, OH, 31-A-0777, 94 adults,50 puppies at 5/6/23 USDA inspection
Freeman Raber, Baltic, OH, 31-A-0074, 118 adults, 130 puppies at 2/1/23 USDA inspection
Betty Troyer, Fresno, OH 31-A-0494, 83 adults, 58 puppies at 4/2/24 USDA inspection
Amos Yoder, Baltic, OH, 31-A-0554, 2.126 violation for no responsible adult available to accompany inspector at 7/19/24 USDA inspection. This facility has not been inspected since 8/21/18.
Milam Keim, Millersburg, OH, 31-A-0811, 81 dogs, 32 puppies at 3/4/22 USDA inspection. He has not been inspected in over two years.
Ella Raber, Fresno, OH, 31-A-0570, 83 adults, 53 puppies at 4/2/24 USDA inspection
Delber Yoder, Millersfburg, OH, 31-A-0590,137 adults, 84 puppies at 1/31/22 USDA inspection. This facility has not been inspected in more than two years.
Junior Yoder (license under Aden Yoder), Fresno, OH, 31-A-0663, French Bulldog breeder, 19 adults, 8 puppies at 4/28/23 USDA inspection. French Bulldog mothers are artificially inseminated and have to deliver puppies by C-section.
Lester Miller, Whispering Pines Kennel, Baltic, OH, 31-A-0566, 31 adults, 51 puppies at 5/6/23 USDA inspection
Furry Babies states on their website that they created the Baby Princess Foundation to find homes for adult rescue dogs: “The foundation partners with rescues across the country and the dogs are available for adoption in our store.” After Illinois’ retail ban law went into effect in February 2022, Furry Babies was obtaining a few adult breeding dogs from Dog Mother Rescue. Alison Hedgpeth (Lonewolf Kennels), a USDA licensed broker (43-B-3435) and transporter (43-T-0448) created this fraudulent rescue to circumvent retail ban laws, initially in Chicago.
Baby Princess Foundation is incorporated in Delaware and filed as a foreign corporation with the Illinois Secretary of State, but they are not registered as a charity with the Illinois Attorney General.
Furry Babies is violating 225 ILCS 605 by selling puppies
(225 ILCS 605/3.8)
Sec. 3.8. Prohibition Sourcing of dogs and cats sold by pet shops; recordkeeping.
(a) A pet shop operator may offer for sale a dog or cat only if the dog or cat is obtained from an animal control facility or animal shelter, located in-state or out-of-state, that is in compliance with Section 3.9.
Furry Babies is violating 815 ILCS 123 by offering loans for canines and felines
(815 ILCS123/15-5-16)
Sec. 15-5-16. Prohibition on secured loans for canines and felines. No person or entity shall make a secured loan for the purchase of a canine or feline. Any secured loan made for the purchase of a canine or feline is null and void. This Section shall apply prospectively and shall not apply retroactively.
Furry Babies is violating 815 ILCS 405 by offering installment transactions for canines and felines
(815 ILCS 405/29.5)
Sec. 29.5. Prohibition on retail installment transactions for canines and felines. No retail seller shall enter into a retail installment transaction for the purchase of a canine or feline. Any retail seller, including his or her assignee or successor in interest, who enters into a retail installment transaction for a canine or feline has no right to collect, receive, or retain any principal, interest, or charges related to the retail installment transaction and the retail installment transaction is null and void.
