Breeder: Darrell Graber
Address: 4649 S Baseline Rd
City, State Zip: Bloomfield, IN 47242
Year: 2015
USDA License: 32-A-0250
Date of CAPS Investigation: 09/08/15
Time of CAPS Investigation: 10:34am
Weather at time of investigation: 79 degrees Fahrenheit and mostly sunny
Breeds: Poodles, German Shepherds, others unknown
Approximate number of dogs observed at time of investigation: none observed
The Grabers’ kennel is located on the same property as the family residence and their Purdue-contracted farm. The kennel is located between a retention pond and a chicken house, and it appeared to be an old chicken building converted into a kennel. From about 200 feet away I could see chain link runs coming off of one side of the building, but a covering on the outside wall of the runs prevented me from seeing dogs that I could hear barking from within. Darrell Graber’s son (Caucasian male, about 15 years old, 5’7”, 150 lbs., with short brown hair) and Darrell Graber (Caucasian male, about 40 years old, 5’8”, 175 lbs., with short brown hair, a brown beard about four inches long, and no moustache) met me near their residence to talk about their kennel.
Darrell discussing inspections and violations
Darrell said that he doesn’t sell to the public and, instead, wholesales to Levi Graber (32-B-0182). He mentioned breeding Poodles and Shepherds, but he didn’t discuss his other breeds. He told me that the USDA requires his kennel to have a turn-out yard for exercising his dogs, but that it does not have one (Sec 3.8 Exercise for Dogs).
Darrell said that the state of Indiana has never done an inspection of his facility and that his only interaction with the state consists of his yearly payment of a $100 fee for a state license. To clarify, I asked if an IN inspector has ever been to his property, and he responded, “No, I’ve never seen them.” He said that they visit breeders only if there is a complaint against them.
Regarding the USDA, Darrell said that his current inspector is picky about violations but will give him a day to correct violations without writing him up for them. Darrell said he has problems with dogs having bad teeth in his kennel and that he used to walk around those dogs with his old inspector so that the inspector wouldn’t see them. Darrell and his son said that his current inspector doesn’t fall for the trick and frequently asks to see the dogs’ teeth. Darrell and his son both told me that dogs in the kennel have bad teeth because they have nothing to chew on, despite Darrell saying that putting toys in the enclosures would help solve the problem. Darrell’s son pointed out, “They’re penned up all the time, so their teeth get bad.” They had me look at the teeth of a German Shepherd yard dog, whose teeth were white. The son then said to me, “If you put her in a kennel, there’d be brown crud all over them teeth” (Sec 2.40 Attending Veterinarian and Adequate Veterinary Care (a) Adequate veterinary care).
Darrell told me that he is unable to adopt out his old breeding dogs, and that every breeder is put down at five or six years of age. He said the dogs are euthanized with a lethal injection administered by a veterinarian.
