Breeder: Rosie Hershberger and Menno Yoder
Address: 6556 Township Rd 351
City, State, Zip: Millersburg, OH 44654
USDA License: 31-A-0535
Date and time of CAPS Investigation: 7/15/25, about 1024
Weather at time of investigation: 78°F and sunny
Number of dogs and puppies noted in a 3/11/25 USDA inspection: 55 dogs and 40 puppies
The kennel was a building with indoor/outdoor runs on its north and south sides, and five large play yards around it. There were about six runs on the south side, and eight on the north, with doggie-doors allowing access to their inner portions. Each run appeared to be eight feet long and three feet wide, with wire walls and concrete floorings. In runs containing dogs, I saw up to four dogs per run, and several dogs in each of three yards. Each play yard, with a grass surface, was about 100’ long and 40’ wide.
While the kennel looks ideal from the outside, evidence from a federal inspection proves otherwise, as noted below.
Breeder is connected to the following stores:
Furry Babies Lombard, 170 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148 (information was obtained from the store website)
Evidence contradicting store’s claims:
The Furry Babies Lombard website claims, “Our breeders are dedicated to the health, care and happiness of each puppy and parent. We partner with breeders around the country that not only meet the requirements we expect but exceed them. Each of our breeders adheres to strict regulations required by both state governments and the federal government. They have a socialization plan, a nutrition plan and a veterinary plan for each puppy and parent. Each kennel is overseen by a licensed veterinarian and follows the recommendations of the American Veterinary Medical Association.”
However, a USDA inspection of the facility on 5/7/24 notes, “An 8-week-old male dachshund puppy (#01004) has a right eye that appears to be small and sunken in with the third eyelid raised covering about half of the surface of the eye. The animal appears to not have vision in the eye. The facility had noticed the condition previously and states that the animal has been blind since birth but did not contact the attending veterinarian. Failure to properly communicate medical issues to the attending veterinarian can result in delayed diagnostics and treatment.”
Such incidents often occur in commercial facilties that breed dogs for profit, and it’s little wonder that regardless of the outer conditons of a commercial kennel, neglect of dogs and puppies occurs. Neglect of breeding dogs commonly leads to dental problems, which often go unnoticed.
