Breeder: Marjorie Graber
Address: 7049 County Rd 800 N
City, State, Zip: Odon, IN 47562
USDA License: none
Date and time of CAPS Investigation: 4/15/24; 1035
Weather at time of investigation: 76°F and sunny
Approximate number of dogs and puppies observed at time of investigation: nine dogs and four puppies
Breed: Miniature Poodles
The kennel consisted of a whelping barn, a covered, outdoor pen attached to barn-like dog house, and a barn with indoor/outdoor cages that were all empty. All dogs appeared to be Miniature Poodles.
The pen, which held six dogs in it, was about seven feet wide and 15 feet long. It had galvanized wire walls, a crushed rock flooring, and metal sheets covered most of its top. Tops of plastic dog houses were set on the rock near plastic water and food dishes. The dog house was a structure about five feet wide, three feet deep, and about five feet tall. It could be accessed via a doggie door.
The whelping barn had six elevated indoor/outdoor wire cages. The outdoor portions were each about three feet long, two feet wide, and 2.5 feet tall. I saw a single dog in each of three cages, and about four puppies, each about six weeks old, in a fourth cage. Several days of fecal accumulation were under the cages on a plastic sheet set under their floorings. One of the cages had a towel shoved partially through one of its wire walls.
It is very likely that Graber, who is unlicensed, has at least five breeding females. She is violating federal regulations by not having a USDA license in order to sell to pet shops.
2.1(a)(3) of the Animal Welfare Act regulations requires that a person who has at least five breeding female dogs or cats and makes at least $500 in gross income a year from the sale of these animals must have a USDA license. This regulation applies to breeders selling to brokers, pet shops and online customers
Near the whelping barn were various pieces of equipment. The top of a plastic doghouse was on the ground several inches in front of the cages, and a water hose was next to it. A foot away was an empty dog cage with a piece of carpet on the ground next to it. A few feet further on were two empty, elevated cages on a metal frame, attached to boxes via doggie doors.
The barn with empty cages had four elevated indoor/outdoor wire cages on one side. The outdoor portions were empty, and there was no urine or feces below them.
There was one loose Miniature Poodle on the property, which appeared to be older than the other dogs and had matted fur. The dog barked at me and would not approach me. When I moved in the direction of the dog, the animal ran away from me.
The breeder is connected to the following store:
Petland Novi, Novi, MI (CVI 2023)
I investigated Petland Novi on 3/19/24. An employee told me that the store’s breeders keep dogs in runs, and said, “So they’ll have huge fences and yards for the puppies and the parents to be able to run in.” She specifically said the breeders have “large turn-out yards.” She added, “So the dogs, the parents, puppies, all of that can run around out in the backyard, get some exercise. They’ll do enrichments as well with them. So they’ll hide treats out there to help them try and find it for them.” She also told me that even whelping parents have access to turn-out yards. In addition, the employee claimed that breeders have “little socialization rooms” for dogs to be played with, and that none have had USDA violations in the last three years.
There were no turn-out yards anywhere on Graber’s property. The only loose dog appeared to be an old dog no longer used for breeding. There was no area for “enrichments” and hiding treats for dogs. It was clear that the breeding dogs lived on crushed rock, and when nursing puppies, lived on cage wire. There were certainly no “little socialization rooms” for dogs to be played with on the property.
