Puppy Experience
487 Main Road
Aquebogue, NY 11931
631-772-6484
Date and time of CAPS investigation: 1-02-22; 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Number of puppies observed on premises during course of investigation:
There were 50-75 puppies in the main sales area of the store. There was another area of the store that I was not able to access with signage that read, “Puppy Nursery”, “New Arrivals”, and “Employees Only”.
Signage observed on premises during course of investigation:
There was signage required by New York State General Business Law 753-B (4) stating that “Information on the source of these dogs and cats and the veterinary treatments received by these dogs and cats is available for review by prospective purchasers.” This signage was posted on both the middle left wall and the far back left corner of the store, near several of the puppy enclosures, at approximately 5-6’ high.
Signage required by the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-58 (D) stating that “USDA inspection reports are available upon request” was also present. This signage was posted directly below the above-mentioned State signage.
There was also state-required signage that stated, “Pedigree registration means that the particular registry maintains information on the parentage and identity of the animal.” This signage was also posted directly below the above-mentioned signage.
Signage not observed on premises during course of investigation:
There was no signage posted and visible from the exterior of the store directing consumers to a webpage for the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs. This is a violation of the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill (see following link: Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill) Section 299-58 H that states “Pet dealers and pet stores shall post a sign provided by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs at the entrance of their businesses which is fully visible from the exterior of the store that directs consumers to a webpage maintained by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs regarding pet dealer and pet stores” (insert photo here).
Layout of store and puppy enclosures observed during investigation:
The front entrance area of the store contained a sales desk and sales merchandise on the left. The puppies were located straight ahead, in the same room as the sales desk. I saw approximately 50-75 puppies in crib-like enclosures that were about 3-4’ high with plexiglass sides and wire flooring. There were approximately ten all-wire dog cages. I did not see resting pads in any of the enclosures housing puppies; one enclosure had what looked like a 15” x 15” white towel. This is a violation of the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-59 (D) which states, “Any enclosure made from wire must contain a resting board of sufficient size for the contained animals to lie, stretch, walk and stand ….”
Cage cards were posted on the cages listing the puppies’ breeders’ names and USDA numbers, as well as their state of origin, breed, sex, color, date of birth, and microchip number. However, the suggested retail price on each cage card read, “Suggested Retail: One Million Dollars.” This is a violation of the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-59 (F) (7) which states, “Any primary animal closure shall have a tag in Times New Roman font in a minimum font size of 18 points with the following information about each animal which is housed therein … the suggested retail price of the animal, which shall be printed in bold lettering.”
Details of investigation:
Per the store’s Covid policy, I called in advance to schedule an appointment and spoke to a woman who identified herself as Lauren. When I arrived at my scheduled appointment time, I was greeted by an employee, who was later identified by Lauren as being the store manager, named Jenna (Caucasian female, 40 years old, approximately 130 pounds and 5’6” tall, long light brown hair in single braid). The employee to whom I had spoken on the phone, Lauren, (Caucasian female, 40 years old, approximately 160 pounds and 5’6” tall, short mauve pink dyed hair) also greeted me upon entering the store. We spoke about a few different puppies that I had noticed were for sale on the store’s website. I walked around the store to look at the other puppies.
I asked to see a Lhasa Apso female puppy (Cage card: Lhasa Apso bred by BJ’s & Guys/Sharon Munk) and also a Shiba American Eskimo male puppy (Cage card: Shiba-mo bred by Creek Side Kennel/Rebecca Eiler). Lauren brough both puppies to the enclosed area in the middle of the sales floor where customers interact with puppies.
When I asked for the dates of birth of both puppies, Lauren brought me their folders. Going through the paperwork, she told me that the Shiba-mo came from Creek Side Kennel and pointed out paperwork containing vaccination and rabies information, health records, registration, license, and microchip number. I asked if Creek Side Kennel was a kennel that the store used a lot, and Lauren replied, “Yes, we work with Creek Side a lot. We work with Creek Side and then she (referring to the Lhasa Apso) is from one of our favorite breeders; her name is Sharon Munk. We use her all the time. We like her specifically because she always gives this really nice information (Pamphlet: BJ’s & Guys) on the parents, on her kennel, herself, and then she always includes the pictures of the parents.” When I commented that I saw a lot of cage cards for Sharon Munk, Lauren replied, “Yeah, because we like her a lot.” I asked how many breeds Munk bred, and Lauren replied that “She breeds a lot of different things.” She then stated that Puppy Experience can only buy from USDA licensed breeders, which have larger kennels than hobby breeders. When I asked what she meant by “larger kennels”, she replied, “I don’t know how many [dogs] she [Munk] has at any given time.”
During the investigation, I saw that approximately 75% of the store’s puppies had cage cards indicating that they came from Sharon Munk. Given this, and the employee’s statements that Munk is one of the store’s “favorite breeders” and “we use her all the time,” it strains credulity that the employee is not familiar with the massive scale of Munk’s breeding operation (920 dogs, which includes 641 adults and 279 puppies as documented by USDA inspectors at the most recent inspection on 04-13-2021 (BJ’s & Guys: USDA Inspection Report 04-13-21).
The employee then stated, “Through USDA, they need to be inspected (not audible) They’re never allowed to have any violations, past or present or we can’t order from them.” This statement is false and misleading. Per the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-58 (B), puppies can be sourced from breeders who have received violations in a number of different scenarios and combinations (Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill). Nowhere does Suffolk County law state that if a breeder gets a single violation, past or present, pet shops are not able to source their puppies from them.
Furthermore, if the employee’s statement were true, Puppy Experience would be in violation of the law by her own definition. BJ’s & Guys has a long record of USDA violations prior to 2017, when the USDA effectively ceased reporting them. These included:
On 01-10-17 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 01-10-17), USDA inspectors documented 1211 dogs (810 adults, 401 puppies) on site. Munk received three repeat “direct” violations, the USDA’s most serious violations, for untreated health issues that included the following: a Chinese Pug whose right eye had a dry, cloudy cornea, prominent red blood vessels, crust on the upper and lower lids, and protrusion from the socket so much that they eyelids did not fully close over the eye when the dog blinked; another Chinese Pug with an abnormal right eye; and two terriers with excessively long nails that were causing their toes to be mal-positioned. Munk was also cited for having two live electric power cords whose cord protectors were no longer protecting the cords in two of the puppy enclosures.
On 07-11-16 USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 07-11-16), USDA inspectors documented 1180 dogs (755 adults, 425 puppies) on site. Munk received two repeat direct veterinary violations for a Shih Tzu with untreated eye issues and a Pomeranian who was observed repeatedly rubbing her back and rear end against a wall and had thickened, bumpy skin with scabs on her tail, and a firm, hairless mass on her back. Munk also received violations for the following: enclosures that were not secure; enclosures with rust and flaking paint; an enclosure with rust and structure damage; ambient temperatures in two buildings recorded at above 85 degrees F; and puppies in at least two elevated enclosures on flooring with 1”x1” openings whose feet and legs were observed passing through the openings.
In June of 2016, USDA APHIS issued Munk an “official warning” (note: FOIA submitted on 1/21/22) for lack of adequate veterinary care related to the violations cited found during the 01-27-16 inspection (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 01-27-16). USDA inspectors documented 1080 dogs (695 adults, 385 puppies) on site. Munk received a direct veterinary violation for a Chinese pug with untreated eye issues. Munk also received violations for the following: three Saint Bernard dogs housed in an outdoor housing facility who lacked access to clean bedding, even though the low temperature the previous night was 21 degrees F; excessive accumulations of feces in at least ten of the outdoor elevated enclosures; and several enclosures with rust and flaking paint.
On 03-04-15 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 03-04-15), USDA inspectors documented 1147 dogs (775 adults, 372 puppies) on site. Munk received violations for a broken section of paneling with exposed wood in the outdoor portion of an enclosure and at least six electric power cords for heating pads in one whelping building where the cord protectors were no longer protecting the cords, some of which had chew marks on them from the dogs.
On 03-19-14 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 03-19-14), USDA inspectors documented 1181 dogs (755 adults, 426 puppies) on site. Munk received the following violations for enclosures: a large hole dug under one; flaking paint and rusty surface; excessive accumulations of feces; and two enclosures housing four dogs that lacked adequate shade.
More recent inspection reports document 920-1286 dogs and no violations, as follows. On 06-20-17 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 06-20-17), USDA inspectors documented 1286 dogs (811 adults, 475 puppies) on site and no violations. On 05-22-18 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 05-22-18), USDA inspectors documented 1193 dogs (759 adults, 434 puppies) on site and no violations. On 03-12-19 (USDA Inspection Report: 03-12-19), USDA inspectors documented 1187 dogs (703 adults, 484 puppies) on site and no violations. On 01-07-20 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 01-07-20), USDA inspectors documented 963 dogs (580 adults, 383 puppies) on site and no violations. On 04-13-21 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 04-13-21), USDA inspectors documented 920 dogs (641 adults, 279 puppies) on site and no violations.
The fact that BJ’s & Guys does not have any USDA violations since 2017 does not mean that none exist. The USDA has made it very easy for licensees, such as Munk, not to have violations. In response to regulatory ordinances, USDA started using teachable moments, self-inspections and a trial announced inspection program. Their recent guidelines also instructed inspectors not to cite ear, eye, and dental diseases as veterinary care violations (this requirement was recently changed back). Even though Sharon Munk runs a massive breeding operation, because it has not received any USDA violations in the past two years, Puppy Experience is not in violation of any county or state law for sourcing from them, as the employee claimed.
Furthermore, Kansas inspection reports for BJ’s & Guys for recent years document no violations. Please note that Sharon Munk served as President of the Kansas Governor’s Pet Advisory Board, and currently serves on the board today. The board is appointed by the governor to recommend changes and make recommendations concerning the rules and regulations for the Kansas Pet Animal Act. Munk currently serves as the board’s Animal Distributor.
The store is, however, in violation of Suffolk County Law for selling puppies sourced from other breeders who received violations on their past two years of State inspection reports. During the investigation, I saw cage cards and/or documented CVIs for the following breeders who sold puppies to Puppy Experience and who have violations on their State inspection reports:
Creek Side Kennel/Rebecca Eiler (CVI 08-12-21, CVI 08-19-21, CVI 12-30-21, CVI 12-02-21, CVI shown to me at store)(Cage Card 1, Cage Card 2, Cage Card 3, Cage Card 4, Cage Card 5). On 01/12/21 (Creek Side Kennel: Kansas State Inspection Report 01-12-21), inspectors documented 430 dogs on site and the following non-compliances: chewed surfaces with jagged edges; two Igloo dog houses with same; surfaces on the pens that are missing paint and not impervious to moisture; surfaces on the pens that are rusty and not impervious to moisture; a drainage trough needing repair to prevent waste from running onto the ground surface; drain troughs requiring cleaning of excreta; and tubs containing old bedding and waste that needed emptying. On 06-25-19 (Creek Side Kennel: Kansas State Inspection Report 06-25-19), inspectors documented 623 dogs (386 adults, 237 puppies) on site and the following non-compliances: rusty wires and chipped paint; outdoor dog pens with deep holes; watering bowls with green algae; matted dogs; and four dogs with ear wounds from flies.
Dandelion Acres/Roger & Marla Campbell (CVI 10-10-21) (Cage card). On 02-02-21 (Dandelion Acres: Kansas State Inspection Report 02-02-21), inspectors documented the following: rusty kennel doors; dirty carpets in the weaned puppy building; discolored water in the water bowls in the weaned puppy building; and excess excreta under all the outdoor kennels and under the trays where the weaned puppies are housed. See pages 6-7 (below) for more information on violations associated with this kennel.
Hillside Kennel/Benjamin Borntrager (CVI 07-06-21). On 02-01-21 (Hillside Kennel: Missouri State Inspection Report 02-01-21), inspectors documented an expired Program of Veterinary Care and open dog food containers that were not leak proof.
Walnut Creek Kennel/Shelli Kerschner (CVI 08-11-21). On 02-28-20 (Walnut Creek Kennel: Kansas State Inspection Report 02-28-20), inspectors documented the following: wood on dog doors that needed resealing; minor rust; dishes and plastic whelping boxes that needed to be sanded down or replaced. On 11-18-21 (Walnut Creek Kennel: Kansas State Inspection Report 11-18-21), inspectors documented two cages with rust in the whelping building that needed to be cleaned and repainted.
Riverside Kennels/Ted Ponting (CVI 09-27-21). On 04-19-21(Riverside Kennel: Missouri State Inspection Report 04-19-21), inspectors documented the following: a plastic panel at the bottom of a doggie door in the whelping building that was excessively chewed and needed to be repaired or cleaned; a chain link fence in the outdoor run of the whelping building that had become unraveled creating sharp points; two outdoor kennels with large portions of ground that were bare dirt; and a smoke detector in the whelping building that was not functional.
Due to the violations cited by the states of Kansas and Missouri as outlined on the inspection reports above, Puppy Experience is in violation of Suffolk County Law. The Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-58 (B) (6) states: “No pet dealer shall obtain or be in possession of animals intended for sale originating from a breeder or a broker that has received any violations on a state inspection report related to the health and welfare of the animal from the breeder’s or broker’s state of origin within the past two years, if applicable.”
Furthermore, if the employee’s statement were true, Puppy Experience would be in violation of the law by her own definition due to the fact that, per a recent CVI and an image taken of a cage card for the same puppy during the store investigation (CVI: Dandelion Acres 10-10-21) (Cage card: Dandelion Acres), the store sourced a puppy from Roger & Marla Campbell of Dandelion Acres. The Campbells (previous USDA license #48-A-1549) have a long record of USDA violations prior to 2017, when the USDA effectively ceased reporting them. The Campbells received 72 USDA APHIS violations of the Animal Welfare Act within the four-year period 2012-2016.
Violations for lack of veterinary care included the following: a female Boxer who was nursing a litter of puppies but was so thin that her back bone, ribs, and hip bones were clearly visible and who lacked any appreciable muscle mass on the torso (direct NCI violation; repeat violation); another female Boxer whose back bone, ribs and hip bones are clearly visible who lacked appreciable muscle mass and was nursing a litter (direct violation; repeat violation); a Jack Russell with an open wound on his neck that had not previously been noticed by the licensees (direct NCI violation); a miniature Australian Shepherd with brown matter on his teeth, reddened, inflamed gums, and a creamy white discharge at the gum line (direct NCI violation; repeat violation); a Bull Terrier with glaucoma who was not receiving the daily eye drop treatment indicated by the attending veterinarian (repeat violation); a Bull Terrier with red, cloudy eyes, hair loss and thickened, flaky skin on his neck and face; another bull terrier with a red, swollen, moist, bloody lesion between her toes (repeat violation); a Pug whose eye surface was thickened and red with a small amount of white discharge (repeat violation); expired medications; a French Bulldog untreated for Keratitis Sicca (skin condition) and a thick green colored discharge in her left eye and a hazy appearance to her cornea (direct violation); Dachshund with hair loss on her face that was moist with creamy discharge (direct NCI violation; repeat violation); a Basset Hound with a cloudy, reddened eye and thick discharge around the eyelids who was squinting (direct NCI violation; repeat violation); a female Jack Russell Terrier with hair loss on her face, the exposed skin pink and with scabs, and an accumulation of dark debris completely coating some of her teeth as well as a reddened gum line and creamy white discharge on the upper teeth (direct NCI violation; repeat violation); and a male Pug who was limping (direct NCI violation).
Housing violations included the following: loose metal wiring in an enclosure that rendered it structurally unsound and caused gaps large enough to allow the puppies housed within to slip through; build ups of dried mud on at least 10 outdoor dog shelters; two outdoor shelters that were not as tall as the Boxers housed within and did not allow the dogs to sit, stand and lie in a normal manner; overgrown weeds; fiberglass wallboard in one enclosure with jagged, sharp edges; a mixture of dirt, grease and other excreta on another wallboard and six metal entry doorways; five enclosures containing five dogs with dried, caked fecal residue covering 25-60% of the cement flooring (repeat violation); sharp, rusty metal points and edges in multiple areas of the kennel; feeders with buildups of grime; excessive accumulations of feces, dirt and hair; cracked plastic doorway frames and chewed doors that were deeply pitted and dirty; dogs housed in outdoor enclosures not large enough to provide adequate shelter from the elements to all dogs within (repeat violations); at least two outdoor enclosures that lacked adequate bedding (the lowest temperature in the last 24 hours having been recorded by the USDA inspector as 36 degrees F); wire gates, flooring, and fencing with gaps causing potential for injury (repeat violations); gap in metal flooring (repeat violation); metal divider panels with excessive rust; one female Bull Terrier being housed in a stock trailer outdoors without any shelter from the elements (repeat); and metal food receptacles with bent, twisted and rough edges. Other violations included the following: dogs lacking official identification (multiple repeat violations); weaned puppies lacking same; and dogs with microchips who were not listed on the official USDA APHIS form 7005. To see USDA inspection reports detailing the above violations, please go to: Campbell, Roger & Marla: USDA Inspection Reports 2012-16.
Roger & Marla Campbell received an official warning from the USDA APHIS in March 2016 and an official complaint was filed against them by the USDA APHIS on July 15, 2016 (note: submitted FOIA on 1-20-22). The USDA APHIS charged them with willfully violating the Animal Welfare Act, and fined them $8,000 (Campbell, Roger & Marla: USDA Consent Decision and Order 03-21-17. As per the USDA APHIS website (Screenshot of USDA website showing canceled license), the Campbell’s license (# 48-A-1549) status appears as canceled 8-15-20. However, the Campbells had already filed for a new USDA license (#48-A-2232). The pre-license inspection took place on 11-05-19 (Campbell, Roger & Marla: USDA Pre-License Inspection Report). The Campbells have since been operating under that license. The new USDA number uses a P.O. box in Goessel, Kansas, although the Campbells live and keep their kennel at 266 90th, Newton, Kansas. The two towns are 14.6 miles apart. CAPS conducted an undercover investigation of the kennel (also dba Iris Lane Kennel) on 06-1-21 and 06-02-21 (Campbell, Roger & Marla: CAPS Investigation). Though the investigator was unable to fully access the premises, the barking documented on video made it clear that the kennel housed more dogs than was able to document.
By sourcing a puppy from Roger and Marla Campbell, Puppy Experience is not only in violation of Suffolk County Law per the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Article VIII Section 299-58 (B) (6), but also Section 229-58 (K) which states: “Pet dealers shall not do business with any person who was previously licensed by the USDA as a breeder or a broker but had such license revoked or who voluntarily relinquished same.”
The employee later stated, “They [the dogs at breeding facilities] are all kenneled, which means that none of them are left outside. None of them are outside dogs; some of them are strictly kennel dogs.” This statement is false. Commercial breeding facilities, including BJ’s & Guys and Creek Side Kennel, house some of their dogs outdoors. As noted above, on 01-27-16 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 01-27-16), USDA inspectors cited Munk for having three Saint Bernard dogs housed in an outdoor housing facility who lacked access to clean bedding, even though the low temperature the previous night was 21 degrees F. As noted above, on 03-19-14 (USDA Inspection Report: BJ’s & Guys 03-19-14), USDA inspectors cited Munk for having an enclosure that provided insufficient shade for the dogs housed within. As noted above, on 06-25-19 (Creek Side Kennel: Kansas State Inspection Report 06-25-19), inspectors documented outdoor dog pens with deep holes.
In addition, CAPS has conducted undercover investigations of hundreds of USDA licensed breeders across the country and frequently documented dogs that were housed outdoors, often with little or no shelter from the elements. As an example, CAPS investigated USDA breeder (#42-A-0873) Wendie Dettbarn of Purple Heart Kennel in Strawberry Point, IA on 03/23/15 and documented numerous outdoor enclosures which had no shelter from the elements other than an Igloo (see Purple Heart Kennel: CAPS Investigaton 03-23-15). The Animal Welfare Act, administered by the USDA APHIS, does not stipulate that dogs at commercial breeding facilities be housed indoors. It does, however, stipulate that “Outdoor facilities for dogs or cats must include one or more shelter structures that are accessible to each animal in the shelter structure to sit, stand and lie in a normal manner, and to turn about freely” (see Animal Welfare Act, p. 115, Section 3.4 – Outdoor housing facilities (b) Shelter from the elements). Oftentimes, this shelter consists of no more than a halved drum or a plastic Igloo, such as the ones referred to in the Creek Side Kennels report dated 01-12-21 (Creek Side Kennel: Kansas State Inspection Report 01-12-21).
Immediately after her above statement, I asked the employee if the dogs were let out of their cages. She replied, “Yeah, I mean you can see that these dogs are well taken care of. The way that most breeders run is that they use a mom or a dad for three or four years, and then they adopt them out. So, it’s not like they keep them in cages for their entire life. Most of them are families, loving, they show you the dog with all the kids (referring to photo in pamphlet).” These statements are extremely false and misleading. There is no USDA APHIS regulation which states that dogs can only be bred for three or four years. CAPS’ undercover investigators obtained video footage documenting breeders saying that their dogs are bred every cycle. Additionally, though some breeders may adopt out their breeding dogs after they are no longer producing litters, this is by no means standard or customary procedure. CAPS’ research shows that many breeding dogs are either sent to dog auctions, where they are either purchased at low prices by other breeders wishing to get more litters out of them, or euthanized, or killed by other inhumane means. Finally, given the fact that Sharon Munk’s facility was documented by USDA inspectors as having 920 dogs at the 04-13-21 inspection (see link above), it strains credulity that Monk’s family and kids interact and socialize with all the dogs.
Later in the investigation, when I asked the manager how many breeds Munk bred, she replied, “BJ’s, she probably does eight different breeds.” When I asked how many dogs Munk had, she replied, “She is a larger scale breeder. She has over 200 dogs and puppies.” These statements are false and/or misleading. As documented by the cage cards and CVIs for puppies provided to the store by BJ’s & Guys, Munk breeds at least 15 different breeds: Havanese, King Charles Spaniels, Lhasa Apsos, Jack Russell Terriers, Shiba Inus, American Eskimos, Dachshunds, Bichon Frises, Wheaton Terriers, German Shepherds, Scotland Terriers, Schnauzers, Yorkshire Terriers, Corgis, and Labrador Retrievers. CAPS’ research of CVIs for puppies going from BJ’s & Guys to other pet shops during the month of October 2021( CVIs for BJs & Guys: 10-21) also document the following breeds: Shelties, Papillons, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians, West Highland Terriers, Beagles, Cairn Terriers, Silky Terriers, Keeshonds, Aussies, Boston Terriers, for a total of at least 26 breeds bred by Munk.
When I asked where the puppies came from, the employee replied, “Sharon is in Kansas. We have a truck that goes and picks up our dogs and delivers them.” This statement is false and misleading. Sharon Munk is the owner of a puppy brokerage company named BJ’s & Guys. Puppy brokers, given the volume of puppies they need to transport across the entire country, work with transporters or have their own transport vehicles. While it is possible that the store does pick up some of their puppies from the Midwest, they do not pick up all of them, as the employee asserts.
CAPS’ research of the store’s CVIs (CVI for Rudy Gingerich, CVI for Ben Graber, CVI for Joseph Graber , CVI for Peaceful Paws 1, CVI for Peaceful Paws 2, CVI for Peaceful Paws 3) show that the puppies sold in the store are transported to the store by a number of different commercial carriers. Furthermore, CAPS’ research of the store’s cage cards and CVIs over the years document the store receiving puppies from large scale puppy brokers, including J.A.K.’s Puppies (CVI for JAKS Puppies). Large scale brokers like J.A.K.’s use transport companies to transport their puppies across the country. That is the reason stores like Puppy Experience source their puppies through brokers is so that they don’t need to travel long distances and transport the puppies themselves and so that they have access to a large number and variety of puppies. CAPS’ research of CVIs for puppies transported to the store between July and December of 2021 (CVIs July-December 2021) document puppies coming from breeders in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan. It is highly unlikely that the store goes to pick up puppies in all these states on a regular basis, as the employee suggests, particularly since some breeders only wholesale one or two puppies to Puppy Experience at a time.
The employee also stated, “Sharon Munk is someone that we specifically like to work with, but Creek Side Kennel also has good dogs.” A moment later, I asked if Creek Side and Sharon Munk were “totally up to snuff”. The employee replied, “Totally up to snuff. Totally.” Later in the investigation, the employee stated that the reason the puppies were so much more expensive is that the store has to pay more to get them from “reputable breeders who are doing the right thing.”
The employee also stated that the store does not source from puppy mills. When I asked what a puppy mill is, she replied, “A puppy mill is just, like people think that they’re outside, that there’s sheds, that there are dogs that are in cages unless they’re breeding. Most of them aren’t like that.” I asked if the two puppies in question came from a place like that and she replied, “No. No. Again, they have to be heavily regulated, so they have to be inspected. Any past or present violation, he [the store owner] would get fined like $1,500 for buying a dog from them.”
These statements are false and misleading for two reasons. First, as evidenced by all the USDA and State inspection reports referenced above, the breeders of the Lhasa Apso and the Shiba-Mo, BJ’s & Guys and Creek Side Kennel respectively, cannot be considered by the average consumer as “totally up to snuff” or “doing the right thing” by their dogs.
Second, as noted previously and per the Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-58 (B), puppies can be sourced from breeders who have received violations in a number of different scenarios and combinations (Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill). Nowhere does Suffolk County law state that if a breeder gets a single violation, past or present, pet shops are not able to source their puppies from them.
A short time later, I was going through the folder for the Lhasa Apso from Sharon Munk. I inquired about the “B” in the USDA number. The employee replied, “This is just their license number. I think each state has different ones.” The employee did not disclose at this or any other point in the investigation that Sharon Munk was also a puppy broker.
Additional Findings Documented on New York State Inspection Reports:
CAPS’ review of 2019-2021 New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Pet Dealer Inspection Reports for Puppy Experience documents the following non-compliant items:
On 03-01-19 (Puppy Experience – NYS Inspection Report 03-01-19), inspectors cited Puppy Experience for a Labrador Retriever who was not vaccinated for rabies as required by NYS law, and general violations for 17 puppies who were not licensed.
On 03-02-20 ( Puppy Experience – NYS Inspection Report 03-02-20), inspectors cited Puppy Experience for a Cavachon who was not vaccinated for rabies as required by NYS law and a German Shephard who had not received medical attention for a squinting right eye, swollen eye lid, redness and irritation. The store was also cited for having an information statement form that was incomplete and in the incorrect format, and for eight puppies who were not licensed.
On 02-08-21 (Puppy Experience – NYS Inspection Report 02-08-21), inspectors cited the store for not submitting their license renewal 30 days prior to expiration, and for nine puppies who were not licensed.
On 03-24-21, inspectors rated Puppy Experience as “compliant”. However, due to the fact that the store received citations on the 03-02-20 and 02-08-21 New York State inspection reports, Puppy Experience is in violation of Suffolk County Law. The Suffolk County Pet Dealer Bill Section 299-58 (B) (6) states: “No pet dealer shall obtain or be in possession of animals intended for sale originating from a breeder or a broker that has received any violations on a state inspection report related to the health and welfare of the animal from the breeder’s or broker’s state of origin within the past two years, if applicable.”
Breeder/broker names, states and USDA numbers obtained from cage cards and paperwork during store investigation:
Please note that most (approximately 75%) cage cards in the store were for puppies sourced from Sharon Munk/BJ’s & Guys USDA #48-B-0081. I did not take photos of all of her cards.
BJ’s & Guys/Sharon Munk
HC1 Box 38 (note different address on CVI below)
Menlo, KS 67753
USDA 48-B-0081
Number of dogs listed on 04-15-21 USDA inspection report: 920 (641 adults; 279 puppies)
Samuel Beachy
4957 Hwy Y
Clark, MO 65243
USDA # 43-A-4887
Number of dogs listed on 02-17-21 USDA Inspection Report: 190 (103 adults, 87 puppies)
Ella & Eli Borntrager
33762 Cranberry Lane
Gibbs, MO 63540
USDA #43-A-6120
Number of dogs listed on 10-18-21 USDA Inspection Report: 134 (83 adults, 51 puppies)
John Borntrager
10836 Monroe Rd. 1050
Moberly, MO 65270
USDA #43-A-6573
Number of dogs listed on 06-25-21 USDA Inspection Report: 54 dogs
Rebecca Eiler/Creek Side Kennel
725 BB Lane
Oberlin, KS 67749
USDA #48-A-2176
Number of dogs listed on 04-2021 USDA Inspection Report: 551 (356 adults, 195 puppies)
Cole Gordon
7575 Bremen Road S E
Lancaster, OH 43130
USDA 31-A-0530
Number of dogs listed on 09-29-21 USDA Inspection Report: 336 (223 adults, 103 puppies)
Milton Lewis
89033 455th Ave.
Newport, NE 68759
USDA #47-A-0625
Number of dogs listed on 10-19-21 USDA Inspection Report: 359 (223 adults, 136 puppies)
Breeder/broker information obtained from July through December 2021 Certificates of Veterinary Inspection:
Samuel Beachy
4957 Hwy Y
Clark, MO 65243
USDA # 43-A-4887
Number of dogs listed on 02-17-21 USDA Inspection Report: 190 (103 adults, 87 puppies)
BJ’s & Guys/Sharon Munk
562 S Rd 150 W
Menlo, KS 67753
USDA 48-B-0081
Number of dogs listed on 04-15-21 USDA Inspection Report: 920 (641 adults, 279 puppies)
Cara Borin
67545 Williams Lane
Honobia, OK 74549
USDA #73-A-2756
Number of dogs listed on 09-18-19 USDA Inspection Report: 84 (60 adults, 24 puppies)
Benjamin L. Borntrager
1408 Audrain Rd. 175
Clark, MO 65243
USDA #43-A-6081
Number of dogs listed on 09-15-21 Inspection Report: 161 (103 adult, 58 puppies)
Ella Borntrager
33762 Cranberry Lane
Gibbs, MO 63540
USDA #43-A-6120
Number of dogs listed on 10-18-21 USDA Inspection Report: 134 (83 adults, 51 puppies)
Roger & Marla Campbell/Dandelion Acres (also dba Iris Lane Kennel)
266 90th
Newton, KS 67114
USDA # 48-A-2232 (previous USDA #48-A-1549)
Note address affiliated with new USDA license: P.O. Box 181, Goessel, KS 67053
Number of dogs listed on 10-18-21 USDA Inspection Report: 155 (109 adults, 46 puppies)
Rebecca Eiler/Creek Side Kennel
725 BB Lane
Oberlin, KS 67749
USDA #48-A-2176
Number of dogs listed on 04-2021 USDA Inspection Report: 551 (356 adults, 195 puppies)
Angela Fields
22102 Hwy FF
Green Castle, MO 63544
USDA #06-08-21
Number of dogs listed on 06-08-21 USDA Inspection Report: 118 (69 adults, 49 puppies)
Candy Fields
502 West South Street
Green City, MO 63545
USDA #43-A-4924
Number of dogs listed on 06-02021 USDA Inspection Report: 75
Rudy E. Gingerich
1729 Hwy P
Clark, MO 65243
USDA #43-A-6456
Number of dogs listed on 09-08-21 USDA Inspection Report: 50
Ben S. Graber
12614 E., 250 N
Loogootee, IN 47553
USDA #32-A-0483
Number of dogs listed on 02-11-21 USDA Inspection Report: 72
Joseph D. Graber (Dallas & Anna Mae Graber)
11303 E., 1000 N
Odon, IN 47562
USDA #32-A-0507
Number of dogs listed on 08-18-21 USDA Inspection Report: 58
James Hilty/Four Corner Puppies
10512 Schwartz Rd. (USDA records show 9801 Fall Creek Road #322, Indianapolis, IA 46256)
Fort Wayne (Indianapolis), IN 46835
USDA #32-B-0257
Number of dogs listed on 07-30-21 USDA Inspection Report: 70
Philip Hoover
13872 St. Hwy. 15
Memphis, MO 63555
USDA #43-A-5673
Number of dogs listed on 03-18-21 USDA Inspection Report: 501 (370 adults, 131 puppies)
J.A.K.S. Puppies Inc.
2685 Grant Ave., P.O. Box 245
Britt, IA 50423
USDA #42-B-0271
Number of dogs listed on 08-18-20 USDA Inspection Report: 254 (all puppies)
Shelli Kershner
2440 Ave. R
Rush Center, KS 67575
USDA #48-B-0311
Number of dogs listed on 10-14-21 USDA Inspection Report: 128 (91 adults, 37 puppies)
Milton Lewis
89033 455th Ave.
Newport, NE 68759
USDA #47-A-0625
Number of dogs listed on 10-19-21 USDA Inspection Report: 359 (223 adults, 136 puppies)
Brian Lichirie
2329 Hwy 16
West Point, IA 52656
USDA #42-B-0317
Number of dogs listed on 11-17-21 USDA Inspection Report: 380 (88 adults, 292 pupies)
Amos J. Miller
133 Audrain Rd. 142
Clark, MO 65243
USDA #43-A-6479
Number of dogs listed on 01-27-21 USDA Inspection Report: 88
Lizzie Miller
32732 State Hwy E
Laplata, MO 63549
USDA #43-A-6032
Number of dogs listed on 10-18-21 USDA Inspection Report: 86
Peaceful Paws/Nathan or Daniel Steury
5640 W. Burt Rd.
Camden, MO 49232
USDA #34-A-0231
Number of dogs listed on 04-19-21 USDA Inspection Report: 63
Riverside Kennels/Ted Ponting
10109 CR 331
Hale, MO 64643
USDA #43-A-5133
Number of dogs listed on 08-11-21 USDA Inspection Report: 69
Lloyd/Loren Dale Yoder
3027 540th St. SW
Riverside, IA 52327
USDA #42-A-1541
Number of dogs listed on 01-09-21 USDA Inspection Report: 139 (88 adults, 51 puppies)
Note regarding number of dogs at above breeding facilities:
The numbers of adult breeding dogs and puppies at the above facilities are consistent with being commercial breeding establishments, also known as puppy mills, that mass produce dogs for resale to pet shops. Please refer to the following link for a summary of legal cases defining the term “puppy mill:” Summary of legal cases defining “puppy mill”.
