Wayne Puppies

Wayne Puppies
1055 Hamburg Turnpike
Wayne, NJ 07470
(973) 832-7058

Date and time of CAPS investigation: 8/4/19; 1253

Approximate number of puppies observed at time of investigation: 30

Puppies were kept two to three to an enclosure, with rows of seven enclosures along each of two walls of the store. Each enclosure had solid floorings and walls, with clear plastic doorways on one side. A consumer rights sign was posted in the store, breeder cards were located by puppy enclosures, and folder containing USDA reports was on a wall near the enclosures. An employee (brown-skinned female, about 35 years old, 5’7″, 130 lbs., with long black hair) told me that the store doesn’t use puppy mills because puppy mills can’t be USDA-licensed, and that USDA regulations don’t allow dogs to be in cages. She told me that she believes the store’s breeders find homes for their retired dogs, and that the USDA doesn’t allow female dogs to be bred more than twice a year.

I asked another employee (Caucasian female, about 38 years old, 5’6″, 160 lbs., with long brown hair) why breeder Sylvia Kurtz had “Hobby” written in place of her USDA number on a cage card, and she told me that it means the breeder and broker on the cards are the same people. However, several breeders had different names and addresses than their brokers. The employee told me Sylvia Kurtz is USDA-licensed even though the license number isn’t on the card. She told me that brokers, in addition selling puppies to breeders and sometimes breeding their own dogs, bring puppies to the store in trucks.

USDA license numbers were replaced with the word “Hobby” for breeders Sylvia Kurtz, Aaron Stoll, and Darvin Raber (56:8-95 Deceptive practice; minimum standards c. (4)).

Advertisements for several dogs in the Wayne Animal Shelter were in the front window of the store. The employee I spoke to about hobby breeders told me the store doesn’t adopt out dogs from the store location, but advertises for dogs another shelter is adopting out.

Breeder info:

The following breeder names were obtained from USDA inspection reports in the store:

1. Harry and Wanda Bonham, 100 CR 6740, Pottersville, MO 65790, 43-A-4436
2. Creek Side Kennel, ?25 B B Lane, Oberlin, KS 67749, 48-A-2176
3. Loveable Goldstar Puppies Llc, 10242 E 1475 N, Odon, IN 47562, 32-B-242
4. Beverly Nydam, Stickney, SD 46-A-0238
5. 43-A-4659
6. Michael Paul Bontrager, E15169 Warner Ave, Hillsboro, WI 54634 (USDA license # is left blank)
7. 35-A-0394
8. J.A.K.S Puppies inc, PO Box 245, Britt, IA 50423, 42-B-0271

The following breeder names were obtained from cage cards on puppies’ enclosures:

1. Silvia Kurtz, E 19707 Sieg Rd, Augusta, WI 54722, USDA#: Hobby
2. Aaron Stoll, 6803 N 1200 E, Loogootee, IN 47553, USDA#: Hobby, broker: Loveable Gold Star Puppies, 10242 E 1475 N, Odon, IN 47562, 32-B-0242
3. Galea Nichols, 2329 Hwy 16, West Point, IA 52656, 42-B-0294
4. Darvin Raber, 7253 E 400 N, Montogomery, IN 47558, USDA#: Hobby, broker: Loveable Gold Star Puppies, 10242 E 1475 N, Odon, IN 47562, 32-B-0242
5. Suzi Livengood, 43702 Hwy 42W, Dixon, MO 65459, 43-A-4659, broker: Conrad’s Cuddly Canines, 6104 Pike 9, Frankford, MO 63441, 43-B-3659
6. Beverly Nydam, 37679 263rd St, Stickney, SD 57375, 46-A-0238, broker: Brule Creek Kennel, 47718 315th St, Akron, IA 51001, 46-B-0033
7. Ranae Schuiteman, 3390 39th ASt, Sioux, IA 51250, 42-A-0779, broker: Brule Creek Kennel, 47718 315th St, Akron, IA 51001, 46-B-0033
8. Ida Mae Wagler, 10323 E 475 N, Loogootee, IN 47553, 32-A-0269, broker: J.A.K.S Puppies inc, 2685 Grant Ave, Britt, IA 50423, 42-B-0271
9. Michael Paul Bontrager, E 15160 Warner Ave, Hillsboro, WI 54634, broker: J.A.K.S Puppies inc, 2685 Grant Ave, Britt, IA 50423, 42-B-0271
10. Creek Side Kennel, 725 BB Lane, Oberlin, KS 67749, 48-A-2176
11. Karen Knepp, 10242 E 1475 N, Odon, IN 47562, broker: Loveable Gold Star Puppies, 10242 E 1475 N, Odon, IN 47562, 32-B-0242
12. Alan Larson, 14142 Hopewell Rd, Versailles, MO 65084, Q D Kennels, LLC, 9603 Pike 12, Frankford, MO 63441, 43-B-3774

Evidence of false claims about breeders made by store employees:

1. The employee’s claim that the USDA doesn’t allow dogs to be kept in cages in false. Dogs are allowed to be in wire cages according to specification in the AWA that governs USDA-licensed dog breeders.
2. The employee’s claim that the USDA doesn’t allow female dogs to be bred more than twice a year is false. There is not regulation in the AWA for how long dogs can be bred.
3. A CAPS investigation of the store in August of 2018 revealed the store buys from AJ’s Angels. A CAPS investigation of AJ’s Angels on 7/10/19 revealed hundreds of dogs spinning in elevated wire cages, without any play area visible on the property. Dogs were seen pacing and spinning continuously in cages, stereotypies indicative of a lack of enrichment and being in cages without ever being let out. The further contradicts the employee’s claim that the store’s breeders don’t keep dogs in cages.