Breeder: Nelson and Leanna Yoder
Kennel Name: Hardwood Kennel
Address: 17748 CR 3720
City, State, Zip: Coalgate, OK 74538
USDA License: 73-A-2786
Date and time of CAPS Investigation: 06/15/22, 1617
Weather at time of investigation: 90°F and sunny
Approximate number of dogs and puppies observed at time of investigation: 40 dogs and one puppy
Breeds: French Bulldogs, Shiba Inus, Cocker Spaniels
The Yoders’ kennel consisted of three different structures: A sheltered area for adult dogs, a building with indoor/outdoor concrete runs connected to it where adult dogs were visible in runs; and a whelping building with indoor/outdoor elevated wire cages. Two rabbits were in cages in a separate barn.
The sheltered area had about twelve dog runs in it, with thick, galvanized wire walls and crushed rock floorings. Pens were about five feet wide and 30’ long, with about 10’ of them being sheltered under a metal roof, connected to a metal wall at one end of the pens. Plastic igloo-style dog houses were in the shaded portions of the pens, facing the metal wall and set a few feet from it, though they lacked windbreaks. I saw that one of the doghouses, in a pen containing a French Bulldog and two Cocker Spaniels, had a severely chewed bottom lip and sides around the entrance that left jagged edges on its surface (3.1 Housing facilities, general (a) Structure; construction). Pens also had metal self-feeders and water bowls made of metal or plastic.
The other adult dog building had six concrete runs on one side, with plastic strips for doggie-doors to allow access to indoor enclosures. The runs were about two feet wide and six feet wide, with galvanized wire walls. I had a clear view to one of the plastic strips; it had a thick, dirty buildup on about 20% of its surface, and brown stains on the inside of the doggie-door entryway (3.1 Housing facilities, general (a) Structure; construction). I saw one to two dogs, either French Bulldogs or Shiba Inus, in each enclosure.
The whelping building had six indoor/outdoor wire cages on one side, with three set over the another three. The cages had plastic sheets under them to catch manure and urine. Plastic strips were set into doggie-doors that allowed access to indoor portions of the enclosures. The strips all had dirty brown stains on their surfaces, with some areas stained so thick the dirt was almost black (3.1 Housing facilities, general (a) Structure; construction). Water buckets and bowls made of either metal or plastic were in the outside cages. The treated wire walls were worn in areas so that bare metal could be seen on about 10% of their suraces (3.1 Housing facilities, general (a) Structure; construction). There was an adult Frenchie in one cage, and adult Shiba in another, and a Shiba puppy in a third cage, all tempororarily appeared into view before they went back through doggie-doors.
Within two feet of the outdoor whelping cages, three wooden draweres were set against the building on their sides, and a plastic five-gallon bucket was sitting on the ground. About three feet away was a plastic broom pan. A metal shed stood about four feet from the whelping cages, and leaning up against one of its walls, within about four feet of the whelping cages, were several sheets of galvanized wire (3.1 Housing facilities, general (b) Condition and site).
A barn used to hold various farm equipment had three elevated wire rabbit cages, each cage being about two feet wide, tall, and long. One cage was empty, with one thick-furred rabbit in each of the other two cages. One rabbit had a wooden box for a hutch, and another had a cardboard box. Water bottles were attached to the treated wire walls that had worn surfaces so that bare metal could be seen on about 5% of their surfaces. Fur covered most of the areas where the wire beams met, and weeks of manure was piled up on straw a couple inches. Below the treated wire floorings.
Evidence contradicting pet store claims:
The kennel sells to Southpaw Pets, a broker that sells to Petland West Wichita. During my investigation of that store on 8/13/21, an employee claimed the store doesn’t use puppy mills. The store had a video playing on repeat of dogs and puppies running grassy yards. When I asked for information on a particular breeder for a puppy, the employee showed me the name of a kennel with photos of dogs in large yards.
Dogs being kept entirely in substandard cages and dog runs in dirty conditions contradicts Petland West Wichita’s representation of breeders as having dogs and puppies running free and not living in puppy mills.
Breeder is connected to the following brokers through 2021 Certificates of Veterinary Inspection:
Southpaw Pets, Neosho, MO, 43-B-3812 (sells to Petland of West Wichita)
