"The federal government is seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by animal-welfare activists over an Iowa puppy-mill operator.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed the lawsuit last year in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The lawsuit alleges that the USDA has violated the federal Animal Welfare Act by repeatedly renewing the license of Steve Kruse, an Iowa-based breeder who operates a large-scale breeding operation in West Point called Stonehenge Kennels. The business has a long history of animal welfare violations.
The ASPCA claims the USDA routinely licenses dog breeders and dealers such as Kruse despite the agency’s direct knowledge of practices that fall far below the standards required by the Animal Welfare Act. The lawsuit seeks a court order that would force the USDA to void all current licenses issued to Kruse and his associates and prevent the agency from renewing them."
Clark Kauffman reports for States Newsroom February 12, 2025.
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