The Department of Agriculture spent early October telling Iowans it was finally cracking down on bad dog breeders. In court the same month, its lawyers argued the agency has no legal duty to enforce the Animal Welfare Act at all.
The case dates to September 2024, when the ASPCA sued over licenses granted to three Iowa breeders: Steve Kruse, Brian Lichirie and Wuanita Swedlund. The ASPCA says Kruse’s dogs were cycled through the other two licenses in a puppy laundering arrangement. It also points to a license granted in September 2025 to Christine Snakenberg at the same West Point address as Kruse’s Stonehenge Kennels, days after his own license was canceled.
The USDA argues in response that none of the law’s enforcement provisions are mandatory and that enforcement sits entirely with the agency. It also calls the case moot, since the breeders named have surrendered their licenses or let them expire.
The timing is awkward. On Oct. 6, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stood at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and said, “We are now in the active process of shutting down these puppy mills.” Swedlund’s license expired in July, and she faces 34 counts of animal neglect, which she denies. Her trial is set for Dec. 18.
Congress has its own fix pending: the Puppy Protection Act, which would set federal standards for breeder housing and veterinary care. Northern Ireland took a different route, approving Lucy’s Law to end puppy dealer sales.
What this means for your dog: the paper trail is the part you can check. Ask any breeder or pet store for the breeder’s name and USDA license number, then read the inspection reports in the USDA’s public Animal Care database. The Iowa Capital Dispatch has the court filings.