A 62-year-old puppy farm owner in Johnson County, Iowa, is facing multiple animal neglect charges after 131 neglected dogs were seized from his farm. Authorities arrested Loren Yoder, a commercial breeder, and charged him with animal neglect. Moreover, they revoked his breeding license.
Puppy farm owner Loren Yoder arrested on 41 counts of animal neglect
On Aug. 24, 2023, inspectors with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship made a surprise visit to Yoder’s puppy farm and found the canines in a horrible state.
According to The Gazette, inspectors found the 131 dogs “in hot, dirty conditions and many of them were in a state of distress.” Unfortunately, the animals suffered from various health problems resulting from lack of proper care. Veterinarians who examined the canines noted most had “severely matted” fur, fleas, eye discharge, and dental diseases. Reports say one dog had developed an ear yeast infection.
Additionally, some of the animals exhibited extreme nervousness and seemed “frozen in fear” while undergoing medical examination.
An earlier news report by The Gazette revealed that nine out of the 131 dogs rescued passed away. According to the news outlet, eight canines succumbed to different health problems, among them canine Parvovirus and heat stroke. Vets had to euthanize the ninth dog since they developed severe temperament issues arising from the “ongoing pain and neglect” they endured.
The Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center took in some of the rescued dogs. Others were transported to different shelters across Iowa.
This was not the first time Yoder has had a run-in with animal welfare inspectors. In Feb. 2022, he received citations for various violations, including failure to maintain the dogs’ housing facilities and keeping inaccurate records. During the February visit to Yoder’s puppy farm, inspectors found two severely emaciated Old English Sheepdogs. Furthermore, inspectors discovered contaminated, moldy dog food in six outdoor kennels.
