WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal inspectors documented widespread suffering inside licensed puppy mills last year, yet not a single commercial dog breeder faced penalties, license revocation, or animal seizures, according to a new report released by the ASPCA.
The organization’s annual analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection data found 680 documented violations of the Animal Welfare Act in 2025 at USDA-licensed dog dealer facilities, including dogs left sick or injured without veterinary care, fed moldy food, denied access to water, and housed in kennels infested with roaches and rodents. Despite the findings, the ASPCA said the USDA took no enforcement action against any dog dealers.
The report paints a stark picture of regulatory failure at a time when an estimated quarter of a million dogs are living in USDA-licensed commercial breeding facilities nationwide. According to the ASPCA, every suffering dog identified by inspectors remained in place, and not one breeder lost a license or paid a fine.
Robert Hensley, the ASPCA’s vice president of legal advocacy, said the agency continues to rely on voluntary compliance programs rather than exercising its enforcement authority. He said that approach has allowed large-scale cruelty to persist year after year, driven by profit rather than animal welfare.
The analysis found that violations related to veterinary care were the most common, accounting for roughly one-third of all documented deficiencies. Inspectors recorded cases in which dogs were ill, injured, or died without ever being examined or treated by a veterinarian.
The report also found systemic inspection failures. Licensed dog dealers turned USDA inspectors away more than 150 times, despite agreeing to inspections as a condition of licensure. In many cases, the agency allowed repeated refusals to go uncorrected. One out of three active dog dealers went an entire year without a compliance inspection, as federal rules do not require inspections at any specific frequency.
Licensing practices drew additional scrutiny. According to the ASPCA, every dog dealer who applied for a USDA license in 2025 received one, including applicants with histories of poor animal care, state-level animal welfare violations, or criminal records.
The findings have renewed calls for passage of Goldie’s Act, federal legislation that would require more frequent and thorough inspections, mandate penalties for violations, authorize the removal of suffering animals, and require referrals of suspected cruelty to local law enforcement. The bill is named after a Golden Retriever who died in an Iowa puppy mill.
Goldie’s Act has been introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Mike Quigley of Illinois, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Chris Smith of New Jersey, and Zach Nunn of Iowa. The legislation has been endorsed by more than 170 animal welfare, law enforcement, and shelter organizations, though the ASPCA said industry groups that benefit from lax enforcement, including the American Kennel Club, have opposed the measure.
The ASPCA is urging the public to contact members of Congress and press for passage of Goldie’s Act, warning that without reform, thousands of dogs will continue to suffer in facilities that face little meaningful oversight.
The full report is available at www.aspca.org/puppymills2025.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.