An animal-welfare organization that is suing the federal government over an alleged failure to enforce regulations against dog breeders in Iowa and elsewhere is now seeking to expand its lawsuit.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed its original lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in September 2024, challenging the USDA's decision to license three Iowa dog breeders — Steve Kruse, Brian Lichirie and Wuanita Swedlund.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges the USDA has failed to enforce the federal Animal Welfare Act by repeatedly renewing Kruse's license, despite a history of animal-welfare violations, and by licensing two of his associates, Lichirie and Swedlund.

According to the ASPCA, the USDA's own inspection reports detail "horrific treatment of breeding dogs kept caged in Kruse's massive West Point, Iowa operation, which typically holds more than 700 dogs." The inspectors' reports document observations related to dogs limping and suffering from open, bleeding wounds; dogs with untreated eye infections or severe dental issues; painful fur matting; and a lack of veterinary care.

The USDA reports also allege Kruse poured hot sauce on one dog's open wounds to keep the dog from licking them, and housed other dogs in cages so small they restricted the animal's freedom of movement. The dogs also had fecal matter on their coats and in their food bowls, the USDA inspectors alleged.

During one inspection, Kruse was alleged to have thrown a bag of dead puppies at a USDA official, but he continued to operate his dog-breeding business under USDA licensure.

In addition to licensing Kruse directly, the ASPCA lawsuit alleges, the USDA has knowingly and unlawfully issued separate licenses for commercial kennels on properties owned by Kruse.

As a result, the ASPCA claims, hundreds of Kruse's dogs have cycled through those affiliates as part of a puppy-laundering scheme intended to conceal the role Kruse plays in supplying puppies to out-of-state retailers.

The ASPCA's lawsuit has proceeded at an extraordinarily slow pace, with no scheduling orders issued and no discovery or depositions taking place. Recently, the USDA filed a motion seeking dismissal of the lawsuit, arguing the case is now moot because Kruse, Lichirie and Swedlund are no longer licensed.

The ASPCA is resisting the motion for dismissal while also seeking to amend and expand its lawsuit against the federal agency.

In court filings, the ASPCA notes that within days of canceling Kruse's license in September 2025, the USDA approved a license for another individual, Christine Snakenberg, at 2345 Highway 16 in West Point — the same address as Kruse's Stonehenge Kennels, which he still owns.

The ASPCA said in the lawsuit this follows a previously established pattern in which Kruse installs a newly licensed operator on property he owns while retaining full control of the business.

The ASPCA's lawsuit cites the licensing of Snakenberg as evidence that the USDA's "ongoing policy of non-enforcement persists to this day," and so the lawsuit should not be dismissed as moot.

In the two years that have passed since the lawsuit was initially filed, the ASPCA argues, every claim it initially made about the federal agency's alleged failure to enforce the Animal Welfare Act "has been vindicated, tragically, at the expense of the animals that this statute was designed to protect."

As evidence, the ASPCA cites ties between Kruse and Swedlund.

As the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported in 2024, a USDA inspector visited a dog-breeding kennel in the Van Buren County town of Cantril in late 2023. The business was located on property owned by Kruse but was operating under a license held by Swedlund. During the inspection, USDA officials reported six puppies at the facility appeared to have frozen to death.

USDA records showing that in 2025 and 2026, Swedlund repeatedly denied federal inspectors access to her Van Buren County facilities.

On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice obtained a temporary restraining order against Swedlund and then inspected her business, cataloging 20 violations. A few days later, the Van Buren County sheriff seized Swedlund's 32 dogs.

On July 10, 2026, U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher found that Swedlund's noncompliance with the federal Animal Welfare Act "goes well beyond bureaucratic handwringing. The evidence shows that Swedlund has housed hundreds of dogs since acquiring her USDA license in 2023. She has consistently failed to provide her animals with adequate facilities, access to water, or access to medical care. It is evident that the animals in Swedlund's care suffered needlessly — precisely the type of harm that the Animal Welfare Act sought to prevent."

In separate state-court proceedings designed to determine to the fate of the 34 animals taken from Swedlund, District Court Judge Joel D. Yates transferred ownership of the animals to the PAW Animal Shelter in Fort Madison for eventual adoption.

In his ruling, Yates said the evidence showed the "animals were neglected by not having access to appropriate food, potable water, sanitary conditions, proper ventilated shelter and necessary veterinary care."

Swedlund, whose USDA license expired on July 14, 2026, has since been charged with 34 counts of animal neglect. She has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. A trial date has yet to be scheduled.

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