A dog breeder in southeast Iowa has multiple, big dollar big fines over extremely poor conditions at puppy mills.

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According to KTVO, Daniel Gingerich ran a puppy mill in Seymour, Iowa. In October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sued Gingerich for $20,000 for over 120 documented violations that, according to KTVO, include "failure to provide proper veterinary care for his dogs, failure to identify his dogs, and failure to maintain records of his dogs." Photos from the U.S. District Courts show malnourished and even deceased dogs on Gringerich's property. A heartbreaking sight indeed.

Over the last three months, several court hearings have taken place. During the most recent hearing, "Gingerich surrendered over 500 dogs to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa" and agreed to stop making a profit from selling dogs. After seeing photos from the facility, this operation needs to be shut down.

The report states that Gingerich has not paid the $20,000 in fines owed and never filed an appeal. Considering it's too late to appeal, his debt continues to grow. An additional $40,000 in fines have been added plus his license has been revoked after more findings from an Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship inspection.

Currently, over 200 dogs have been rescued, but organizations are working to save the rest of the dogs in his facilities. It's heartbreaking to see animals abused just so someone can profit. We're thankful for the wonderful organizations out there that fight for and help protect these animals from abuse. You can get more information on the case against Gingerich HERE.

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