USDA breeder records

PuppnDogs, by the record

USDA-licensed dog breeders, state by state

Every dog breeder and dealer with a federal license, and what USDA inspectors found when they visited, from every inspection report published since 2014.

Source: USDA APHIS license list of Sep 15, 2026 and inspection reports to Sep 18, 2026.
A row of golden retriever puppies on a lawn
2,063 active USDA dog licenses: 1,890 breeders and 173 dealers
132,702dogs counted at each licensee's latest inspection
9,614inspections from 2023 to 2025
88.7%of those found no problems
40states with at least one licensee

USDA-licensed dog breeders in every state

40 states have at least one. States with 1 or 2 show no other figures, so no single business can be identified.

#StateLicensesDogs countedClean, 2023 to 2025
1Missouri68046,63596.3%
2Indiana37917,17293.8%
3Ohio24721,35775.2%
4Iowa15211,05586.5%
5Oklahoma824,26591%
6Kansas775,92189%
7Wisconsin774,74763.8%
8Arkansas673,92992.9%
9Pennsylvania524,48282.8%
10Illinois371,23691.2%
11New York302,62967.6%
12Texas291,66392.2%
13Nebraska271,46793.8%
14South Dakota2397498.1%
15Michigan2090489.5%
16Minnesota142,12375.4%
17Florida1327680.9%
18Kentucky727487.5%
19Tennessee610857.1%
20Virginia622456.4%
21Mississippi328364.3%
22Montana387100%
23Nevada31260%
24Utah3119100%
25Washington364100%
26West Virginia312290%
Alabama1 or 2
California1 or 2
Colorado1 or 2
Connecticut1 or 2
Georgia1 or 2
Louisiana1 or 2
Maryland1 or 2
Massachusetts1 or 2
New Jersey1 or 2
New Mexico1 or 2
North Carolina1 or 2
North Dakota1 or 2
Oregon1 or 2
South Carolina1 or 2

How often USDA inspections of dog breeders find a problem

Share of inspections with at least one citation, all states.

Share of USDA inspections of US dog breeders that found at least one problem, by yearMinor issues logged as teachable moments0%5%10%15%20%25%30%2014: 27.3% of 2,977 inspections found a problem’1427.3%2015: 24% of 3,198 inspections found a problem’152016: 17.3% of 3,517 inspections found a problem’162017: 13.2% of 3,343 inspections found a problem’172018: 4.9% of 3,135 inspections found a problem’182019: 5% of 3,272 inspections found a problem’192020: 5.3% of 1,299 inspections found a problem’202021: 8.6% of 3,015 inspections found a problem’212022: 10% of 3,616 inspections found a problem’222023: 13.8% of 3,733 inspections found a problem’232024: 10.3% of 3,173 inspections found a problem’242025: 9% of 2,708 inspections found a problem’252026 (to September): 10.2% of 1,979 inspections found a problem’2610.2%
Nationally, 27.3% of inspections found at least one problem in 2014, and 9% in 2025. From 2016 to 2022 inspectors could log a minor issue as a “teachable moment” instead of a citation, so part of the drop is a change in how problems were recorded.
Show as table
YearInspectionsFound a problem
20142,97727.3%
20153,19824%
20163,51717.3%
20173,34313.2%
20183,1354.9%
20193,2725%
20201,2995.3%
20213,0158.6%
20223,61610%
20233,73313.8%
20243,17310.3%
20252,7089%
20261,97910.2%

What USDA inspectors cite most often at dog breeders

The rules behind citations since 2014, all states.

RuleWhat it requiresCited
2.40(b)(2)Methods to prevent, control, diagnose and treat disease and injury1,588
3.1(c)(3)Hard surfaces must be spot-cleaned daily and sanitized418
3.11(a)Excreta and food waste removed from enclosures daily384
2.75(a)(1)Records of every dog acquired, held or disposed of356
3.1(a)Housing must be structurally sound and kept in good repair337
3.13(a)(3)Veterinary care for dogs313
3.11(b)(2)Sanitization of enclosures and food and water receptacles297
3.1(c)(2)Worn or damaged surfaces must be repaired or replaced276

Check a breeder's USDA license number

Licensed breeders print their number on their website or sales contract. Enter it to see whether the license is active and when USDA last inspected.

Format: state code, class letter, number. 43 is Missouri, A is breeder.

Why a breeder can be missing from USDA's records

Breeders who sell face to face don't need a USDA license

USDA only licenses breeders with more than four breeding females who sell to pet stores, to brokers, or to buyers they never meet, which includes most online sales. A breeder who sells only to people who visit in person is exempt. So a breeder missing from these records may be unlicensed or simply exempt, and a clean USDA record covers only what an inspector saw on the day.

Sources for these figures