A veterinarian in the Dallas-Fort Worth area recently examined a puppy purchased from a pet store called Puppy Dreams.

The store reportedly tells customers its puppies come from USDA-licensed breeders, but that wasn’t the case.

A veterinarian practicing in the DFW area reviewed the records provided with the puppy and found that the breeder information reportedly traced back to Silvia Kurtz of Valley Kennels in Wisconsin, under USDA number 35-A-0394. Valley Kennels has previously appeared in the Humane World for Animals “Horrible Hundred” report, which identifies dog breeders with troubling animal welfare records.

The USDA accused this breeder/kennel of Animal Welfare Act violations; the breeder settled, and the USDA imposed a $1,000 fine and a formal order prohibiting future violations. According to the information reviewed by the veterinarian, the USDA license associated with the breeder was revoked or canceled in 2024 and has not been renewed.

The puppy was reportedly sold with multiple health problems, including a malocclusion, luxating patellas, and ringworm.

“USDA-licensed” is often used by pet stores as a reassuring phrase. But a USDA license is only a minimum regulatory status. It does not mean a puppy came from a responsible breeder or a healthy environment. And if a store is using breeder information tied to a canceled or revoked license, customers deserve to know.

Have You Purchased or Examined a Sick Puppy From a Pet Store?

We are collecting stories from people who purchased puppies from pet stores and later discovered health problems, misleading breeder information, or incomplete records.

We especially want to hear from:

People who purchased puppies with parasites, respiratory infections, ringworm, parvovirus, orthopedic problems, dental issues, congenital defects, or other medical problems.
Veterinarians who have treated sick puppies recently purchased from pet stores.
Former employees or contractors with information about sourcing, illness, quarantine practices, veterinary records, transport, or sales scripts.

Helpful records include purchase contracts, breeder paperwork, USDA numbers, veterinary records, diagnostic results, photos, videos, text messages, emails, and recorded calls where legally obtained.

These stories will help show a clear pattern about how these businesses operate.

If you purchased a sick puppy from Puppy Dreams or another pet store, please share your experience in the form below. Your story could help protect other families and dogs from the same system.