animal inspections

Iowa Capital Dispatch
June 25, 2026

The federal government is taking an Iowa dog breeder to court, seeking a court order that will allow inspectors onto the property for the first time since 2024.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is suing Wuanita Swedlund of Farmington for allegedly barring federal officials from conducting unannounced inspections of her dog-breeding operations.

According to the USDA’s lawsuit, licensed breeders are required, during business hours, to allow inspectors to enter their place of business to inspect and photograph the property, the animals and business records. The lawsuit alleges Swedlund has failed to provide the USDA’s APHIS inspectors with access to her facility the last five times they have visited the Farmington operation, all of which fell between November 2025 and May 2026.