Stonehenge Kennels in West Point, Iowa, is now operating under a new license. This change has erased all past violations and may dismiss a lawsuit over the government’s oversight of the business. Stonehenge is one of Iowa’s largest and most troubled dog-breeding operations in the state.
Steve Kruse, longtime owner of Stonehenge Kennels in West Point, Iowa, has been repeatedly cited for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. For decades, Kruse has operated Stonehenge Kennels, a dog-breeding facility. According to federal inspection records, the kennel has had as many as 700 dogs on site at times.
Federal records collected by the Iowa-based animal welfare group Bailing Out Benji show the animal dealer’s license for Stonehenge Kennels in West Point, is now in the name of Christine A. Snakenberg and the kennel now has a clean record of compliance; however, Lee County Property Records indicate the land and buildings where the kennel is located are still owned entirely by Kruse.
Over the years, Kruse has been cited for numerous animal-welfare violations but has continued to operate and be relicensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Last year, the ASPCA sued the USDA, alleging the agency had failed to provide adequate oversight and enforcement of federal regulations related to Kruse’s operation. In November 2024, the USDA filed a motion with the court seeking dismissal of the case based on jurisdictional issues.
The court, however, never ruled on that motion and the case has been at a standstill for nine months. On Wednesday, with the motion to dismiss still pending, U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb issued an order noting that the matter might now be moot since Kruse’s three-year license, issued in August 2022, had recently lapsed.