citation_inspection: 37776

At least four outdoor shelters, accessed by a total of approximately 32 dogs, contain straw bedding material. The majority of the straw bedding is dark in color and compacted together in a solid pile and the inspector had to pull the layers of straw apart. The layers of straw were wet, dirty, moldy and had a strong odor of mold. In one of the shelters, accessed by eight dogs, the contaminated straw was peeled up to reveal a colony of ant-like insects beneath it and in another affected shelter, accessed by nine dogs, flying gnat-like insects came out of the contaminated straw. The facility representative was unaware of the contaminated condition of the straw bedding. In the large Whelping building, the whelping boxes contain wood shavings as absorbent material. In two whelping boxes, accessed by a total of fifteen puppies, the shavings were completely saturated with urine and feces with no clean, absorbent areas left. The puppies were observed running around in the wet, dirty shavings. The facility representative stated that the shavings are only cleaned out of the boxes and replaced once a day. Bedding material contaminated by waste, mold, dirt and insects may cause the animals to become wet and soiled as well as raise the risk of disease hazards. Pens, runs, and outdoor housing areas using material that cannot be sanitized using the methods provided in the regulations, such as gravel, sand, grass, earth, or absorbent bedding, must be sanitized by removing the contaminated material as necessary to prevent odors, diseases, pests, insects, and vermin infestation. The licensee must ensure that all contaminated bedding material is removed from the shelters and whelping boxes as often as necessary to prevent soiling of the animals, as well as eliminate odors, insects and disease hazards. To be corrected by: July 16, 2021