36 total dogs
No findings
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel
Valley Kennel
USDA WarningHorrible Hundred> 1 USDA LicenseMultiple Licenses at Address
Augusta, WI
Breeder Snapshot
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel is a USDA-licensed dog breeder in Augusta, Wisconsin. Pawthenticity has 12 USDA inspections on file, with the earliest from 2014. The most recent was February 26, 2026, with 153 dogs on site. Across these inspections, USDA inspectors have documented 17 citations. This breeder has held 2 USDA licenses: 35-A-0366 from 2014 to 2017, and current license 35-A-0533 from 2024 to present. See the inspection timeline below with dog counts, violation categories, inspector quotes, and links to the original PDF reports.
- Recent Dog Total
- 153
- USDA Citations
- 17
- USDA License
- 35-A-0533
- USDA License Exp
- 3/1/2027
Breed(s) Offered
According to public sources, William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel raises the following breed(s): Bichon Frise, Shiba Inu, Shih Tzu, Yorkie, Zuchon (Teddy Bear).
Compiled from publicly available sources, which may include breeders' public listings, inspection reports, pet store records, and Certificates of Veterinary Inspections (CVIs). While we strive for accuracy, this information may not be accurate, current, or complete.
USDA Inspections
USDA inspectors visit licensed dog breeders to check that their facilities meet federal Animal Welfare Act standards — housing, food and water, veterinary care, sanitation, and how the dogs are handled. Each visit produces a public report through the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). For citations, we've included the first sentence of the report. Click the PDF to read the entire inspection.
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel — USDA License 35-A-0366 (previous)
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3 CITATIONS36 total dogsAdult female Shiba Inu cloudy eyeAdult male Shiba Inu face injury
“A red adult female Shiba Inu ... was observed to have a problem with her left eye. ... the entire eye was white and cloudy. ... A red adult male Shiba Inu ... was observed to have an injury to the left side of his face just below his eye in the cheek/upper lip area. The wound was approximately one inch long by about half inch wide”
Missing USDA ID tags“Approximately half of the dogs were observed to not be wearing official USDA identification tags.”
Incomplete dog acquisition records“The licensees Record of Acquisition of Dogs on Hand (form 7005) is incomplete. ... In the Acquired From section ... only documented the name of who he acquired the animals from ... Twenty-four of the dogs listed on the 7005 do not have an official USDA tag number documented ...”
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3 CITATIONS76 total dogsRepeatIncomplete dog acquisition records
“The licensee's Record of Acquisition of Dogs on Hand (form 7005) is incomplete for twelve of the dogs he has acquired since the last inspection. ... the licensee has only documented the name of who he acquired the animals from. No other required information is provided.”
Pens with holes, sharp edges, rust, chewed walls, unsealed floors“The following list are of items that are in disrepair in the licensee's primary enclosures: ... Three primary enclosures in the main building have holes in the walls. ... One of the holes on the outside part of the building has sharp edges protruding out. ... Some dog cages have plastic strips ... that are chewed up. ... Concrete flooring in both buildings has not been seal-coated. ... outdoor runs have fencing that has rust near the ground ... metal pipes running out of the ground that are covered in rust. ... metal pieces ... protruding a couple of inches out of the ground.”
Pens not disinfected“the licensee informed me that he has not disinfected the floors of the primary enclosures since he has started using that building ... All primary enclosures must be disinfected once every two weeks”
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107 total dogsNo findings
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1 CITATIONAttempted
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2 CITATIONS134 total dogsIncomplete acquisition records
“The licensee's Record of Acquisition of Dogs on Hand (form 7005) is incomplete ... the licensee has only documented the first name of who he acquired the animals from. No other required information is provided.”
Puppy pen too small“At least one primary enclosure was not large enough for the puppies it contained. ... The enclosure contained 8 puppies. ... The enclosure is short by 726 square inches.”
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel — USDA License 35-A-0533 (current)
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182 total dogsNo findings
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2 CITATIONS195 total dogsDirect5 y/o Bichon tartar
“A 5 year old female Bichon ... had a significant amount of tartar buildup on the upper molars ... there was a gap between the top of the teeth and its gums ... and blood was observed during the examination.”
Fecal parasite sampling not doneVaccines not up to date“The licensee has not had his population of dogs sampled for fecal parasites in the past year. ... most of his dogs are not current on their distemper and parvo vaccinations. In addition, at least one dog was not current on its rabies vaccine.”
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Focused
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USDA actionOfficial warningUSDA issued an official warning citing inadequate veterinary care, based on a December 2024 inspection.
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182 total dogsNo findings
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176 total dogsNo findings
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6 CITATIONS153 total dogsFemale Shih-Tzu matted legs, feces caked on rear, very thinMale Shih-Tzu dirty earFemale Teddy Bear dirty ear2 y/o Teddy Bear very thinFemale Yorkie trouble standing and walking
“A number of dogs during inspection were in need of veterinary care. A female shih-tzu ... was matted on its front legs. In addition, fecal material was caking up on its rear end near the anus. The dog was also observed to be thin. ... A male shih-tzu ... had a buildup of organic material with hair intertwined in it in the dog's right ear. A female teddy bear ... had a buildup of organic material with hair intertwined in it in the dog's left ear. A 2 year old nursing female teddy bear ... was observed to be thin during examination. ... A female yorkie ... was observed to have a difficult time standing up and walking. The dog was stiff as she was trying to walk. Both hind legs were stiff and the inspectors observed the dog dragging the right hind leg at times and then it would be dragging the left hind left leg at times.”
Leaking water nipplesSharp rivet in penSharp nails on pen doors“Two enclosures had leaking watering nipples causing the water to puddle up at the ends of four different enclosures housing a total of five dogs. The five dogs weren't able to access their food or water without stepping into the puddles. Another enclosure had a metal rivet sticking out into the enclosure. In addition, two enclosures had nails being used to hold the hinges together for the doors of the enclosures. The nails have sharp points at the bottom which the dogs are exposed to.”
Open dog food boxBedding containers without lids“The box is open and the top of the food had what appeared to be indentations on top ... In addition, the storage for the bedding on two different containers did not have lids.”
Outdoor pens not sanitized every 2 weeks“The outside enclosures haven't been sanitized in 3-4 weeks. ... he isn't sanitizing all the surfaces the dogs come into contact on a consistent two week basis.”
Missing deworming schedule“The program of veterinary careA written plan, signed by a vet, for the animals' medical care. doesn't have a deworming schedule for his dogs that has been prepared and approved of by the attending veterinarian.”
Missing heartworm test records“The dogs have been sampled for heartworm in the past year, but the licensee doesn't have documentation of the results.”
Other USDA licenses at this address
USDA License 35-A-0394 (Sylvia Kurtz) is listed at the same address. This licensee's inspection reports are shown below for transparency.
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106 total dogsNo findings
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1 CITATIONAttempted
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95 total dogsNo findings
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115 total dogsNo findings
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144 total dogsNo findings
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1 CITATION174 total dogsVeterinary Care
“A white female Shih Tzu (#105) had a loose tooth on the right side of the mouth.”
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130 total dogsNo findings
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1 CITATION134 total dogsVeterinary Care
“A white female Teddy Bear (#109) aged approximately 3-4 years old had a good amount of tartar building up on its teeth.”
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134 total dogsNo findings
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1 CITATIONAttempted
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USDA action$1,000 penaltyIn January 2025, USDA assessed a $1,000 civil penalty in a Consent Decision and Order.
Counts include adults and puppies. The dog-count color shows kennel size: green for smaller kennels, yellow for mid-size, and red for the largest (150 or more dogs). In the findings column, a red finding marks a critical citation.
Horrible Hundred
The Humane Society’s “Horrible Hundred” is an annual report that highlights dog breeders across the United States with repeated or serious animal-welfare concerns. Below is a summary of the concerns noted in the report(s):
2025: Inadequate veterinary care; Refusal of inspection; $1,000 penalty
2026: Thin dogs; Dirty and matted dogs; Unsafe conditions
Click a year to open that report, or learn more about the Horrible Hundred here.
The Humane Society's Horrible Hundred report is the result of extensive research and investigation. Please consider supporting the Humane Society's efforts with a donation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel a USDA-licensed dog breeder?
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under license number 35-A-0533. The license expiration date on file is 3/1/2027. For current license status, check the USDA APHIS public database.
How many dogs did William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel have at the most recent USDA inspection?
USDA's most recent inspection counted 153 total dogs on site. This count includes adults and puppies, and reflects that specific day.
How many USDA citations does William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel have on record?
Across all USDA inspections on file, inspectors have documented 17 citations. You can see the full breakdown in the inspection list above.
Where is William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel located?
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel's facility is registered in Augusta, WI according to USDA records.
Has William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel held more than one USDA license?
William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel's current USDA license is 35-A-0533. If a previous license is listed in the profile header above, this breeder has held more than one USDA license over time.
Where can I view William Kurtz — Barking Valley Kennel's original USDA inspection reports?
Every inspection on this profile links to the original USDA PDF — the same document inspectors filed. Click any inspection above to open the source report.
Concerned about an animal's welfare? You can file a complaint with the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), an independent nonprofit that investigates conditions at breeders and pet shops. File a complaint with CAPS.
Pawthenticity summarizes public inspection records from USDA APHIS to help people make informed decisions. The findings, citation codes, and dates shown are drawn directly from those records and reflect conditions documented on the inspection date(s) shown — they may not reflect current operations. Category and severity labels are our summary of the USDA's own findings, not independent judgments about a breeder. If you believe any information here is inaccurate or out of date, please submit a correction.
