Search USDA-Licensed Dog Breeders and Dealers

Verify any USDA Class A breeder or Class B dealer against our mirror of the USDA APHIS public database. Search 2,783 active licensees by name, DBA, certificate number, or city. Every result links to a full profile with USDA inspection history since 2014.

What This Tool Does

This lookup mirrors the USDA APHIS Animal Care Public Search Tool (opens in new tab) , refreshed monthly. Use it to confirm a dog breeder holds an active federal license under the Animal Welfare Act before buying a puppy, selling to a dealer, or inspecting the facility's compliance record.

Two USDA license classes appear in results:

  • Class A (Breeder): Breeds and raises dogs on their own premises for sale. Required for breeders with more than 4 breeding females who sell dogs sight-unseen (online, by phone, or by mail).
  • Class B (Dealer): Buys and resells dogs, typically brokers who purchase from breeders and sell to pet stores, research facilities, or directly to consumers.

Certificate format: USDA certificate numbers follow the pattern XX-Y-NNNN: two-digit state code, license class letter (A, B, C, or R), and a sequence number (e.g., 43-A-6252).

Not finding the breeder? They may be exempt from federal licensing (four or fewer breeding females, or face-to-face sales only), licensed only at the state level, or operating without a required license. Check the state-level breeder licensing rules that also apply.

About these licenses: USDA Class A (breeder) and Class B (dealer) licenses are issued under the federal Animal Welfare Act and cover many kinds of animals, not just dogs (for example cats, rabbits, and other regulated species). A licensee shown here holds a USDA license but may breed or deal in animals other than dogs, so inclusion in this database does not necessarily mean the licensee breeds dogs. Always verify a breeder's species, status, and details directly with the licensee and with USDA APHIS (opens in new tab) .

2,163 Class A Breeders
620 Class B Dealers
2026-10-21 Data as of

6,428 results found (Class A)

Including 4,277 inactive results (expired or formerly licensed). Active only

USDA licensee search results
Certificate # Type Name DBA City State Expires Inspections
21-A-0178 Class A MELVIN B SHIRK DBA: — PENN YAN, NY Exp: — Formerly Licensed
23-A-0660 Class A Melvin Beiler DBA: — JERSEY SHORE, PA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
73-A-2277 Class A Melvin Dennis Thurman DBA: Thurman Kennels Marietta, OK Exp: 9/23/2027 Active
43-A-6784 Class A Melvin E Yoder DBA: — Alexandria, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0830 Class A MELVIN GRABER DBA: — GRABILL, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-6731 Class A Melvin Hershberger DBA: — Lamar, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
42-A-0796 Class A MELVIN JENNINGS DBA: — MITCHELLVILLE, IA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0441 Class A Melvin Knepp DBA: — MONTGOMERY, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
33-A-0593 Class A Melvin Mast DBA: Fitchhillchannel Oblong, IL Exp: 6/13/2029 Active
42-A-1579 Class A Melvin Miller DBA: — CINCINNATI, IA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
31-A-0585 Class A Melvin Miller DBA: — SHREVE, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
35-A-0517 Class A Melvin Mishler DBA: — Hillsboro, WI Exp: 12/5/2028 Active
42-A-1470 Class A Melvin Nisley DBA: — Seymour, IA Exp: 5/14/2028 Active
32-A-0717 Class A Melvin Otto Wanda Otto DBA: — LaGrange, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
35-A-0527 Class A Melvin Schmucker DBA: — LaValle, WI Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-6288 Class A Melvin Shirk DBA: — Latham, MO Exp: 2/22/2027 Active
41-A-0449 Class A MELVIN THIESEN DBA: — BLACKDUCK, MN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
31-A-0801 Class A Melvin Troyer DBA: — APPLE CREEK, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0553 Class A Melvin Wagler DBA: — Loogootee, IN Exp: 5/5/2027 Active
42-A-1605 Class A Melvin Yoder DBA: — Seymour, IA Exp: 10/17/2027 Active
35-A-0395 Class A Melvin Yoder DBA: — Chili, WI Exp: 3/8/2029 Active
73-A-2764 Class A MELVIN YODER DBA: — COALGATE, OK Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-6027 Class A Melvins Dobermans LLC DBA: — BILLINGS, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
71-A-1309 Class A Melynda Ables DBA: — VILONIA, AR Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-1168 Class A Menno & Sharon Graber DBA: MSJ Kennels Montgomery, IN Exp: 4/1/2029 Active

Data sources: Licensee data comes from the USDA APHIS Animal Care Public Search Tool (opens in new tab) . Inspection reports are sourced from the Data Liberation Project (opens in new tab) (CC BY-SA 4.0), which compiles USDA APHIS inspection data from 2014 to present. Both are updated monthly. For the most current information, verify directly with USDA APHIS. This is not an official USDA tool.