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

6,390 results found (Class A)

Including 4,231 inactive results (expired or formerly licensed). Active only

USDA licensee search results
Certificate # Type Name DBA City State Expires Inspections
31-A-1038 Class A Alta Hostetler DBA: — Apple Creek, OH Exp: 2/18/2029 Active
71-A-0376 Class A Alta Madewell DBA: — FAYETTEVILLE, AR Exp: — Formerly Licensed
42-A-0755 Class A ALTA Z. MARTIN DBA: — IONIA, IA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
31-A-0589 Class A ALVIN HERSCHBERGER DBA: — PATRIOT, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
23-A-0607 Class A ALVIN LAPP DBA: — NEW PROVIDENCE, PA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-6865 Class A Alvin Borntrager DBA: — Brashear, MO Exp: 4/3/2027 Active
32-A-0498 Class A Alvin Brenneman DBA: Cedar Creek Bulldogs & Supplies Portland, IN Exp: 3/3/2029 Active
32-A-0402 Class A Alvin Brenneman DBA: — BUTLER, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
42-A-1658 Class A Alvin F Bontrager DBA: — MILTON, IA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
31-A-0213 Class A ALVIN HERSHBERGER DBA: — SUGARCREEK, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
84-A-0207 Class A ALVIN MULLETT DBA: — MONTE VISTA, CO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
35-A-0248 Class A ALVIN NOLT DBA: — THORP, WI Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0488 Class A Alvin S Lapp and Lydia S Lapp DBA: Creekside Pet Farm Fountain City, IN Exp: 11/18/2028 Active
21-A-0080 Class A ALVIN SHIRK DBA: — DUNDEE, NY Exp: — Formerly Licensed
21-A-0185 Class A Alvin Stoltzfus DBA: Springside Kennel Fort Plain, NY Exp: 2/3/2028 Active
32-A-0615 Class A ALVIN WAGLER DBA: — ODON, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
34-A-0220 Class A ALVIN YODER ROSA YODER DBA: — CLARE, MI Exp: — Formerly Licensed
34-A-0245 Class A ALVIN ZEHR IRENE ZEHR DBA: — HILLSDALE, MI Exp: — Formerly Licensed
34-A-0223 Class A ALVIN ZEHR IRENE ZEHR DBA: — HILLSDALE, MI Exp: — Formerly Licensed
58-A-0368 Class A Alyse Drewry DBA: — Gainesville, FL Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0803 Class A ALYSSA MILLER DBA: — CLAYPOOL, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
33-A-0647 Class A Alyssa Penrod DBA: — Jonesboro, IL Exp: 7/1/2029 Active
31-A-0423 Class A Amanda Blevins Workman DBA: — IRONTON, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-6071 Class A Amanda Clinkenbeard DBA: Chicanery Maltese Milan, MO Exp: 5/2/2029 Active
52-A-0162 Class A AMANDA CRESS DBA: — NICKELSVILLE, VA Exp: — Formerly Licensed

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.