Controversial Dog-Breeding Kennel Permits Temporarily Halted

During a Pinal County Board of Supervisors meeting held on May 30, 2025, Supervisor Rich Vitiello addressed concerns surrounding a commercial dog breeding kennel in Thunderbird Farms. 

The board largely sided with community apprehensions, voting 4-1 to send special use permit requests from Abbott’s German Shepherds back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for further review due to unapproved stipulations. 

The Zoning Commission will revisit the matter on June 19, with the Board set to deliberate again on July 2. 

Abbott’s German Shepherds, which operates in Thunderbird Farms and Hidden Valley, describes itself as a family-run, licensed kennel in operation since 1994. Their facilities include an 1,800-square-foot kennel that houses seven dogs along with an outdoor dog run. 

A key contention arose concerning the kennel’s operation on a 3-plus acre parcel zoned for suburban ranch use, where only single-family homes and certain agricultural activities are permitted. 

Zoning regulations specify that commercial kennels must occupy a minimum of 5 acres in suburban ranch areas. 

Senior Planner Patrick Zaia-Roberts reported receiving nine letters of support and 37 letters of opposition, with residents citing noise, fears of decreased property values, and concerns over amenities conflicting with local regulations. 

This was the second continuance for the kennel’s permit discussion. A prior continuance on May 7 was aimed at addressing neighborhood concerns, but doubts remained among supervisors, including Vitiello, who lives in the area. 

Vitiello expressed significant concerns about inconsistencies he described as “smokescreens” related to the application, referencing previous complaints about noise and animal control issues at the kennel. 

Supervisor Mike Goodman highlighted allegations that Abbott had been operating without proper authorization for years, while Chairman Stephen Miller questioned the changing criteria surrounding the kennel’s application. 

Zaia-Roberts confirmed alterations had been made to the stipulations by the county’s legal team after a recent meeting. 

The original proposal included 12 stipulations, such as restricting breeding operations and requiring specialty permits, both of which were later omitted in the revised submission. 

Miller expressed concern over these changes, stating, “The stipulations are the big deal. I don’t know how they would have felt about these new stipulations.” 

Supervisor Jeff Serdy mentioned he was receiving ongoing correspondence from concerned residents. 

Pinal County Animal Care and Control Director Audra Michael stated that inspections indicated Abbott met the required operational standards. 

Despite this, several local residents voiced their opposition, raising issues such as noise disturbances and incidents involving their pets, claiming a lack of communication from the kennel operators.