DUBUQUE, Iowa – July 23, 2025 – An early morning bomb threat reported at Simmons Pet Food, located in the 400 block of Seippel Road, led to considerable disruption, resulting in a delayed start for the first shift and an extended duration for the third shift while authorities undertook a comprehensive investigation. The Dubuque Police Department (DUPD) received the threat report at 4:13 AM, and by 8:38 AM, officials had cleared the area, determining that the threat was unfounded.
As a safety measure, the 275,000-square-foot Simmons Pet Food facility, situated in the Dubuque Industrial Center, was evacuated. Third-shift employees, approaching the conclusion of their overnight shift, were retained on site, while incoming first-shift workers were required to wait until the premises were deemed secure.
Authorities, including police and firefighters, conducted thorough searches of the facility, which comprises a 5,000-square-foot receiving area, a 10,000-square-foot freezer, and a 75,000-square-foot warehouse, ultimately finding no explosives or suspicious items.
Since its opening in July 2021, this $100 million facility has employed over 270 individuals and produces wet pet food for prominent brands, contributing approximately $13.7 million annually to the local economy. The disruption brought production lines to a halt, impacting the company’s operations, but activities resumed by mid-morning.
