Missouri legislators convened on January 5th. One of the priorities for state Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton) has been to file” a “straight-up” repeal of Proposition B — the ballot issue commonly known as the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act”– critics were quick to speak up.” Prop B was passed last November 2nd when the people (over 1 million) of that state felt the dogs and puppies trapped in these “breeding” facilities deserved a better life. The people voted and now it seems Stouffer doesn’t feel their votes count.
He filed this appeal last December. He feels he is speaking for his voters.
As in PA, the breeders in MO will have a year to meet the new requirements:
Breeders will be restricted to no more than 50 breeding dogs at a time.
Veterinary examinations will be required at least once a year.
Dogs will be permitted constant and untethered access to indoors and outdoors.
Enclosures are to be big enough to accommodate the size of the dog.
Dogs shall have from 12 square feet to 30 square feet enclosures depending on their sizes.
Wire flooring shall be discontinued and replaced by cement flooring.
Dog pens will be cleaned once a day.
The measure also applies to operators with less than ten breeding dogs, and the law will require owners to feed the dogs daily and not to breed the dogs more than two times every 18 months.
This was a HUGE victory for the animals and animal advocates. Missouri is known as the puppy mill capital of the United States!
Opponents of the bill argued there was a hidden agenda behind the initiative that could lead to greater government regulations of farm animals, however the only wording in the legislation applied to dogs and their welfare.
What is troubling for me from my own experiences in PA and with our own animal welfare legislation is the lack of common sense and deceny on the part of our legislators.
Legislators indicate to me that such persons should be of a certain intellect and to have the prudent judgment to know and understand how dogs and puppies are forced to live in the most deplorable conditions in puppy mills. One only has to see pictures or videos to know this. May I highly suggest you visit a puppy mill, Mr./Mrs/Ms. Legislator?
Here in PA with the victory of our new dog law in 2008, we were set to have one of the toughest anti-puppy mill laws in the land. However, that law is being slowly broken down and going backwards. Is Missouri headed in the same direction?
What is wrong with our legislators? How can they not see the horrific lives these animals are forced to live in 24/7 for their entire lives? And knowing the sole reason they do is for sheer PROFIT? Misery for profit. Doesn’t take a scientist to figure this out.
Wake up legislators!!! Do what is right for the animals! We have spoken for what is right for the animals. Now you do what is right for the animals!