Prop B passed and then was reworked in the next session, so this article is really outdated. I was going to take it down but after reading it, I changed my mind. While it is a Missouri legislative action, it shows just how ridiculous some of this legislation really is. Please take a moment and read this. It will give you a glimmer into the issues we have with new law that is lobbied for the Animal Rights groups.

 

Does this quote mean anything anymore? "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

As with many other pieces of legislation presented by the HSUS in many States, this does nothing to stop the illegal, unlicensed breeding of dogs in true "Puppy Mills". Just think of how much good the nearly THREE MILLION DOLLARS the Animal Rights groups have spent campaigning and supporting this Proposition could have done in the hands of law enforcement to enforce the Animal Cruelty laws that already exist (going after the substandard kennels), or in the hands of the Missouri animal shelters. This is money that was given freely to the HSUS by people who thought they were helping animals in the poor conditions that can be found in the unlicensed kennels. If you are donating to them now, please consider giving your donations to your local shelter instead.

Every thing comes with a cost. The State of Missouri estimates it will cost more than $600,000 to implement this new law the first year (could be 2 or 3 times that). Where is the State going to get the funds?

Remember, we here at Pet Breeders and Owners, DO NOT SUPPORT SUBSTANDARD KENNELS!  We do, however support your right to make a living for your family.

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Proposed Statute language in BLACK, Note; This has been condensed to show just a few examples... 

Necessary veterinary care means, at minimum, examination at least once yearly by a licensed veterinarian; prompt treatment of any illness or injury by a licensed veterinarian;

You got to be kidding me! If my dog gets hurt I have to wait until the Vet can see the dog before doing any first aid. This means that a scratch or broken toe nail has to be seen by a Vet. What about vaccinations, worming and normal routine care? The average dog breeder has the skills and experience to do those things without a visit by their Vet. As a pet owner of a single dog you can go to most feed stores and purchase a vaccination to administer to your dog, will that be legal under the new law for a breeder?

The current law addresses all those things, but it states under the guidance of their Veterinarian. This is a direct effort to make it cost prohibitive to be a breeder.

Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements means constant and unfettered access to an indoor enclosure that has a solid floor; is not stacked or otherwise placed on top of or below another animal's enclosure; is cleaned of waste at least once a day while the dog is outside the enclosure; and does not fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or rise above 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unfettered access to indoor enclosure does not take into consideration the breed of dog. For example, if you had Huskies, they would not be comfortable even at the minimum temperatures and therefore more than likely not use a heated space. If you had Italian Greyhounds, 45 degrees would be to cold for them.

No documented proof indicates that vinyl coated, gridded or grated flooring implicates a health risk to the dogs. The advantage to the non-solid floors is to keep the waste away from the dogs to improve sanitation, helps to control internal and external parasites keeping the flea's, ticks, worms and diseases from coming in contact with the dogs. We are not talking about chicken wire or hardware cloth here, they are banned in licensed kennels.

This proposition exempts Veterinary clinics, animal rescues or shelters. Those facilities are currently required to follow the ACFA regulations. Why is it okay for some to be treated differently than others?

No consideration of animal husbandry principals seem to be used in the writing of this bill. Where is the common sense?

Do not be deceived by the pictures you see of dogs in crowded conditions in wire cages. Those pictures were taken at substandard kennels (Puppy Mills) that are not licensed by the USDA or the State of Missouri. This Proposition does nothing to help those dogs that are not in licensed kennels. They are used solely to wrench your money out of your hands to support the political machine that is the HSUS. 

Regular exercise means constant and unfettered access to an outdoor exercise area that is composed of a solid, ground level surface with adequate drainage; provides some protection against sun, wind, rain, and snow; and provides each dog at least twice the square footage of the indoor floor space provided to that dog.

Again, no consideration for sound animal husbandry practices. There is little or no knowledge of the habits of dogs put into this proposition. This is a dangerous situation for a puppy. Puppies often hang on Mom's nipple and get drug out of the whelping (nursery) area. What happens if a Mom has pups outside in 20 degree weather? What happens when a baby gets drug out in the snow? What happens to the small dogs when the owl or an eagle finds them out at night? Cover your pens you say? Have you ever tried to keep a raccoon out of anything?

A person is guilty of the crime of puppy mill cruelty when he or she knowingly violates any provision of this...

It could be a crime if they find a cobweb in your kennel, or a piece of dog food in the water bowl. What happens if the temperature goes 1 degree above or below the required temperatures? 

A breeder could be charged with a class C misdemeanors (up to 15 days in jail and a fine of $300) on the first visit for a cobweb, they could be later charged again for the a class A misdemeanors (up to 1 year in jail, up to a $1,000) if an inspector found a cobweb, lets say 6 months later. Those rules are equal to the penalty for drunk driving, assault, bad check writing, first degree trespass or fraudulent use of a credit card. Failure to report or false reporting of child abuse is a Class A misdemanor in Missouri. Do we really think a cobweb is as bad as any of these things?

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person may have custody of more than fifty covered dogs for the purpose of breeding those animals and selling any offspring for use as a pet.

This Proposition in no way will effect the so called "Puppy Mills" (HSUS terms, not ours). It will only effect the above board, inspected, regulated breeders. The current laws are stronger than the ones proposed with some exceptions. The one that most disturbs me is that it will limit the number of dogs that a breeder can own, in effect limiting the amount of income a person can make. You know if a law was passed that GM could only make 50 cars next year, or a broker could only make 100 trades next year, somebody would be up in arms. I think if a breeder is keeping his animals in conditions that meet or exceed the current USDA and State regulations they shouldn't be told how many they can have. What next, we will be telling farmers how many cows he can have?