MO's Prop B Under Attack

I'm so sick of the lies going around Missouri right now about Proposition B. Most people who advocate repeal (talking citizens here) want it done for reasons that have nothing to do with the bill. They've been lied to and they perpetuate the misinformation. Obviously, there are special interests at work, of course. No surprise there. Missouri is known as the puppy mill capital of the United States. Not to mention I think some people just don't know what a puppy mill is.

Missouri voters passed Prop B by 52%. Unfortunately, the Republicans in my state are working in favor of the puppy mills, by lying and saying that Prop B has something to do with livestock, farmers, food, and even saying that it would harm legitimate dog breeders (it won't).

What is a Puppy Mill?

1. Breeding females are bred until they die, forced to have one litter after another littler after another litter

2. Puppy mill breeders have upwards of 50 dogs at any one time, or

3. Having 10 breeding females with the purpose of selling the puppies at any one time

4. Dogs are kept in cages, often too small to turn around in

5. They often do not have access to food OR water

6. Few, if any, of the dogs ever receive vet care or vaccinations

7. Many puppies bought from these breeders are sick, even with the deadly and highly contagious Parvovirus

What Prop B Does for Dogs

1. Only applies to domesticated dogs or mixed breeds over the age of six months that meet Puppy Mill standards as mentioned above

2. Mandates sufficient food & clean water for all dogs

3. Mandates necessary veterinary care as deemed acceptable by American Veterinary Medical Association

4. Mandates sufficient housing for dogs, including shelter from elements

5. Mandates sufficient space to turn & stretch freely, lie down, & fully extend his/her limbs
Mandates regular exercise

6. Mandates adequate rest between breeding cycles

7. Makes puppy mill cruelty a class C misdemeanor unless

8. The defendant has plead or been found guilty of violating the bill on a separate occasion, making it a class A misdemeanor

Prop B DOES NOT

1. Put numerical limits on how many dogs anyone can own when not using them for breeding & profit

2. Apply to any retail pet store

3. Apply to animal shelters

4. Apply to hobby or show breeders who have more than 10 breeding female dogs

5. Apply to dog trainers who don’t breed & sell dogs for use as pets

6. Limit hunting

7. Limit the breeding, raising, or selling of hunting dogs

8. Apply to farms

9. Apply to livestock of farms

10. Apply to animals other than dogs

The changes more or less gut the thing, and make it impotent. It also changes unnecessary things for no apparent reason. I can't imagine why they decided to change the definition of "pet" (for purposes of the bill) from "species of the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, or resultant hybrids" to instead say simply, "domesticated animal."

What the Proposed Changes to Prop B Mean for Dogs

1. Changes the definition of "pet" for the purposes of the bill from only referring to dogs so that it will instead refer to ALL domesticated animals

2. Reduces the period of rest a female dog will have between litters, from no more than 2 litters per 18 months to no more than 2 litters per 12 months, thus creating more harm to the dogs

3. Removes the option of a site visit to the facility for veterinary care

4. Removes the regulations for what constitutes a violation of the law

5. Removes restrictions on the amount of dogs, in all, you are allowed to have for breeding and selling purposes.

6. Removes majority of the regulations on dog nutrition and access to food & water

In short, the changes gut the bill and render it impotent. Those of us in Missouri who realize what a great bill this is and don't want it messed with are fully aware, however, of what the Republicans in our state are really doing. They're giving us a choice on which way we want the bill rendered useless. The choices are quite simple; Repeal it, gut it, or just don't fund it. But, the idea of actually letting it stand and do what it was enacted to do? That's out of the question.

Missouri, like I said before, is known as the Puppy Mill Capital of the United States. Prop B is the first step toward changing that title. Do our lawmakers really want Missouri to continue being known for animal cruelty? Surely, Missouri can carry on a better legacy than that!