When I decided to participate in Blog the Change for Animals, I really planned on writing an upbeat story about a local shelter.
Then the politicians of the Missouri House and Senate changed my mind.
Last year through the democratic process, an initiative received sufficient signatures to be placed on the ballot for a statewide vote. Proposition B was designed to provide dogs in breeding facilities with humane care and treatment. The voters spoke. The measure passed. And that should end the story.
Instead, certain politicians, led by Senator Mike Parsons, have determined that we common folk are not capable of making a good decision. Therefore they have defied the will of the people by taking the law as previously passed and literally disemboweling it.
A few examples: The law as passed required a breeder to have no more than 50 (fifty!) breeding animals. This language was removed, allowing breeders to have as many animals as they choose. The law required breeders to give dogs an annual hands-on exam. Now a "visual inspection" is all that's necessary. Other specifics such as food, water, providing adequate space, and the number of times per year an animal can be bred were previously spelled out. Now these things are left up to a veterinarian or to "standards established by the Department of Agriculture".
I wonder if the aforementioned vet approval comes from the same veterinarian doing a hasty "visual exam"? And as for Department of Agriculture standards, we've already seen what that's gotten for Missouri...the title of "The Puppy Mill State".
This measure, SB 113, has passed the House and Senate. Now the only thing keeping it from becoming law is Governor Jay Nixon's signature.
Missouri residents: please consider asking the Governor to veto this bill. He can be contacted at 573-751-3222. Or, an email can be sent via this link.
To the Politicians of Missouri:
The people of Missouri won't forget what you've done. We care about animals...and we vote.
