It’s an issue that’s pitting Missouri dog lovers against Missouri dog breeders. And the outcome is all in the hands of the governor.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has received thousands of letters and emails urging him to sign or veto legislation rolling back new voter-approved restrictions on dog breeders.
Many of the emails ask Nixon to abide by voters’ wishes and veto the legislation that would repeal and replace key parts of Proposition B, which passed last November with 51.6 percent of the statewide vote. Others urge Nixon to sign the legislation, because the puppy breeding industry creates jobs in rural Missouri.
The voter-approved law limits the number of breeding dogs that business can own and sets new requirements for cage space, feeding and veterinary care. A bill recently passed by the Legislature would repeal the dog limit and rewrite other requirements on caring for dogs. After lawmakers passed their measure, Nixon’s administration brokered a compromise proposal that would give businesses more time to comply with some of the dog-housing requirements, but that plan has not yet received legislative approval.
Some emails, such as one written by Chesterfield, Missouri resident David Dean, criticized the state’s House and Senate, which each approved the repeal measure by large margins. “It’s hard for me to fathom how our legislature could vote for a bill that effectively guts Proposition B,” Dean wrote on April 13, the day the House gave final approval to the legislation. “It appears to be the height of arrogance on the legislators(‘) part.”
Others said the new restrictions of the ballot initiative would help the state’s breeding businesses, by setting higher standards that would improve the industry’s reputation.
“If animals are helped by this law requiring reasonable space, food, medical care for animals, that can only be good” for the breeding business, wrote St. Louis, Missouri resident Paula Hanssen in a April 14 email.
But Nixon also received letters urging him to sign the repeal measure. Supporters of that legislation argue that the puppy breeding industry creates many jobs in rural parts of the state, jobs they say would be lost if Proposition B were to take effect as scheduled this November.
The governor has not said if he will sign the legislation pending before him. Instead, he’s urging lawmakers to pass a new, compromise bill that would lift some of the voter-approved restrictions.
Nixon spokesman Scott Holste declined to say Monday whether the letters and emails would have any influence on Nixon’s decision to sign or veto the repeal legislation.
So you are basically saying all breeders are dog hating puppy mill owners, that’s too bad there are so many people willing to listen to uninformed garbage spread by vegan organizations (HSUS)’ so all the good breeders go out of business and illegal puppy mills thrive
So you are basically saying all breeders are dog hating puppy mill owners, that’s too bad there are so many people willing to listen to uninformed garbage spread by vegan organizations (HSUS)’ so all the good breeders go out of business and illegal puppy mills thrive
I don”t think any breeder would go out of business with this bill. The rest of the US would then know that these puppies are less likely to be sick when shipped to pet stores. It also would create more jobs as the cages have to come into compliance. I am not a member of PETA, HSUS or am I a vegetarian. I think all animals should be treated well and wire cages are cruel on the dogs feet.
Breeder are Show dog people and love their dogs…puppy mills only breed for profit and care little for the dogs.