Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, has filed a lawsuit against Jeannine Julian of Richmond, Missouri for violations of the Animal Care Facilities Act and the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.

Upon inspection of JJ Kennel, a commercial breeder facility owned by Julian, numerous violations of the law were uncovered. These violations include:

repeatedly refusing to allow Department of Agriculture inspections of her breeding facility;
failure to provide adequate veterinary care to animals who were in obvious medical distress;
failure to provide housing that protected the animals from injury;
failure to ensure that interior surfaces were free of excessive rust and that kennel doors were properly maintained;
failure to maintain adequate lighting, leaving some dogs in complete darkness;
failure to prevent excessive accumulation of feces and food waste in the primary housing enclosures and to provide uncontaminated, wholesome food to the dogs;
failure to have adequate employees to carry out the required level of husbandry practices, resulting in excessive feces throughout the outdoor runs; and
failure to pay a $100 re-inspection fee required in the case of repeat violations of the ACFA.

Koster is asking the court to issue injunctions and a temporary restraining order prohibiting Julian from any further violations of the Animal Care Facilities Act or the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act and from conducting any commercial breeding activity until further order of the court; assess a $100 ACFA license re-inspection fee; assess a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation of the Animal Care Facilities Act; and pay court costs.

The lawsuit marks the third case in which Koster is able to use the force and effect of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act, sometimes called the Missouri Solution, which was approved by the Missouri legislature and signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon on April 27, 2011. The Act, the result of an agreement between the Missouri Department of Agriculture, commercial dog breeding and farming interests, and Missouri-based animal welfare organizations, strengthens standards for veterinary care and living conditions for dogs in commercial breeding facilities. The Act also gives the Attorney General’s Office the authority to file criminal charges for “canine cruelty,” the authority to seek civil penalties for offenders, and to seek enhanced penalties for repeat offenders.

“We have an obligation to protect the wellbeing of animals, and Missouri has recognized that obligation by passing laws outlining acceptable standards for pet breeders and commercial pet dealers,” Koster said. “This office will diligently continue to see that those laws are enforced.”

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files