If I lived in Missouri, I’m not sure if I would ever bother voting again. But that’s just me.

— Kenn

The hopes that Missouri’s voter approved dog breeding law, Proposition B would be reinstated, is now officially dead.

After months of debate, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon rushed a compromise bill regulating dog breeding into law on Wednesday, overturning an initiative passed by state voters in November.

The new measure wipes out most of the voter-approved law known as Proposition B. The result is a new law that repeals Proposition B’s limit of 50 breeding dogs per business but sets new standards for veterinary care and housing.

Asked what he would say to Proposition B supporters who felt their votes didn’t count, Nixon said voters had provided the impetus for the compromise.

“What I tell them is, but for the action of the public, there wouldn’t have been the force that was necessary to coalesce people to make these changes. … Their votes did matter,” he said.

The Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had hoped to trigger a referendum on the Legislature’s bill and reinstate Proposition B.

Jim Moody, who lobbies for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said, “The emergency clause was an attempt to take away constitutional rights, and it was orchestrated by the governor.”

The deal brokered by Nixon and his agriculture director, Jon Hagler, split animal welfare organizations. The two national groups that spent millions of dollars on Proposition B said the compromise fails to adequately protect dogs.

But those headquartered in Missouri — such as the Humane Society of Missouri and the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation — supported the compromise.

In the end however, many Missouri legislators said they just wanted to put the issue to rest. And all the talk about Missouri’s status as the “puppy mill” capital of the country had engendered stronger reactions from constituents than any other issue they had encountered.

“In all my eight years here, I’ve never seen one passionate, contentious issue such as this,” said Missouri Rep. Tim Meadows.

Story By Elaine Furst For Dog Files