A Dozen More Reasons for Supporting Missouri's Prop B

I stepped down from a platform a couple of hours ago at the Humane Society of Missouri headquarters in St. Louis to announce the results of The Humane Society of the United States' latest investigative report -- "Missouri's Dirty Dozen." This painstakingly documented report synthesizes information gleaned from state and federal inspection reports, including enforcement records, animal care violations, and photographs, and reveals shocking abuses and mistreatment of dogs at the state's largest puppy mills. You can read the entire 27-page report here (PDF), or look at a summary of the report (PDF).

HSUS researchers identified these Dirty Dozen puppy mills and eight "dishonorable mentions." Some of the violations described in kennel inspection reports include:

• Thin-coated breeds shivering in temperatures as low as 9 degrees; others found trying to lick frozen water in their bowls or break it with their paws.
• Sick or dying puppies who had not been treated by a vet.
• Dogs with open, oozing or bleeding wounds that went untreated by a vet.
• A proposed program of veterinary care by one operator who intended to dispose of unwanted dogs "by clubbing the dogs."

The HSUS
One of the "Dirty Dozen," this puppy mill has a history of problems.

Many of the puppy mills have racked up more than 50 federal or state animal welfare violations over the last few years, yet remain licensed. One from the Dirty Dozen list remains both federally and state licensed, despite having more than 500 pages of Animal Welfare Act violations and enforcement records on file with the USDA. A kennel operator on the dishonorable mentions list had her license revoked by the USDA for repeatedly violating the Animal Welfare Act, yet she remains state-licensed and continues to sell puppies over the Internet.

None of this should be surprising. In May the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General issued a scathing report about the lax enforcement of the federal law. Three reports by Missouri state auditors confirm that the state inspections program has been plagued by gaps through the years. And earlier this year, the Better Business Bureau offices of Kansas City, Springfield, and St. Louis issued a damning report revealing a mass of consumer complaints about dogs bred at Missouri mills.

If voters approve Prop B, we can turn this situation around. Conditions leading to distress and suffering in dogs, such as painful wire flooring, lack of proper veterinary care, overcrowded cages, and scant protection from the elements, will be more clearly and consistently addressed under the law. Prop B will stop mills from keeping more than 50 intact dogs used for breeding, and this will help because it is the large-scale puppy mills that cause the greatest problem for dogs.

Opponents of Prop B have lots to say, but it's so much claptrap. Their coalition talks about an end to animal agriculture, even though the only species mentioned in Prop B is the domesticated dog. And they say that The HSUS and its coalition partners in Missouri, the biggest pet-advocacy organizations in the United States, want to eliminate pets -- a laughable and absurd comment. This same coalition of naysayers fought against the 1998 ballot initiative to outlaw cockfighting and they made the same far-fetched claims then that they are making now. No one is trying, or has tried to eliminated hunting or livestock agriculture, and it's just nonsense talk from the Farm Bureau and other entities that should know better.

Yesterday The HSUS and our coalition partners launched the first TV ad urging Missourians to vote YES! on Prop B. This ad will help broadcast the images of puppy mill cruelty to millions across the state. Any amount you might be able to contribute to help it air would be much appreciated.

This post originally appeared on Pacelle's blog, A Humane Nation. Paid for by Missourians for the Protection of Dogs / YES! on Prop B, Judy Peil, Treasurer.

 

Comments

[Jason Carter]

02:34 AM on 10/28/2010

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fhumanewatch.org%2Findex.php%2Fsite%2Fpost%2Fbarbara-schmitz-has-foot-in-mouth-disease%2F&h=b6261

Christian ? Moral? copy and paste the link to the truth about what HSUS is all about.

[RevRaid]

11:13 PM on 10/14/2010

My dogs are both puppymill rescues, not rescued as puppies ... they were both used as breeders. We adopted them when they were around three years old. I've spent a considerable amount of time looking at this issue, and it is absolutely horrible ... I live in MO : Puppy Mill Capital of the World! This is not typed with a sense of pride ... I've reached out to the the person who runs the rescue we adopted through to get her thought's on Prop B., But I will tell you this ... as someone who has rescued two puppy mill dogs ... and who has spent some time researching this ... Puppy mills (a.k.a - COMMERCIAL breeding facilities) are a literal hell on earth for the animals involved ... and it's not just puppies, it's kittens, and other species as well.

[Denise Marie Ellefson]

08:14 PM on 10/12/2010

and what the hell are they doing about it nonthing it makes me sick to hear a bout puppy mills and other animals being hurt its sick

[cletus clovis]

02:00 PM on 10/08/2010

Proposition B is not a "reasonable measure" because it is written in such a way that nobody
can
comply with it, which is why rescue groups and shelters are conveniently "exempt" from the
provisions of this bill. Don't tell me they shoud be exempt because they don't raise dogs,etc. Fact
is shelters all over the USA repeatedly are cited for the same type of violations and even shut down
for abuse and neglect. Yes, I can share documented cases too. One example, just do a search of a Memphis Tennessee facility where the people running the shelter were arrested for their horrific
abuses.
If a person decides to run a facility and comply they must risk running a "perfect and be in
complete compliance" at all times. If they make even one mistake they will be cited for a
misdemeanor crime! Who will be foolish enough to run an operation where any mistakes will
result in a defacto arrest and criminal record.
Last, don't call me a liar(that never validates your argument) or tell me to read the bill, I have a
copy of it in front of me.
Thank you for your time.

[PamDuggan]

11:19 AM on 10/07/2010

Proposition B is a reasonable measure that would require all large-scale commercial breeders to provide every dog with sufficient food and clean water, necessary veterinary care, adequate housing and shelter, adequate living space and exercise, and essential rest between breeding cycles. It would also prohibit the use of wire kennel flooring and stacked cages, practices which are known to cause discomfort, injuries and overcrowding.

To date, 120 Missouri veterinarians and veterinary clinics have already endorsed Proposition B to provide more humane treatment of dogs


Prop B targets only those with more than 10 breeding females. Half of the breeders from a group actively opposing this set of laws have USDA violations. It's time for Missouri to clean up its act and reputation as the "puppy mill capital of America".

[rosset]

10:25 AM on 10/06/2010

The real reason behind the opposition to proposition B is that it undoes good laws to put in bad laws. Proposition B says dogs must be fed once a day. Missouri laws say the dog must be fed twice a day. Proposition B says a dog must be exercised everyday. Missouri laws say the dogs must have exercise everyday appropriate to the weather and their age. Proposition B says all dogs must be kept between 45 and 85 degrees. Missouri law says dogs must be kept in the temperature appropriate to their age and condition. This means nursery's must keep puppies at 92 degrees which if it drops below that temperature they will die. Proposition B will fine a breeder for keeping the nursery at 92 degrees. Proposition B states all dogs must be seen by a vet once a year. Missouri Law says all dogs must be seen by a vet twice a year for check ups and must be seen immediately if an illness or injury appears. In court even the supporters and writers of Proposition B agreed it was badly written, but they preferred to go ahead knowing that it was a danger to all dogs because they had invested time and money. In almost every state from Pennsylvania to Ohio HSUS has cried they were the puppy mill capital of the world. In fact HSUS made up the terms puppy mill and Factor Farm applying these terms to all breeders and farmers everywhere.

[burningbird]

11:04 AM on 10/06/2010

Deliberate falsifications about Proposition B. Gross falsifications about Proposition B at that.

If you have to use lies as arguments for your position, you've already lost the moral ground.

Hopefully this November, you'll lose the puppy mills, too.

[Barbara Durtche]

11:28 AM on 10/06/2010

Please give line items mentions to support the above comment. Both Prop B and current regulations. I want to be an informed voter and it will greatly help. Thank you

[burningbird]

07:01 PM on 10/05/2010

My favorite one is the recent from an Alliance for Truth spokesperson: The HSUS doesn't like animals.

[Marcella Covault]

11:59 AM on 10/06/2010

Well, actually that needs to be clarified. The H$U$ doesn't want anyone to own or use animals. Maybe the Alliance for Truth spokesperson should have said, more accurately, that the H$U$ doesn't like most people, especially if they use animals in any way. That is truthful for the "animal rights" movement in general, of which the H$U$ is the industry leader and moneymaker--at the expense of people AND animals.

[burningbird]

04:46 PM on 10/08/2010

Your comment is so inaccurate and false as to border on being ludicrous.

I'm sorry that puppy mill people don't like someone looking out for their dogs--after all, Proposition B will cut into their profits--but deliberate falsehoods about the HSUS just reflect badly on the person writing them.