Missouri Senate Approves Puppy Mill Dog Torture: MO Prop B Repeal Begins

Yesterday the Missouri Senate voted to roll back Proposition B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act and, thus, said the heck with Missouri voters who approved the measure in November.

Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 113 sponsored and introduced by Senator Mike Parson who, ironically, titled the bill, the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.  Key points of the bill include:

• No limit on the number of breeding dogs.
• No requirement of ground level cages with access to the outdoors.
• No requirement that the dogs be sheltered from extreme weather and temperatures.
• No annual hands-on vet examinations will be required.
• Two visual inspections of dogs by veterinarians will be required.
• Depending on the number of dogs sold, breeders would pay fees ranging up to $2,500 instead of the current maximum of $500.
• Breeders would pay $25 per year to generate funds for additional state inspectors
• Breeders in violation would no longer be subject to prosecution for the misdemeanor crime of puppy mill cruelty.  Instead, courts could assess civil fines or prosecutors could file misdemeanor charges of canine cruelty against repeat offenders.

Sadly, according to Virginia Young reporting for the St Louis Post-Dispatch, there was little debate.  An attempt to amend the bill to require a vote by Missouri citizens was defeated.The bill needs a second Senate vote in order to be sent to the Missouri House.