Missouri Puppy Mills: New Definitions for Canine Cruelty Prevention Act

There's a bit of good news for dogs in Missouri.  According to the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, the new regulations to fully implement the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act (CCPA) have been finalized.  They contain the following definition for examination:

"Examination means a complete physical evaluation from head to tail of a covered dog or cat by a licensed veterinarian to include auscultation, palpation, and a visual inspection in which the heart rate, respiratory rate, breeding soundness, and the results of palpation are assessed and recorded as indicated on the forms provided."

The long time practice of paying veterinarians to simply walk through the barns and kennel buildings, without ever actually taking the dogs out of their cages to exam them to verify that the dogs are healthy, is about to come to an end. The attending veterinarians will now be required to perform a thorough hands-on physical examination in commercial dog breeding facilities in Missouri.