Category: Environment

I listened to the Senate “debate” on SB 113. I use quotes because there was no debate.

The bill was perfected. This doesn’t mean it was voted on, but I expect it to be voted. I was incredibly frustrated with the discussion, because Mike Parson made several misrepresentations and outright fabrications. But I guess it’s not done to call him a liar to his face, directly on the Senate floor.

What this means…

Well, there will be a final Senate vote on the bill. And there’s still a debate on HB 131, though I don’t know if I can handle listening to this one.

I do want to collect the votes in the end, because I think everyone from a Yes on B district that voted for one of these bills should be kicked out of office when they come up for a vote. They’re basically saying we’re too stupid to know what we want. Well, not too stupid to know we don’t want, or need, them.

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

The agriculture committee has published the committee version of HB 131. It differs from the introduced text, so I need to update my “reality of HB 131”.

Right now, though, I’m so peeved at the deception and the dishonesty inherent in this bill that I need to take a break.

In the meantime, you can read it yourself. Yay, your Missouri tax payer dollars at work…ensuring a miserable life for dogs in Missouri.

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Friday, the Humane Society of Missouri participated with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Stone County Sheriff’s office to rescue 74 dogs from a licensed breeder.

The kennel is named Knee Deep in Collies, a harmless sounding name. You can see from the kennel’s web site (static capture before site was taken down) how deceptive these puppy mills are: advertising as a sweet, small breeder, when in actuality, the dogs are living crammed into cages or allowed to run loose—starving,with little water, sick, filthy, and dying

Some would say this rescue is a demonstration of why we don’t need Proposition B; that the current laws worked, and the dogs were rescued. They are wrong—this story demonstrates exactly why we desperately need the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.

We should not have to wait until dogs are dead and dying before we can rescue them. We shouldn’t have to wait until they’re in this horrid state before acting. The current laws are too lax, with too many loopholes, too many regulations that favor the breeder over the dogs. Proposition B’s sole purpose is to allow the salvation of these dogs before the situation gets this bad.

I want to send a note about this rescue, and I hope you’ll join me, to the following state representatives for their sponsorship and co-sponsorship of bills to gut Proposition B, and/or their vote for such bill in committee. If they succeed in their endeavor, they, and those who vote for these bills, will own breeders like Knee Deep in Collies. They will own every single sick and dying dog that could have been saved if Proposition B had been left, as is.

Senator Bill Stouffer
Senator Brian Munzlinger
Senator Mike Parson
Senator Victor Callahan
Senator Chuck Purgason
Senator Ryan McKenna
Senator Dan Brown

Representative Stanley Cox
Representative Chuck Gatschenberger
Representative Wanda Brown
Representative John Cauthorn
Representative Don Wells
Representative Ward Franz
Representative Barney Fisher
Representative Jay Houghton
Representative Rodney Schad
Representative Caleb Jones
Representative Ed Scieffer
Representative Lindell Shumake
Representative Mike Kelley
Representative Sandy Crawford
Representative Craig Redmon
Representative Rick Brattin
Representative Bill Lant
Representative Bill Reiboldt
Representative Zachary Wyatt
Representative Paul Fitzwater
Representative Keith Frederick
Representative Charlie Davis
Representative Sue Entlicher
Representative Mark Parkinson
Representative Todd Richardson
Representative Tony Dugger
Representative Jason Smith
Representative Wayne Wallingford
Representative Tom Loehner
Representative Tom Shively
Representative Joe Aull
Representative Tom Long
Representative Shane Schoeller
Representative Gary Cross
Representative Charlie Denison
Representative Darrell Pollock
Representative Steve Cookson
Representative Donna Lichenegger
Representative Delus Johnson
Representative Glen Klippenstein
Representative Bob Nance
Representative Paul Quinn
Representative Terry Swinger
Representative Billy Pat Wright

Representatives Sally Faith and Chuck Gatschenberger have repudiated their co-sponsorships.

A note of thanks to the 119 Representatives and the 27 State Senators who have not co-sponsored a bill to repeal Proposition B, nor have voted for the passage of such a bill in an agricultural committee. I hope you continue to respect the will of the voters. I also hope that you keep these 74 dogs in mind when you do vote on these bills—and think about future stories about dog rescues such as this, and your name attached to each and every sick and dying dog.

The shame of Knee Deep in Collies should not be forgotten. If the Missouri legislature votes to override the will of the people and to gut Proposition B, they will be knee deep in hurt, sick, starved, dehydrated, injured, dying, and dead dogs.

update

The breeder has voluntarily given the dogs up for adoption. The Humane Society of Missouri believes many will be able for adoption in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, there are other wonderful dogs that desperately need a home at HSMO.