Recovered from the Wayback Machine.
As of this morning, the following bills have been filed in the Missouri General Assembly related to Proposition B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act:
SB 4 – to repeal the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. Sponsored by Senator Bill Stouffer.
HB 94 to repeal the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. Sponsored by Representative Tony Dugger, co-sponsored by Representatives Wells, Fisher, Faith, Fraker, Franz, Pollock, Lichtenegger, Reibolt, Entlicher, Crawford, Cookson, and Gatschenberger.
HB 99 – Exempts all shelters, pounds, kennels, pet shops, facilities, dealers, and breeders licensed under specified statutes prior to November 2, 2011, from the provisions of the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. Sponsored by Representative Loehner, co-sponsored by Reiboldt, Schieffer, Rowland, Hinson, Fisher, Phillips, Nance, Fitzwater, Dugger, and Schad.
What these bills tell me is that evidently our state is in great shape, because there are no other pressing matters to take the attention of our state representatives.
These bills also tell me that Proposition B is fine…as long as it isn’t applied to existing breeders. Well, at least the representatives realize that commercial dog breeding is a non-growth industry of little or no importance to the economy of the state. However, if the bill is good enough for future breeders, isn’t it good enough for those currently in business?
The whole point of Proposition B is to eliminate the worst of the dog breeders, not enshrine an exemption for them into our state laws.