The Next Step in Ending Puppy Mills
It was not the landslide victory you and I think it should have been, but Missouri’s Proposition B did pass! Woo hoo! The victory is ours!
While it is wonderful and remarkably encouraging that this bill did indeed pass in the puppy mill capitol of the U.S., it was a narrow pass–barely over 51% overall pass, and more than 100 of the state’s 114 counties were against it. Thank God for urban living.
We have barely had time to recover for our champagne headaches in celebration for the bill’s pass, and already the haters are threatening, saying they are formulating plans to repeal the bill, or dilute it at best.
Who are these people?
What part of these requirements would put a breeder out of business?
“to provide each dog under their care with sufficient food, clean water, housing and space; necessary veterinary care; regular exercise and adequate rest between breeding cycles; to prohibit any breeder from having more than 50 breeding dogs for the purpose of selling their puppies as pets…”
The opportunities to spread the word, not just about puppy mills, but about the truth behind pet shop windows, are endless, and the nation finally seems ready to listen.
These are the most basic of requirements, and I’m repulsed that people think it is horrible to limit the number of breeding dogs to FIFTY, which is still ridiculously high IMHO.
And then there is the personally embarrassing part…The Missouri Veterinary Medical Association is against this bill? !?! I don’t know of a vet that isn’t pro-proposition B. This makes no sense to me. True, we need more enforcement of animal rights 24/7, which falls under the USDA’s responsibility and we all know how efficient the US government is, but I believe that having stronger bills in place has got to be a start. Certainly better than the previous legislation.
The fact that this is by far the most ground-breaking movement towards dog protection that this country has ever seen, okay this is more my opinion than fact, but the ability to leverage this victory into more and more public awareness and opposition cannot be denied.
The opportunities to spread the word, not just about puppy mills, but about the truth behind pet shop windows, are endless.
The war is far from over, and honestly may never be, but this battle has been won. I am truly grateful. In a time of euthanized dogs returning from the dead and melamine-contaminated food, the pets needs this win. Desperately. Cheers for a win for Team Pooches!
Dr. Laci
One Comment
i totally agree. great article.