Monumental Legislation Proposed to Protect Missouri's Dogs
ALLIANCE CONTINUES THE FIGHT TO PROTECT THE DOGS
April 18, 2011
 

Today we have announced our support of proposed legislation that would provide humane standards of care to dogs in commercial breeding facilities and would implement the core provisions of Prop B.

This proposed legislation would not have come about without your tireless efforts over the past few months. Your personal visits, letters, emails and phone calls to your legislators as well as Governor Nixon are making a difference.

As you already know current law and SB 113 would allow breeding dogs to be confined to tiny wire floor cages for their entire lives - many warehoused inside barns never seeing the light of day much less exercise. Current law and SB 113 deny veterinary care and even an annual veterinary exam to the dogs and would allow frozen water to satisfy requirements for water.

The forthcoming legislation would require an annual veterinarian examination of breeding dogs to ensure their health and welfare as well as require that any dogs with a serious illness or injury receive prompt treatment by a veterinarian. This legislation would also require continuous access to clean water and thus dogs would no longer be forced to languish without water for hours and hours in the summer heat or allow frozen water to satisfy water requirements in the winter.

More important, this legislation will provide ample space for the dogs confined in these breeding facilities as it mandates that dogs are provided with three times the current requirement of space.

This legislation also mandates that breeding dogs have constant and unfettered access to an outdoor exercise run - breeding dogs will now be guaranteed exercise and fresh air.

This legislation will also prohibit wire flooring which is uncomfortable for dogs to walk on and often causes injuries to their legs and feet.

Along with increased standards of care, this legislation will provide for a dramatic increase in enforcement efforts by providing funding for additional inspectors and veterinarians to help ensure the humane treatment of dogs in commercial breeding operations.

Thanks again for all your hard work and perseverance. Your efforts are paying off. We will be asking you to contact your legislators again once this legislation is formally introduced and will continue to keep you informed as this legislation progresses.

Bob Baker
Executive Director
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
314-361-3944 (direct)
877-444-6225 (toll free)