CALL TO ACTION
MISSOURI PUPPY MILL BALLOT INITIATIVE
YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED!
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? A campaign is now underway in Missouri to collect signatures to place a historic measure on the November 2010 ballot. "Missourians for the Protection of Dogs" has been organized to promote a ballot initiative which will address the cruel and inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills. This effort is the result of a partnership including the following organizations: Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (Alliance), Humane Society of Missouri (HSM), Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). These diverse and influential organizations have come together based upon their shared concerns over the harsh living conditions endured by far too many dogs in Missouri's puppy mills.
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW? The campaign committee has been formed, and the ballot language has been approved by the Secretary of State, thus paving the way for the signature-gathering phase. Volunteers are needed immediately to collect enough signatures by April 27, 2010 to place this measure on the November ballot. Missourians would then have the opportunity to relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of dogs by voting YES on the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act on November 2, 2010.
HOW CAN I HELP? You can help gather signatures from registered Missouri voters; you can spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors about this important initiative; and you can provide financial and in-kind support to help the Alliance's efforts.
Volunteer petitioners are needed immediately to collect more than130,000 signatures by April 27! We urgently need your participation to make this vital effort a success. If you would like to be a part of this historic effort, please contact the Alliance at
,
314-361-3944,
or toll free at
877-444-6225.
Make a donation today to help fund the Alliance's work
on the Puppy Mill Ballot Initiative!
WHAT DOES THE ACT DO? Missouri is widely recognized as the "Puppy Mill Capital of the Nation" because of its far greater number of commercial dog breeding facilities than any other state. Every month, thousands of puppies from Missouri are shipped to pet stores throughout North America and beyond. In 1992, the Alliance led the effort to pass the Animal Care Facilities Act (ACFA) which established minimum standards of care and required annual inspections for commercial dog breeders. This proposed ballot measure would add new standards of canine care to the ACFA statute. Specifically the measure would require:
Sufficient food and clean water
Necessary veterinary care
Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements and eliminating wire-floored cages
Sufficient space for dogs to turn and stretch, lie down, and fully extend their limbs
Meetings have been held in Columbia, Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis. More meetings are being planned to recruit and assist signature gatherers. Check back often for updates.
