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New Missouri Agriculture Chief Fights Puppy Mills
Finally, someone in Missouri is paying attention to the state’s reputation as the number 1 puppy mill breeder in the country.
A new agriculture chief took office in January, and is ramping up protocols of the state’s 4,000 shoddy and inhumane dog-breeding businesses.
Known by many an animal welfare advocate and rescue operators as the “Puppy Mill Capital of the Country,” Missouri has historically been lax on enforcing a 1992 program for protecting animals cared for by breeders. With the rural environment of the Ozarks and breeders hidden among hillsides, it can get complicated…
However, so far, in combatting the problem, new Agriculture Director Jon Hagler has:
- named a new program coordinator
- asked for a re-examination of old cases
- ordered a review of internal procedures
- stepped up inspections and the issuing of citations to violators
- started Operation Bark Alert, which allows people to report unlicensed breeders directly to him by e-mail
But Hagler said his agency simply does not have the means to conduct inspections every year as required by law. “We cannot regulate 3,200 licensed breeders plus every animal rescue, shelter and dog pound, and go after unlicensed breeders with 11 total inspectors.”
According to an article on MSNBC.com, the Humane Society of the United States’ “Stop Puppy Mills” campaign says Missouri should stop licensing breeders until it has enough inspectors.
State audits in 2001, 2004 and 2008 sharply criticized Missouri’s regulation of puppy breeders as ineffective and lax, citing management conflicts of interest, spotty inspections, few sanctions and failure to track repeat offenders.
The article says that state authorities can shut down breeders, revoke their licenses, fine them and ask local prosecutors to bring criminal charges of abuse or neglect. But Tim Rickey of the Humane Society of Missouri said the Agriculture Department rarely pursues charges.
Inspection reports show that the state instead encourages violators to reduce the number of dogs to a more manageable level or below the threshold of regulation.
Although the problem is rampant and plagued by repeat offenders, who are charged, fined, get their dogs taken away, then go and buy new ones at auction, Rickey said he is pleased with what the new agriculture director is doing.
“Their focus seems to have changed,” Rickey said. “They are working harder to shut unlicensed facilities down. They are seeking prosecutions. This is all new and unproven.”
What do you think about this? Is Missouri doing enough to enforce its laws? Is any state doing enough to enforce its laws? How do you feel about state puppy mill legislation?
Some information courtesy MSNBC.com. Click the link for more details on Missouri’s problem.
As a resident of Pawsylvania, I’m ashamed of my state but it is trying – they’ve done SOMETHINGS recently but it is still far from enough…
Paws khrossed more states at least try…
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
As two Missouri puppy mill boys — we’re behind everything that can be done to stop the shameful practices!!!
We just want to be sure that the right legislation is passed — i.e., “animal welfare” — and not the dubious “animal rights”.
We are pleased to hear that the winds are changing. It sounds like steps are being made in the right direction, and they will hopefully continue.
This is a step in the right direction but I still feel more needs to be done and it needs to be more focused on penalty and prosecution. Is it a matter of not enough resources to find the problematic breeders or what?
More states need to follow suit. This is a good start but I agree with BandE, its still not enough. When will legislators realize that this is such a priority? Why do they just not care? ITs so frustrating fighting for something than lawmakers couldnt care less about…
Make sure when you go to adopt a puppy that you remember to bring a crate. I was transporting a cute 6 month old lab-border collie mix puppy that I had just adopted and the dog got off of it’s leash in the back seat-climbed into the passenger side and then attacked me numerous times while I was driving. What a mess. I was able to control the car. The bites were on the arms-luckily, not on my face. This was a nice dog that had been living with children. Apparently when we passed by some cows it got scared aggressive. Lesson learned: Dogs can act in an unpredictable manner and when transporting a dog -even if you know the animal, keep it in a crate.
I am so glad that action is being taken to eliminate puppy mills that mistreat their dogs. After seeing the film on puppy mills on the Oprah show, I just could not believe that people could do that to any creature that lives and breathes and feels pain. But, look at what some people can do to children. Evil is just evil.
In answer to your question, no state is doing enough. It is always about money. There is just never enough money in state’s budgets to handle all the demands for enforcement. That is a standard reason given. Thank you for sharing this news about Missouri.
Im so glad to see this! MY 10 YO daughter feels so stongly about this she wrote a book about it. – please check it out.
http://wendydelmo.typepad.com/lillys_story/ (