Barbara Schmitz, campaign manager for Missourians for the Protection of Dogs/ YES! on Prop B, issued the following statement in reaction to yesterday’s rescues of 116 dogs from two mass dog breeding operations located in Camden County and Greene County, Mo.:
“The simultaneous rescue of dogs from two puppy mills in one day is a clarion call for Missouri’s citizens to vote ‘yes’ on Proposition B. Prop B will establish clear and enforceable standards of care in Missouri’s large-scale breeding facilities so that dogs in puppy mills won’t have to suffer at the hands of overwhelmed puppy mill operators, who have more dogs than they can adequately care for, and who often don’t even provide the very basics of care, forcing dogs to live their entire lives without sufficient space, food, water or veterinary care.”
In the first case, The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), in conjunction with the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), removed 71 dogs from a licensed breeder in Camden County in central Missouri. The dogs were transferred to the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri in Springfield and HSMO in St. Louis, where they will be medically treated and cared for until they are ready to be put up for adoption.
The dogs—which included mainly small breeds such as dachshunds, Maltese, shih tzus and Lhasa apsos, and large breeds such as huskies and boxers—were voluntarily relinquished by the kennel owner, who felt she could no longer properly care for them and contacted Half-way Home Pet Rescue, which contacted the ASPCA. As part of the emergency relief efforts, PetSmart Charities® provided the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty team with pet transport carriers and crates.
In the second case, the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), working in cooperation with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, rescued 45 dogs living in unsanitary and unsafe conditions on a property near Republic, Mo. The animals include schnauzers, boxers, miniature pinschers and Boston terriers.
A USDA inspection report issued in April 2010 cited 12 pages of violations for this facility including inappropriate, inadequate, unsafe and unsanitary housing for the dogs; smashed feces in the mesh flooring of some enclosures indicating lack of daily cleaning; and clutter, trash and animal waste throughout the facility. Earlier this year, the owner of this facility was charged with animal abuse in Newton County for abandoning a breeding facility in that county and leaving animals behind with no food or water, resulting in the starvation and death of some of the dogs. The Greene County dogs were taken to HSMO, where they will remain until a disposition hearing on Sept. 28.
Prop B is supported by Missouri veterinarians and veterinary clinics across the state; animal welfare charities and organizations, including the Humane Society of Missouri, the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, Central Missouri Humane Society, Humane Society of Southwest Missouri, Wayside Waifs, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), Best Friends Animal Society, and The Humane Society of the United States; prominent Missouri citizens such as Tony La Russa and Linda Bond; as well as responsible dog breeders, religious leaders and Missouri businesses.
Puppy Mill Facts
- Missouri citizens will vote on Proposition B, The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, in November. For more information on Prop B, go to ?YesonPropB.com
- Prop B would improve the lives of dogs by requiring large-scale breeding operations to limit the number of breeding female dogs to 50, as well as provide each dog with common-sense standards such as sufficient food and clean water, regular veterinary care, adequate housing and space, and access to regular exercise.
- Prop B also creates the crime of puppy mill cruelty adding local law enforcement to the official entities able to enforce these basic care standards in large scale dog breeding facilities.
- Dogs at puppy mills typically receive little to no medical care, live in squalid conditions with no exercise, socialization or human interaction and are confined inside cramped wire cages for life.
- Breeding dogs at puppy mills must endure constant breeding cycles and are typically confined for years on end, without ever becoming part of a family.
- Dogs from puppy mills are sold in pet stores, online and directly to consumers with little to no regard for the animal’s health, genetic history or future welfare. Consumers should never buy a puppy from a pet store or Internet site; instead, go to your local animal shelter or visit a breeder’s facility in person.
- Fifteen states have passed laws over the past three years to crack down on abusive puppy mills.
Enviroshop is maintained by dedicated NetSys Interactive Inc. owners & employees who generously contribute their time to maintenance & editing, web design, custom programming, & website hosting for Enviroshop.