As of last Friday, we are another step closer
to curbing abuses in puppy mills here in Missouri. While many of
you worked tirelessly gathering signatures to place the Puppy Mill Cruelty
Prevention Act -- now "Proposition B" -- on the ballot in
November, representatives of the commercial dog breeding industry
were working the courts to block your efforts.
In an attempt to keep the initiative off the ballot, Plaintiff
Karen Strange filed a lawsuit challenging the language of the petition
summary as drafted by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan. Strange is
President of the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners (MoFed) and a lobbyist
for the commercial dog breeders of Missouri. Strange's
group also lobbied this year in the state legislature for
a constitutional amendment that would keep the initiative off the
ballot for good. Fortunately, the Alliance's lobbying team was there on the
ground in Jefferson City to help prevent such an outcome.
On Friday, August 13, a Cole County circuit
court judge upheld the initiative's ballot title ("Puppy Mill
Cruelty Prevention Act") and ruled that the language drafted by
Secretary Carnahan for the petition summary was "neither insufficient
nor unfair." The petition summary is the actual question that voters
will see on the ballot in November. The
judge also upheld Auditor Susan Montee's projected cost/benefit estimate which
will also appear on the ballot.
This decision is a huge relief to all who have worked
so tirelessly on this campaign. When Missouri voters go to the polls in
November, they will finally have the opportunity to vote in favor of
stopping numerous abusive practices that occur in puppy mills around
the state. The Act will require large-scale breeding operations to provide each
dog with adequate food, water, exercise, veterinary care, enclosure
space, and protection from the elements. Wire cage flooring will no longer
be allowed, and dogs will have free access to outdoor exercise
areas.
Please spread the word about Prop B and the importance of a
YES! vote on November 2. For more information on the initiative, check out
missourifordogs.com. The Alliance is proud to be part of this effort to relieve
suffering for thousands of dogs which are confined for their entire lives
in breeding facilities. Please help us continue to be a voice for them in
Missouri by contributing today.
Paid for by Missourians for the Protection of Dogs/Yes on Prop B,
Judy
Peil, Treasurer
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