[diannenet]

My daughter sent me this article. Now the farmers are worried about their livestock because of the puppy mill bill! Weakening this bill is not the right thing to do.


Mo. ranks inhumane despite puppy mill law
St. Louis Business Journal - by Kelsey Volkmann
Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 12:32pm CST

Missouri may have passed new regulations last month cracking down on illegal puppy mills, but the state still ranks 44th on a “Humane State Ranking” by theHumane Society of the United States.
Missouri, the nation’s largest puppy mill state, passed Proposition B in November with 52 percent of the vote. The Humane Society called the new anti-puppy mill law one of the strictest in the nation.
Prop B amends Missouri law to require large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each dog with sufficient food, clean water, housing and space, necessary veterinary care, regular exercise and adequate rest between breeding cycles.
The Humane Society said Missouri still appears near the bottom of the list because the state lacks restrictions on owning exotic pets and protections for animals working on factory farms.
Illinois ranked third in the nation due to “passage of a raft of important animal protection measures during the 2010 legislative session, including bills to prohibit the keeping of primates as pets and to protect animals from antifreeze poisoning,” the Humane Society said.
The ranking was based on 65 different animal protection issues in 10 major animal protection categories, including animal fighting, animal cruelty, puppy mills, use of animals in research, equine protection, wildlife abuse, factory farming, fur and trapping, exotic animals and companion animal laws.
Meanwhile, some Missouri legislators have pre-filed or plan to file legislation to repeal or weaken Prop B following complaints from farmers and residents who say the regulations unfairly target them.
In response, Missourians for the Protection of Dogs is installing six billboards along state Routes 50, 54 and 63 targeting lawmakers as they head into Jefferson City for the start of the legislative session next month. The signs read, “Missouri voters have spoken. Will you listen?”