PLEASE ASK GOVERNOR GREITENS & DEPARTMENT 

OF AGRICULTURE TO SAFEGUARD OUR 

ANIMAL WELFARE REGULATIONS 

   

At the request of Governor Greitens, the Department of Agriculture is reviewing all of its current regulations and asking the public to comment on any regulations that are burdensome to businesses in the state. This review includes all regulations protecting dogs in puppy mills adopted under the Animal Care Facilities Act and the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.

Under "Choose & Comment" please select "Chapter 9 - Animal Care Facilities Act" and leave your comment. If you prefer, you can submit written comments by mail to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, P. O. Box 630, Jefferson City, MO 65109.

You can contact Governor Greitens at (573) 751-3222 or leave a comment at governor or write him a letter addressed to P. O. Box 720, Jefferson City, MO 65102.

You might wish to include some of the following items in your comments:

• All of our current regulations are vital in protecting dogs from abuse and neglect.

• Our current regulations have helped to rid the state of numerous cruel and inhumane breeders; Missouri should not be going backwards in addressing cruelty and neglect. 

• Any weakening of our protections for dogs in Missouri will only add to the negative stigma of Missouri being the "Puppy Mill Capitol of the U. S."

• The Animal Care Facilities Act and the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act were both supported and endorsed by leadership in the agriculture community and commercial dog breeding industry and any efforts to weaken regulations is accommodating to the worst of the worst dog breeders in the state. The Canine Cruelty Prevention Act was endorsed by the Missouri Pet Breeders Association, Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, and every agriculture industry group in the state including the Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Farmers Care.

• An economic impact statement conducted by agricultural economists at the University of Missouri Extension revealed that our recently passed law (Canine Cruelty Prevention Act) and subsequent regulations have had no negative impact on the financial condition of commercial dog breeders in the state. In fact, the average gross revenue for commercial dog breeders in Missouri - many of whom do this on a part-time basis - is $69,579. 

• The current regulations are also needed to protect consumers. Prior to our new law and subsequent regulations, the Better Business Bureaus of Eastern Missouri, Greater Kansas City and Springfield reported that "breeders in Missouri, with seeming impunity, continue to send sick puppies to be purchased by unwary consumers."

Feel free to add additional comments and especially any suggestions to improve current regulations.

  www.maal.org