Laws for Paws e-Newsletter
January 2022
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE BACK IN SESSION
ANIMALS WILL NEED YOUR HELP ONCE AGAIN

The Missouri Legislature is back in session and numerous bills affecting animals have already been filed. There have been several bills filed to advance the welfare of animals including increasing penalties for animal abuse, establishing an animal abuse registry, and granting immunity for rescuing animals from hot cars. Legislation has also been introduced to provide greater transparency and accountability for the use of dogs in research. In addition, legislation was introduced in response to a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri who encouraged inhumane breeding practices – such practices would now be a criminal offense.
 
The most prominent proposed legislation to aid animals is a cross-reporting bill. This legislation would require mandated reporting of suspected animal neglect and abuse by any psychologist, mental health professional, social worker, school counselor, teacher or other school professionals, juvenile officer, probation or parole officer, home health aide, veterinarian, adult protective worker, and other related occupations. This legislation was prompted by the strong association that has been documented between animal abuse and abuse against humans by the FBI and the National Sheriffs Association.
 
Unfortunately, there have also been several bills filed that are intended to significantly weaken our existing animal welfare laws including the elimination of the disposition process for abused and neglected animals. Puppy mills and agricultural trade groups are again seeking to leave abused animals in the hands of their abusers until a criminal trial.  
 
Most disappointingly, there are bills that seek to repeal the recent ordinances passed in the City of St. Louis and in St. Louis County that prohibit the declawing of cats.
 
We will need your support and assistance, once again, as we work to defeat these harmful bills. We will also be calling on you to support those bills that will protect animals from abuse and neglect.
 
As issues arise where we need your help, we will be sending out Action Alerts asking you to contact your state legislators. The Alliance, with your help, can continue to be a forceful voice on behalf of the animals. You can be assured that we will be aggressively fighting for the animals at our state Capitol.


We look forward to your support once again as we strive to make 2022 a Happy and Humane New Year for the Animals
Missouri Alliance Presents at National Convention of Prosecuting Attorneys
In December, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys invited the Alliance’s executive director, Bob Baker, to talk to local prosecutors from across the country about puppy mills and pet stores during their annual convention in Baton Rouge. Bob not only described the horrors of inhumane puppy mills, but he explained the connection between the puppy mills and the pet stores that sell the puppies from such cruel breeders. Bob emphasized that not only do anti-cruelty laws apply to pet stores selling sick puppies, but consumer laws were also an effective tool to utilize in prosecuting pet stores for marketing sick puppies. Bob pointed out that many pet stores were simply outlet stores for puppy mills.

It was also explained that simply because a puppy originated from a USDA licensed breeder, that did not ensure that the puppy was raised in a humane environment. Bob detailed the gross malfeasance of USDA regarding the Agency’s lack of enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act.   

The presentation and specifically the encouragement to prosecute cruel puppy mills and disreputable pet stores was extremely well received, not only by the prosecutors in attendance but also by numerous law enforcement officials in attendance, including detectives from large metropolitan areas who later confided in their ongoing investigations of pet stores for the sale of sick animals.

Alliance Urged Prosecutors “Do Your Research” when Confronted with Disreputable Pet Stores
Anti-Cruelty Statutes

Neglect and Abuse Statutes –

Lack of Sanitation, lack of ventilation, overcrowding

Failure to provide adequate care especially veterinary care

Consumer Protection Laws & Pet Lemon Laws

Knowingly selling sick dogs to customers

Misrepresenting sick animals as healthy

Misrepresenting source of animals

Misrepresenting age and breed of animal

Predatory lending practices – so common in pet stores that Illinois passed a specific law on pet store lending practices
Get Your Gala Tickets!
We are thrilled to be hosting our biggest fundraiser of the year at Meadowbrook Country Club! We hope to see you on February 27th from 5:30-9pm. The evening will be filled with live and silent auctions, delicious food and drinks, inspirational videos, and more. Last year we promised you 2022 would be better than ever - and we are delivering! So pull out your cocktail attire and we will see you next month.
Interested in corporate or individual sponsorship? Please contact Aislinn at aislinn@maal.org
Congrats to Cici, our 2022 Face of the Alliance!
Remember the Alliance in Your Estate Planning
Leaving money to the Alliance through your will or trust is a profound way to create a legacy of compassion and ensure positive change for animals. An even easier way is to name the Alliance as the beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement plan. In any event, we are grateful to be considered as a beneficiary of your overall estate plans. Want to learn more? Email us!
HELPING ANIMALS!

If you find yourself in a situation where you question the treatment of an animal, or the conditions, or maybe you're wondering about helping wildlife or assisting in a rescue, or you have witnessed something that needs to be reported - go to our website because chances are you will find a number and/or a link that can help address it.
A Great Way to Support the Alliance
With so many people shopping online these days, you can now support the Alliance each time you make a purchase on Amazon. Click here or on the icon. Once you've identified "Missouri Alliance for Animals" as your charitable organization of choice, a portion of your purchase will be donated by Amazon to the Alliance each time you shop on Amazon! What a great way to contribute!