Missouri: Old Foes Square Off Over Ugly Issues with Puppy Mills/Breeding... and, of course, Farmed Animals
source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/us/31puppies.html?scp=2&sq=puppies&st=cse
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- EthicalVegan
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October 30, 2010
Old Foes Square Off Over Issue of Puppies
By A. G. SULZBERGER and MALCOLM GAY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This is an agricultural state, home to more than 100,000 farms and exporter of an outsize share of the nation’s yearly haul of beef, pork, milk and soybeans. But this year, attention has focused on another local commodity: puppies.
More than one of every three dogs sold in pet stores nationwide come from Missouri, whose breeders produce hundreds of thousands of dogs — from poodles to pit bulls — each year, according to one estimate. That distinction has made this state the target of a well-financed ballot referendum to place tougher regulations on businesses that raise and sell dogs.
The effort pits animal rights groups, led by the Humane Society of the United States, which compiled the estimate, against agricultural interests — old foes who have recently done battle in many states over the welfare of farm animals. Animal rights groups have won a number of protections for animals, as those who make their living selling livestock complain that they are being regulated out of business.
“I am an American; I have a right to raise dogs,” said Joe Overlease, president of the Professional Kennel Club of Missouri, who owns a large breeding operation of cocker spaniels in southern Missouri that was cited by the state this year for overcrowding and inadequate shelter. “I have a right to bark at the moon if I want.”
The Missouri ballot measure, known as Proposition B, would limit the size of dog breeding operations and establish minimum quality of life standards, including requiring additional space, access to the outdoors and periods of rest for females between litters. It would not increase the number of inspectors, currently 12 for the 1,450 licensed breeders statewide. Similar laws have been adopted by 15 states in the last three years, according to the Humane Society, and a recent Mason-Dixon poll showed wide support.
The campaign in support of the proposition has blanketed the state with advertisements against “puppy mills,” the label critics prefer, featuring grainy video images of law enforcement raids on breeding facilities where frail and listless dogs live cramped in wire cages piled with excrement.
“We’ve seen extremely poor overall health because of puppy mill owners putting profit above the health of their breeding stock,” said Kathy Warnick, president of the Humane Society of Missouri, which often assists on the raids.
But leaders of the livestock industry have worked to turn the vote into a referendum on the Humane Society, a nonprofit group based in Washington that has spent more than $2 million in support of the initiative. Outgunned financially, opponents describe Proposition B as a proxy battle in the Humane Society’s larger war to end pet ownership, ban hunting and institute vegetarianism throughout the United States — charges the Humane Society calls ridiculous.
“This is just a first step,” said Charles E. Kruse, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, echoing the sentiment of many of his members. “It’s pretty clear their ultimate desire is to eliminate the livestock industry in the United States.”
In recent years, the Humane Society has scored several significant victories in its campaign to limit the use of factory farming techniques with more conventional livestock like cattle, pigs and chickens — winning a California ballot initiative in 2008 to increase the size of animal cages and, last summer, wresting similar concessions from producers in Ohio.
The group has also taken aim at some forms of hunting, including campaigning for a ballot measure in North Dakota that would prohibit big game hunting in fenced enclosures.
But Michael Markarian, chief operating officer of the Humane Society, said the Missouri effort was unrelated to the others. “We have concerns with factory farming, and we’ve worked to make it more humane,” he said. “This is a separate matter related only to dogs. And most people don’t think that dogs should be treated like livestock.”
Opponents, like the State Veterinary Medical Association, say Missouri, unlike many states, already has a robust set of laws to protect its breeding dog population, adding that the bulk of problems occur with unlicensed breeders. But Humane Society leaders say they decided to push for greater changes here because Missouri remains the hub of the industry and because legislative efforts have repeatedly failed.
Over the past 10 years, three state audits have criticized the state’s failure to regulate dog breeders adequately, and a recent study by the state’s Better Business Bureau warned that without strict enforcement, breeders, “with seeming impunity, will continue to send sick puppies to be purchased by unwary consumers.”
Nonetheless, most breeders say they take animal welfare into account.
Dave Miller, a 71-year-old cattle rancher, began raising Newfoundlands and other dogs seven years ago because, he says, at his age dogs are easier to handle. He sells about a hundred puppies a year, and he rails against the proposed changes, saying that he spent $180,000 building spacious kennels to meet state and federal requirements.
“It’s going to cause a lot of pain and grief for people who have invested their lives in a business,” Mr. Miller said.
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CCorsair
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Prop B is lie from the hell that is H$U$ they lie and lie again to take away people owning pets and killing off farming . Propb is is not what said it about .. under it anyone with intact pet is a breeder anyone who has 2 pets that breed is mill.. that is just BS.. it said ANY ANIMAL under this prop is pet...ANY...that is just so wrong
Read here for more on the truth on H$H$
http://humanewatch.org/BTW just like Sea kittens the term Puppy mill is made up by PeTa and is the wrong term for kennels that raise clean and healthy dogs for the demanded of pets.. Numbers have shown if you cleared all the shelter in my state you still have millions of people demanding pets .. there are homes but laws like this will limit and kill more dogs and cats and hurt good people . BTW H$U$ has been holding fundraisers in CA and other state for this prop ..kind of maybe you think they will be coming to you state next?
CC
- 1 year ago
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CCorsair
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moodyblue
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CCorsair:
It limits the number of breeding animals to 50 and does NOT affect those with less than 10 intact females. People with one or two pets will NOT be affected by this. That is a scare tactic.
- 1 year ago
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moodyblue
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CCorsair
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moodyblue:
you need to read the prop it is full of part that state clearly this will effect farm animals as well as anyone with a pet.. prop B is bad it will do nothing but attack people doing no harm and are not commercial farms for pets .. well laws like this have passed the limit goes down and down and till there is a limit of ZERO soon .. This prop is lie .. and H$U$ spend 2 mill it could have given to shelters but gave it to push a prop the wrote and know is a lie. Here in Calif they tried to pass a bill AB241 it was limit law but it was the same wording there is in prop B but B is worse .. in OR the pass a bill the same as this it took out some who had been breeding dog for over 50 year with no bad reports but they when after her when she went to re-license for the year . The Kennel that sole VP Biden his Shepperd was attacked with fault charges they took to court and they were found to be faults .. that Kennel has over 1000 dogs and the charges was a single piece of dog food was found on the ground and a hair or two was in the water .. commercial farms for pets are not Puppy mills this is a fault and missed use term make up by PeTa and enforced by H$U$. The Animal right groups are the one breaking the law .. H$U$ raided a commercial farms for Hunting dog .. Bassets and Beagles they took away and and killed some and sent all the rest to other states and people ..When it got to Court the Judge saw the raid was illegal and unwarranted all dog returned and that the charges were to be dropped as they had be made by some who did not show up and the did not match any of the ground of the farm or houses.. But guess what H$U$ has not return any dogs the one kills were personal pets .. So why would you want to pass a bill or proposition that is made by people who look to lie and make up stuff oh and are under a investigation for the RICO act as well .. The Calif law makers saw this same under 241 and said if you are worried about some being cruel to an animal it does not matter how many they have as if some is running a commercial farms for pets they will most likely have the money to care for them...H$U$ and PeTa have not clue to real animal care other than Put them down and toss them in the fire .. If H$U$ isn't part of PeTa why did they not go after them for killing dogs and cats in teh back of a Van and dumping their bodies? These are the people everyone trust but they are trusting the wrong people and Prop B is going to kill that state and not shut down any illegal puppy mills or farms that are bad but o after everyone with intact pet.
The prop is written badly and it will hit more than pet owner .. and if it passes it will kill as many pets will be sent to shelters and they will be killed and any voting for this prop will have the blood on their hand for this .. WAKE THE HELL UP PEOPLE .. this is law being made people who hate all domestic animals and the just spent 2 Million Dollars to get it passed .. that money could save hundreds of thousands of pets in shelter around the the who US.. and H$U$ spent it to make a law to kill more of them..
Call them ask them to support No Kill they will go into hour of why it does not work.. YES IT DOES WORK, Look at their taxes the say the spent over $3999 on animals ?? WT!! that may look great on paper but I don't know of any one that pends that much and H$U$ has no shelters so how can they say the spent that much ? The have goes to get money for Prop B in Calif and OR and few other so the have out of state carpetbaggers canvasing the state to get prop B ballet as well..They did that in Chicago and a few other states to get bills and propositions passed ..Spending more money on that then to save any one pet or to care for service dogs to get training .(Service dogs are slaves to them..ya right ask some who has one if they feel their dog is slave). I really hope and pray people are not fooled but the lies of the animal rights groups .. as it will be a sad day to see some many fooled again and more pets die due to the Animal Right extremist hidden agenda ..CC
- 1 year ago
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CCorsair
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remanns
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FUCK the livestock industry.
( clear enough ? ) - 1 year ago
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remanns
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UtopianSky
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It's ironic that he says "I have a right to bark at the moon if I want" when I'm sure many of his puppies have never even seen the moon.
I admit I'm iffy on raising chickens this way, since we are just going to kill and eat them anyway.
But puppies are raised to be companions, and this kind of treatment could be psychologically damaging, thus creating an inferior product.
Pet stores should proudly proclaim they have "free range" puppies, raised somewhere that they can run free.
- 1 year ago
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UtopianSky
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moodyblue
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There is something so arrogant about the statement..."I am an American; I have a right to (fill in the blanks). No one has the right to mistreat animals in order to fatten their bottom line. Period.
- 1 year ago
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moodyblue
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EthicalVegan
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A puppy mill
- 1 year ago
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EthicalVegan
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CCorsair
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EthicalVegan:
a commercial farms for pets...the fact are many of these farms are clean but picture and videos taken out of context and showing dogs out side in their DAY PENS.. the building behind them is where they go at night people many are well kept and clean and safe.
Yes there are illegal commercial farms for pets but to date H$U$ and other groups seem to hit only the one that have not had any problems but the people who own them may not be able to defend them self in court of not have the funds right off .. they have never gone after an unregistered illegal farms. And oh the never go after 5O1 C3 that have donated to them or have just the one that fight propositions like B and bad bills at the state capitol. You will never see H$U$ go into LA's south Central to go after Pit breeders that are fighting dogs .. I wonder why?? oh ya they would be out gun ..but a farm that been around for 50 years and the people that own it are old heck ya .. Don't believe me just do the research and see who H$U$ has gone after ..look at how big a raid they set up but do nothing to help a shelter after they raid adn dump a ton of dogs on them.
Ya you can show all the picture you like the truth is that the Animal right agenda it to kill every dog , Cat and farm animal and that they will do anything to get that lie to be believed. yes we have some bad people doing bad thing but I seen groups acting in the name of PeTa and H$U$ turn out to be taking in dogs for very illegal things .. and i mean more than fighting them.. Sick people like child predators hide where they can find their prey. So not all AR's are there to save the pets they take in.. I don't care if you don't believe me but if you have any brains left just do the research your self ... you may change you minds after you see the facts..
CC
- 1 year ago
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CCorsair
