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| State Senator Jason Crowell addresses constituent concerns about the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. |
JACKSON, MO (KRCU) - Emotions and concerns ran high at a public forum held Friday evening regarding the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.
Over 40 people attended the public forum held Friday evening at the MU Extension Office in Jackson.
Representative Donna Lichtenegger and Senator Jason Crowell hosted the forum to allow concerned citizens from both sides of the issue to come forward, ask questions, and voice their opinions.
Aside from hearing comments and concerns from alarmed citizens, the legislators also used the forum to highlight several bills that have been proposed to amend the law. Nine laws have been introduced during the 2011 legislative session regarding the law. They range from a complete repeal to minimal modifications.
The wording and terminology of the law were the main focus of the forum.
Senator Crowell discussed the big issue of what the word “domesticated” covers as it is written in the law.
“As soon as you put a cow in a fence, is that cow domesticated? As soon as you put a pig in a fence, is that pig domesticated? As soon as you put a horse in a fence, is that horse domesticated?,” Crowell rhetorically asked. “Wild versus domesticated. And that term that was in Prop B has caused the alarm of, is this greater than just dog breeders or is it all livestock?”
This terminology will be challenged further as the law is currently being looked at by both the Senate and the House in hopes of amending it before the law goes into effect on November 2nd of this year.
Crowell voiced his opinion that he is in favor of a complete repeal but was open to some compromise.
“I’m willing to look at some help to really focus on the bad actors, I just think Prop B was focused on the legitimate, honest, hard working Missourians out there that happen to be dog breeders,” Crowell said.
Lawmakers are hoping to have amendments in place before the law goes into effect on November 2nd of this year.
The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act passed as a ballot initiative last November. It sets limits on the number of breeding females that a dog breeder can have at any given time and establishes standards of care for dogs in breeding facilities.
Katie Long, KRCU
Aside from hearing comments and concerns from alarmed citizens, the legislators also used the forum to highlight several bills that have been proposed to amend the law. Nine laws have been introduced during the 2011 legislative session regarding the law. They range from a complete repeal to minimal modifications.
The wording and terminology of the law were the main focus of the forum.
Senator Crowell discussed the big issue of what the word “domesticated” covers as it is written in the law.
“As soon as you put a cow in a fence, is that cow domesticated? As soon as you put a pig in a fence, is that pig domesticated? As soon as you put a horse in a fence, is that horse domesticated?,” Crowell rhetorically asked. “Wild versus domesticated. And that term that was in Prop B has caused the alarm of, is this greater than just dog breeders or is it all livestock?”
This terminology will be challenged further as the law is currently being looked at by both the Senate and the House in hopes of amending it before the law goes into effect on November 2nd of this year.
Crowell voiced his opinion that he is in favor of a complete repeal but was open to some compromise.
“I’m willing to look at some help to really focus on the bad actors, I just think Prop B was focused on the legitimate, honest, hard working Missourians out there that happen to be dog breeders,” Crowell said.
Lawmakers are hoping to have amendments in place before the law goes into effect on November 2nd of this year.
The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act passed as a ballot initiative last November. It sets limits on the number of breeding females that a dog breeder can have at any given time and establishes standards of care for dogs in breeding facilities.
Katie Long, KRCU
