Tea Party Republicans want to bring back puppy mills to the state of Missouri. Only a few months ago Missouri voters approved the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, legislation designed to curb puppy mill abuses. Now the Republican dominated state legislature is in the process of overturning that legislation, allowing Missouri to keep the dubious title as the puppy mill capital of America.
Thursday Tea Party Republicans in the State Senate passed legislation that would overturn the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. The House is set to vote on similar legislation early next week. Think Progress reports:
Tea party groups stridently opposed the referendum (The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act), arguing it was “just another example of big government meddling in people’s lives.” Now, capitalizing on the big gains they made in November, Republicans in the state legislature are poised to repeal the regulations Missouri’s voters enacted.
The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act limited dog breeders to 50 dogs or fewer. The Republican bill places no limit on how many dogs a breeder can possess. Tea Party Republicans would remove restrictions on how often a dog could breed and take away the requirement that each dog be examined by a veterinarian annually.
Republicans would remove the requirement that dogs get "unfettered access" to an exercise area outdoors. Even more disturbing, Tea Party Republicans would remove requirements that the water be "free of debris, feces, algae, and other contaminants." In addition, the new legislation removes the requirement that the dog's living space be cleaned of waste at least once a day.
Most dog enthusiasts and animal lovers see the move to repeal the protections as cruel and inhumane, a backward step that would inevitably lead to an increase in the abuse of animals. Repeal of the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act would significantly depreciate the quality of life for dogs that are treated not as living, breathing, creatures; but as a commodity to be exploited for maximum profit, regardless of pain and suffering.
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