Dave Spence Continues His Support of Puppy Mills
Attacks Missouri's Laws to Protect Dogs
Attacks Missouri's Laws to Protect Dogs
Dave Spence, gubernatorial candidate running against Governor Nixon, continues to criticize our laws to protect dogs and wants to roll back efforts to close down cruel puppy mills. At a recent gathering of commercial dog breeders, Spence told the audience that "your industry is under attack with regulations in front of common sense." Ironically, these are the same regulations that the dog breeders agreed to just last year. These are the same regulations that Spence's own party overwhelmingly supported. In fact, with only two possible exceptions, Republicans in the legislature voting against these regulations did so because they felt they weren't strong enough. Spence's assault on regulations to protect the welfare of dogs that the industry endorsed and his own party enthusiastically supported is a clear indication of how little he cares about the humane treatment of animals.
Spence is so upset that laws to protect animals from abuse and neglect are finally being enforced that, if elected governor, he vows to replace Dr. Hagler with someone "from the farm bureau." Spence is apparently mindful of the fact that the farm bureau has been a persistent opponent of animal welfare laws in the state. The farm bureau in Missouri believes everything is a slippery slope and has even opposed legislation that applies only to the care of dogs. Last session they supported a bill to repeal our current law that allows for a disposition hearing for abused and neglected animals. Such repeal, if it had been successful, would have left abused animals in the hands of their abusers.
One need only look at what happened in Pennsylvania to learn the dire consequences of placing the farm bureau in charge of enforcement of laws to protect animals. The newly elected governor of Pennsylvania recently appointed a farm bureau board member to head up the PA Department of Agriculture. Under the leadership of the past Secretary, standards of care were improved dramatically and enforcement efforts were substantially enhanced. As a result many cruel and inhumane dog breeding facilities were closed down.
Under the leadership of the new Secretary from the farm bureau, however, enforcement efforts came to a sudden halt. Inspectors were laid off including the only veterinarian on staff. Remaining inspectors are required to call the Department's headquarters for "permission" before they can write-up a violation against a dog breeder. One licensed dog breeding facility is so bad that inspectors have to wear respirators when performing inspections due to the overwhelming stench in the barns. In spite of numerous continuing violations that threaten the health of the dogs, no action has been taken to close down this breeding operation. Inspections of all commercial dog breeders in the state were finally halted completely from July 1, 2011 until early 2012 leaving thousands of dogs to languish in puppy mills with absolutely no oversight for well over seven months.
In April 2012, the Department admitted that "only 17 of 52 licensed commercial kennels were in compliance with the regulations." The Department also granted a license to the wife of a Lancaster County breeder who was convicted of cruelty to animals. This breeding facility continues to violate regulations under the wife's name with no action from the Department of Agriculture. The Department, under the new leadership of the farm bureau representative, reversed the revocation process of several other non-complaint facilities. In September, the Governor's Advisory Board issued a 100 page report extremely critical of the Agriculture Department's lack of enforcement efforts that have occurred under the leadership of a representative of the farm bureau.
According to the principal author of the report, "the data show that, by design, everything was done to ignore enforcing the law."
It is only too clear what will happen to dogs in Missouri's commercial dog breeding facilities if Spence becomes governor and fulfills his desire to place the farm bureau in charge of our laws to protect animals.
Spence stated recently that "if he were governor, he would have publicly denounced the Prop B ballot initiative before it even went to voters." Spence also asserted that "it is an important industry in the state so let's not kill the golden goose." Spence is no doubt proud of Missouri's moniker as puppy mill capital of the country.
Meanwhile, Ed Martin, candidate for attorney general, continues his criticism of Attorney General Chris Koster for his support of the new law improving standards of care at breeding operations. Martin, not only opposed Prop B during his unsuccessful run for Congress in 2010, like Spence, Martin is also critical of the compromise puppy mill law that his Republican colleagues in the legislature overwhelmingly voted for and passed into law. Martin has called the closing of puppy mills part of a "far left agenda" and "that this is the kind of madness that has to end." See article
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| Missouri's puppy mill dogs |
Historically, opponents of any new laws regulating puppy mills routinely argued that state authorities only need enforce the laws that are already on the books. Yet, when Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, cited numerous breeders for chronic violations of the 1992 law, Spence complained about such enforcement efforts and lamented that, "Our governor and agriculture director are trying to put you out of business." Last year, Jared Craighead, campaign manager for Dave Spence, criticized Governor Nixon for allocating an additional $1.1 million for enforcement of laws protecting dogs at puppy mills. So now we learn that Spence is not only against needed improvements in standards of care that passed with overwhelming support of the legislature last year, but he is also opposed to the enforcement of laws that have been on the books for twenty years.
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| Missouri's puppy mill dogs |
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| Missouri's puppy mill dogs |
Under the leadership of the new Secretary from the farm bureau, however, enforcement efforts came to a sudden halt. Inspectors were laid off including the only veterinarian on staff. Remaining inspectors are required to call the Department's headquarters for "permission" before they can write-up a violation against a dog breeder. One licensed dog breeding facility is so bad that inspectors have to wear respirators when performing inspections due to the overwhelming stench in the barns. In spite of numerous continuing violations that threaten the health of the dogs, no action has been taken to close down this breeding operation. Inspections of all commercial dog breeders in the state were finally halted completely from July 1, 2011 until early 2012 leaving thousands of dogs to languish in puppy mills with absolutely no oversight for well over seven months.
In April 2012, the Department admitted that "only 17 of 52 licensed commercial kennels were in compliance with the regulations." The Department also granted a license to the wife of a Lancaster County breeder who was convicted of cruelty to animals. This breeding facility continues to violate regulations under the wife's name with no action from the Department of Agriculture. The Department, under the new leadership of the farm bureau representative, reversed the revocation process of several other non-complaint facilities. In September, the Governor's Advisory Board issued a 100 page report extremely critical of the Agriculture Department's lack of enforcement efforts that have occurred under the leadership of a representative of the farm bureau.
According to the principal author of the report, "the data show that, by design, everything was done to ignore enforcing the law."
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| Chris Koster visits Missouri puppy mill. Under his leadership, a full-time prosecutor was appointed to handle cases against those that abuse animals. |
Spence stated recently that "if he were governor, he would have publicly denounced the Prop B ballot initiative before it even went to voters." Spence also asserted that "it is an important industry in the state so let's not kill the golden goose." Spence is no doubt proud of Missouri's moniker as puppy mill capital of the country.
Meanwhile, Ed Martin, candidate for attorney general, continues his criticism of Attorney General Chris Koster for his support of the new law improving standards of care at breeding operations. Martin, not only opposed Prop B during his unsuccessful run for Congress in 2010, like Spence, Martin is also critical of the compromise puppy mill law that his Republican colleagues in the legislature overwhelmingly voted for and passed into law. Martin has called the closing of puppy mills part of a "far left agenda" and "that this is the kind of madness that has to end." See article
There has never been a more important election addressing animal welfare issues in the state than the current governor and attorney general races.
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| Governor Jay Nixon supports puppy mill reforms in Missouri |
Please make your vote count
and support the welfare of
animals in Missouri.
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