A rural Joplin dog breeder whose federal license was revoked because he didn't provide adequate veterinary care for his animals or effectively control insects is supposed to shut down his kennel this month according to the terms of the settlement agreement he signed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Robert Osburn and his daughter, Allison Osburn-Jimmerson, have 12 weeks from the March 9 agreement to sell, donate or transfer ownership of their dogs, according to the agency. The agreement allows them to retain "a reasonable number of dogs" for their own personal use.
Osburn declined on Monday to tell The Joplin Globe how many dogs he currently has. A state inspection in November found 40 adult dogs and 15 puppies.
Osburn's kennel was on nationwide list of substandard dog-breeding businesses billed as "The Horrible Hundred 2015: Puppy Mills Exposed." The Humane Society of the United States, based in Washington, D.C., put the list together and included 23 kennels from Missouri — more than any other state.
More than a dozen reports of inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Agriculture since September 2012 indicate repeated problems with the health of Osburn's dogs and conditions at his kennel.
Animals rights activists say Missouri has gotten tougher on dog breeders since 2010 when voters approved a referendum to improve conditions at dog-breeding businesses.
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