HSUS Targets Missouri

December 10, 2009 by Cyndi Young  

Proposed Statutory Initiative Petitions – “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act” Versions 1 and 2 have been filed with the Missouri Secretary of State. What does that mean? The Missouri State Director of the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) has filed two proposed initiative petitions cracking down on so-called “puppy mills” in the state. The petition proposes limiting to 50 the number of covered dogs a breeder can own and the offspring of which they could sell as pets. Provisions for each individual dog spelled out in the petition include specific area and air temperature requirements for indoor housing and constant unfettered access to an outdoor exercise area that meets certain specs. 

I heard a collective sigh of relief when we learned that the paperwork filed late the day before Thanksgiving targets dog breeders. Whew, you dodged a bullet! HSUS is not going after dairy or beef cows, hogs or poultry!  Hold your horses. Those of you who believe animal agriculture doesn’t have a dog in this fight (pardon the pun – I just couldn’t help myself) are dead wrong.  By circulating the aforementioned petition among Missouri’s citizens, HSUS is just getting started.  We’ve all seen the horrible videos of dogs being rescued from “puppy mills.” Memories of these pictures evoke strong emotions in those of us who have pets. How is this different from what the consumer, far removed from animal agriculture, feels when he or she sees videos of the mistreatment of cows or pigs or chickens in a so-called “factory farm?”

I personally believe that segregating the commercial dog breeders as something “bad” or unacceptable to those of us involved in animal agriculture is a very poor judgment call. Just as there are a few sub-standard dog breeding kennels out there, there are also some sub-standard dairy, hog and poultry operations. The vast majority of kennel owners care deeply about the welfare of their dogs, much the same as those raising livestock care deeply about the welfare of their animals. Not only is implementing animal welfare practices the right thing to do, it is the economical thing to do! We couldn’t stay in business with poor management practices. 

Friends, if HSUS can persuade the public to limit the number of dogs a person can own, what will stop them from trying to persuade the public to limit the number of chickens, sheep, cattle, hogs, goats, or horses you can own? If HSUS gets enough signatures on these petitions and a ballot initiative is presented to the population and actually passes, the animal rights activists will come after you.  HSUS doesn’t care if you raise hogs for a large corporation or you have a small, purebred operation. HSUS is an animal rights organization.

Let’s catch our collective breath and dig our heels in. . .together. Build alliances across state lines and include all species. It’s Missouri today. It could be Indiana, Illinois or Iowa tomorrow. It’s dog kennels today. It could be any species of livestock tomorrow.  Reach out to your agronomist, your seed sales rep, and your banker. Talk to the clerk at the grocery store, the waiter at the restaurant and the cousin who left your rural community half a century ago for a life in the city.  If, for one second, HSUS sees you nod in agreement with the actions it has taken against kennel owners in Missouri or any other state, you put yourself and our entire industry in a precarious position.

Brownfield Ag News