Those pushing for stronger regulations for dog breeders deny they are actually aiming at everyone engaged in the commercial raising of animals…including Missouri’s farmers.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is working with Missouri for the Protection of Dogs to pass a measure that would limit the number of female breeding dogs to 50 per facility.Jessica Machetta reports [1:26]

The Missouri Ag Coalition says this is measure is a gateway to putting limits on livestock farmers.

Ed Sayres is the CEO of the ASPCA says it’s not.

Missouri exports more dogs than any other state in the nation. Sayres says it’s important to pass laws that protect companion animals.

He says the ASPCA worked with the Ag Department and Governor in Missouri to get a good bill passed. The group intends to follow that same model in Missouri.

The measure would limit the number of female breeding dogs to 50 per facility, but doesn’t apply to breeders with 10 or fewer intact female dogs. The 50 limit would ensure the operations don’t become overcrowded or spiral out of control, the groups say, but would still allow individual breeders to sell hundreds of puppies each year. The measure doesn’t apply to hunting dogs, livestock facilities or animal rescue operations.

“While dogfighting and other bloodsports often dominate headlines, puppy mills are just as insidious a form of animal cruelty,” Sayres says.

Missouri exports more dogs than any other states in the nation. But while many might agree there needs to be stronger enforcement on puppy facilities, some Missouri farmers contend this is a “foot in the door” to later expand to all livestock facilities.