<G> You are a glutton for punishment and we are (I"m betting I speak for all of us) just gluttons for the help on all of this with someone who can get this information OUT!!

I don’t “do” Facebook….I’m probably notorious enough without that <G> but I have to die laughing over #‘s 5, 8 and 9.  If we went into the shelter in Dallas with posters (right behind HSUS doing their study <G>) we’d be put to sleep before we could even see the bulletin board <G>...and the Media here? oh welllll…...

Thanks for all you have done, you’ll be sick of hearing that before long if you aren’t already!  I got my posters today!! YAHOO…..now to get them out where they will be SEEN!!

Good article. I really like it. Thanks a lot for the information.

Anyone wanting to understand HSUS/its many bad acts can look at petdefense on wordpress.com
One of the major points that pet owners don’t understand is the HSUS divide/conquer. Using commercial kennels/pitbulls against dog fanciers; using purebred breeders against designer breeds; using “sell” a dog vs “adopt” a dog/cat.  Using breeders against “rescuers.” Every single one of these ploys is simply a purposely designed strategy to divide owners, sellers, businesses. It is essentially a strategy to make all forms of “selling” bad and “rescue” good, yet in the background, HSUS still advocates for kill shelters. Get it?

That’s why HSUS loves to make rules that focus on breeders, but in background will make rules that target rescues as well. When people realize the economic losses that HSUS causes nationwide with their awful laws, they will begin to understand the problem with HSUS. HSUS is not about saving animals. It’s about not allowing humans to own, use, buy, sell, trade or do anything with them.

HSUS and animal rights believe that animals are not property. Therefore if they are not property one cannot own them. Ownership bestows the highest level of dominion over property—-so HSUS wants to squelch that by making different laws that don’t allow ownership benefits. Think about it. If more people realized this one fact, they would be mad.

Hey C Cardozo… where are you getting the idea that they are targeting breeders and slipping rescues in there too?  At least as far as their help on the campaign in MO, if you read carefully it specifically states that the new law would not apply to shelters, rescues, emergencies, transports, etc. Only and /only/ breeding dogs. So even breeders can have as many rescued dogs as they want, just only a certain number of un-sterilized dogs. Not only will it help diminish the crazy high pet overpopulation, it will make less work for our overextended MO rescue network because after awhile, there won’t be so many unethical breeders in MO- just legitimate breeders who do provide basics like water and food. So maybe 1/3 of the nation’s puppies won’t come out of MO anymore. I don’t view that as a bad thing- it will help our rescues and our shelters and in the long run make it easier for people legitimately trying to breed good dogs from MO, because they won’t have to compete with the breeders who are churning out thousands of puppies yearly with no regard for health and welfare. I had this discussion with someone last night- they had heard our wording was vague, and when I let them read the entire statute for themselves, they had to acknowledge it was very specific and to the point.

He gets that because its being done by them and the rest of you that rescue are finding out the hard way and then more animals die.  But then consider this, why should rescuers be treated with a free hand and those who show dogs have different treatment?  Why make someone alter a dog they aren’t going to breed but keep and watch the WHOLE dog for any sign of a health problem that may turn up after they are older? 

EVERY animal that is intact isn’t necessarily a “breeding” animal except in the eyes of those who want to believe they all are to be bred.

Rescues may even need a closer watch than those who are owned by those who actually know more about animals in the first place.

S Smith— You bought into the HSUS nonsense, or maybe you helped write it? Breeders “churning out puppies”—- straight out of the HSUS playbook. Right out of the mouth of every HSUS cohort, ASPCA, Best Friends, all of them.

HSUS has put up various laws in different states, some might exempt “non profit” and some might require rescues to adhere to limit laws. How can a rescue do any work by only rescuing 3 dogs or cats? How can a rescue save animals when they won’t be allowed a kennel permit, and the pre-conditional, non refundable fee is $6,000+?

In other cases rescues are actually targeted and used as examples of “hoarding” by HSUS. On the surface HSUS targets breeders. However, one look at Nathan Winograd’s blog indicates that rescues are not left in the dark. HSUS has advocated against both TNR, rescuing, rescue adoptions and public adoption events. HSUS tells shelters to kill all animals after they are there 3 days. Never mind anything else, just get rid of them. In Nevada, HSUS advised to kill every single animal in the shelter. And they did just that in one eradication.

Usually only those in rescue even know this happens. And HSUS uses rescues to gain donations, and insiders. Unfortunately, animal welfarists (not animal rights) often believe the big lies about HSUS. This is exactly the HSUS plan, so that breeders v rescuers can’t see eye to eye. If they did, HSUS couldn’t fleece everyone.

The truth is that we know what animals are in most shelters (in the West anyway) and it ain’t purebred, designer, or “teacup” white, furry pups. Nope. It’s juvenile male, mixed breed of unknown parentage. And we know most lower economic areas have highest shelter kill rates. Clearly this shows the need for targeted altering, NOT breeder wipe out. The “churned out” pups you referred to—almost never show up in shelters.

Owners with little spendable income don’t put altering high on the list. Can you blame them? That’s how HSUS pits elitists v pet owners. Elitists don’t like commercial kenneling, but most customers really don’t care where their dog came from. Commercial kennels are legal. A substandard manager of any animal is just that—it doesn’t mean every single kennel is substandard.
And it surely doesn’t mean every animal from a commercial kennel is either substandard or ill. Perhaps you didn’t know that HSUS lost their case against the Hunte Corp? And of 31 charges levied against Petland by HSUS Plaintiffs, 29 of 31 were dismissed at the outset? My prediction is HSUS loses the remaining 2 claims. The only credit I can give HSUS is that they pay some pretty clever marketing people.

To Mary Lou (and may answer C Cardozo also): It’s not a matter of rescuers vs. showers. I don’t think there should be different treatment there. But every shower I know (and I know several, including family), does not have dozens upon dozens of intact dogs bred one cycle after another after another after another. They use moderation, and because they are showers, they breed the dogs to be maintain the epitome of the breed standard. The showers I know also have many rescued dogs, because they are active with breed rescues and their local shelters. They are not out to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit, whereas those targeted by MO campaign are specifically the breeders who have dozens upon dozens of intact dogs, bred without rest between cycles and not provided with health care or proper housing and basic necessities like clean water and food.

Please, read the statute yourself- it’s on http://www.missourifordogs.com under the “About” tab, I believe. It’s specific and to the point, and it does qualify which dogs count and which would not, and does not apply to dogs not used for breeding, which can include intact animals as long as, you stated, they aren’t /intended/ for breeding. So please, have as many dogs as you can afford to reasonably care for. Just don’t have dozens and dozens of breeders who are not given a humane standard of care.

C: I did not write any HSUS policy, and I have not bought into everything they do. I represent my own personal beliefs, which continue to expand and evolve as time goes by.
As far as purebreds in shelters go: take a gander at petfinder.com. Do a search for breeds. You can find many many purebred or close mixes throughout shelters. Including so-called designer dog mixes- because no matter if they have a high price tag in a pet store, they are still that- a mix. And believe you me, we have /plenty/ of them in our MO shelters. They often don’t stay long in the shelters, which is great because that means they have a home. So yeah, things are different here than out West.

And again, the statute is not targeting every breeder and shower- it’s not even saying that you cannot have unaltered dogs in your person. Only those specifically intended to be breeders. So the owners with little extra spendable income need not worry, so long as they do indeed keep the unaltered nonbreeders just that- nonbreeders. Check out the language in the statute. It clearly and specifically targets substandard managers, because it is a problem we have identified over and over again in our state as being a hefty issue. I support breeders who provide adequate care for their dogs. I do not support breeders who do the opposite. Our state system leaves much to be desired in terms of enforceability and accountability, and this is the answer put together by a coalition that included many more voices than HSUS/ASPCA.

Who gives HSUS/ASPCA the right to tell any individual how much property they can own and what they can do with it, no matter we may love them just as if they are family?  They ARE NOT little people wearing fur coats!  and when you really love them, you should LEARN THAT so you can care more properly FOR THEM!

I known what the numbers mean…..It should not be a numbers game.  Just as each breed of dog is different and therefore has different needs, one size fits all isn’t a good thing.  How many cows, chickens, ducks, goats, etc. I own will be next.

I actually hold a great deal of resentment for someone (or a bunch of them) who truly doesn’t comprehend that a den animal needs a DEN, not a penthouse suite for their own space, telling people that they need a crate twice the size it should be for them is NOT a good thing; likewise a specific pen size for all dogs! 

You do not actually give the true credit to breeders who actually STARTED RESCUE thru breed clubs…..and large numbers of even poorly bred animals are not now, nor ever were, the largest numbers in shelters.

I think you need to go back and, as David? put it, look at what HSUS/ASPCA/PETA, etc.  are all about, if you are truly concerned about animal welfare then that isn’t the horse they are riding.  GONE is what they want. 

Try to find a breeder of quality dogs and learn from them what they do when not “over legislated” so they can do what they do best, love a breed to the extent they begger themselves to have the best of the best, from donating to health testing for their breed to winning…...and holding them intact in the same environment in which they were born til the day they have to say the sad goodbye and then keep their ashes in a cedar box or vase afterwards because they love them!

I’m not even talking about that HSUS/ASPCA/PETA are about and what they are after. I am talking about what’s going on in my state. And what’s going on is that we have an inordinate number of breeders who DO NOT breed for quality but rather for quantity, and they do not care for their dogs- it’s proven time and again by the multitudes of violations (often repeat violations) by the Dept. of Ag inspections.

We have literally thousands of breeders both licensed and unlicensed running amok in MO, and organizations like the AKC, not being governmental, cannot enforce humane standards of care. They can only suggest, and suspend breeders not compliant. That’s not something that stops an unscrupulous breeder. These people are not interested in learning from their peers; they are not interested in becoming quality, legitimate breeders. They do not contribute to rescue groups. They want to mass produce for the greatest profit.

How do you think the numbers and standards were reached? I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t rocket science. These are /minimum/ care standards- common sense tells us that for dogs to have a good quality of life, this is what they minimally need. We’re not asking penthouse suites! These quality breeders of whom you speak generally agree with these standards, after having read them thoroughly. If you didn’t bother to look through the website I posted, here’s a direct link to the Q&A which describes how the provisions were decided on and what they mean for our state; follow the tabs on the site to read the statute itself. http://missourifordogs.com/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=16

It’s not going to next attack your cows, chickens, ducks, or anything else. Dogs are not considered livestock, nor should they be. They’ve been companion animals since the dawn of their relationship with man, whether or not it was a bond between a farmer and cow dog or socialite and fluffy white dog. They’ve always held a respected position at people’s sides.
No, they are not little people with fur-coats. But we humans care for them, and we owe it to them to be worthy of their loyalty. That does not mean caging them for their entire breeding life, denying them basics needed for a quality life, and expecting them to pump out litter after litter after litter. It’s hard on the dogs, and it’s hard on the people that adopt them after they’ve been ‘retired’. They often have myriad health and socialization issues, and it takes a lot of work and sometimes a lot of money to rehabilitate an adult who makes it out.
Do you understand the sheer numbers in Missouri? It’s not like most states, where sure, you find a few breeders that could be considered puppy mills- but generally there are enough inspectors or even a good legal standard of care in place. But here… it’s way more than ‘a few’. It’s hundreds and hundreds. It seems like it never stops. There are so many breeders, whether licensed or unlicensed, reputable or not reputable, selling online, in front of Wal-Mart, through pet stores, through Craigslist, any way they can find to market legally or even illegally in some areas. The BBB has an article about it and why we’re in such trouble: http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/mar/18/lack-law-enforcement-allows-missouri-puppy-mills-t/

Clearly, /something/ has to change. If not a new legal standard, what? Hire a dozen more inspectors so we’re somewhat closer to the ratio other states have? Our budget can’t handle that, whereas legislation such as the MPD is promoting would not hurt the budget- in fact it could save the state money. I encourage you to read the Q&A, explore the website, learn for yourself if you are truly interested in welfare and not simply trolling against anything in which the HSUS is involved.

Yes, I understand exactly that my retired altered and unaltered, mostly unbred champion show dogs would be much easier for you to adopt…..there are laws about cruelty on the books, try using them instead of trying to control what people do that aren’t law breakers and stop trying to make those people criminals!

I think many of us on this site are more aware of who you are backing than you are.  Your group is a great upholder of incrementalism.  today its 50, next year wihthout discussion its 10 or 5 and any mention of a double standard that might have been in the laws regarding “quality” breeders, is wiped out.

Sorry, I’ve been minding my own furballs without help from HSUS and people who want to run everyone else’s life for a long time now, and I like it that way, it takes me less time to care for the critters and more playtime with them without some snoopy turkey wanting to involve themselves in my home life or when I’m driving down the road to shows with dogs in the vehicle!

With your “friends” its chickens, veal calves, pigs, dogs and cats today and tomorrow its what we want for breakfast, lunch and dinner!, vegan style…..

I tried to share the WSB TV in Atlanta video to my Facebook account but it seems you can move it about anywhere BUT Facebook.  Why?