Missouri cracking down on puppy mills

[TaliC2007]

The State of Missouri is finally doing something about all of the puppy mills here. Here is an article about it:

http://www.joplinglobe.com/carthage_jasper...=secondarystory

 

And here is a link if anyone knows of any. They want them reported so they can investigate. I just hope they make it bad enough for the puppy mill people that they will start to fade away, and that soon other states will follow.

 

http://mda.mo.gov/animals/ACFA/barkalert/

 

 

Also, how do you all feel about unlicensed breeders being included in this?

 

Tammy

[Debbie Meier]

Interesting Read http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c273.htm

 

Kinda looks like MO has a pretty good revenue generator built into their statute. Cool to see a hobby/show breeder designation with up to 10 intact breeding females allowing sales only to other breeders or individuals. If I'm reading correcting the unlicensed breeders would be those that are breeding for no purpose (other then monetary), brokering or selling to dealers.

 

Dog tax, when due.

273.050. No dog shall be permitted to be and remain within the limits of the state unless the owner thereof, or someone for said owner, shall have caused such dog to be listed and the tax imposed by sections 273.040 to 273.180 to be paid on or before the first day of February of each year hereafter.

 

Amount of tax.

273.060. The tax on each male dog and each spayed female dog, of which the certificate of a veterinarian or the affidavit of the owner is produced, in this state shall be one dollar per year, and the tax on all other dogs in this state shall be three dollars per year, payable to the county clerk of the county in which the owner resides; provided, that any person or persons operating a licensed kennel of more than ten dogs in which all dogs kept by him or them are confined and not allowed to roam, shall pay a tax of ten dollars, which amount shall be the full amount of tax on all dogs kept by said person or persons as described above.

 

Assessor to list all dogs--notify owner of tax.

273.160. The assessor for taxation purposes in each county and city of this state, annually at the time of assessing property as required by law, shall make diligent inquiry as to the number of dogs owned, harbored, or kept by any person so assessed. The assessor, on or before the thirty-first day of December of each year, shall make a complete report, on a blank form furnished by the county clerk or license collector, setting forth the name of every owner of any dog or dogs, how many of each sex are by him owned, or harbored, and if a kennel is maintained by any person such fact shall also be stated. The assessor, at the time of making the assessment, shall notify the owner of such dog that he must obtain a license for such dog as herein provided; but the neglect or failure so to notify such owner shall not relieve the owner from his duty to obtain such license.

 

Repeal of license tax on dogs--procedure.

273.180. 1. Upon the filing of a petition signed by one hundred or more voters of any county and presented to the county commission at any regular or special session thereof, it shall be the duty of the county commission to order the question, as to whether or not there should be repealed the law, creating a license tax on dogs, submitted to the voters, to be voted upon at the next election. Upon the receiving of such petition, it shall be the duty of the county commission to make an order as herein recited.

 

2. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

 

Shall the license tax on dogs be repealed?

 

3. If the majority of the votes cast upon the subject be in favor of repealing the license tax on dogs, the county commission shall spread the result of the submission of the question upon its records and give notice thereof by publication in some newspaper printed and published in such county and the law providing for a license tax on dogs shall not be operative in such county from the time such publication is made.

 

Citation of law--definitions.

273.325. 1. Sections 273.325 to 273.357 shall be known as the "Animal Care Facilities Act".

 

2. As used in sections 273.325 to 273.357, the following terms mean:

 

(1) "Adequate food", the provision, at suitable intervals of not more than twelve hours, unless the dietary requirements of the species require a longer interval, of a quantity of wholesome foodstuff, suitable for the species and age, sufficient to maintain a reasonable level of nutrition in each animal, all of which foodstuff is served in a safe receptacle, dish, or container;

 

(2) "Adequate housing", the continuous provision of a sanitary facility, protection from the extremes of weather conditions, proper ventilation, and appropriate space depending on the species of animal, as defined by regulations of the USDA, as revised;

 

(3) "Adequate water", the provision, either continuously or at intervals suitable to the species, which intervals shall not exceed eight hours, of a supply of potable water in a safe receptacle, dish, or container;

 

(4) "Animal", any dog or cat, which is being used, or is intended for use, for research, teaching, testing, breeding, or exhibition purposes, or as a pet;

 

(5) "Animal shelter", a facility which is used to house or contain animals, which is owned, operated, or maintained by an incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other not-for-profit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of such animals, or a person whose primary purpose is to act as an animal rescue, to collect and care for unwanted animals or to offer them for adoption;

 

(6) "Animal welfare official", any licensed veterinarian, designated by and under the supervision of the state veterinarian, who administers or assists in the administration of the provisions of sections 273.325 to 273.357, or any appointee of the director, and shall include all deputy state veterinarians;

 

(7) "Boarding kennel", a place or establishment, other than a pound or animal shelter, where animals, not owned by the proprietor, are sheltered, fed, and watered in return for a consideration; however, "boarding kennel" shall not include hobby or show breeders who board intact females for a period of time for the sole purpose of breeding such intact females, and shall not include individuals who temporarily, and not in the normal course of business, board or care for animals owned by other individuals;

 

(8) "Commercial breeder", a person, other than a hobby or show breeder, engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale or for exchange in return for a consideration, and who harbors more than three intact females for the primary purpose of breeding animals for sale;

 

(9) "Commercial kennel", a kennel which performs grooming or training services for animals, and may or may not render boarding services in return for a consideration;

 

(10) "Contract kennel", any facility operated by any person or entity other than the state or any political subdivision of the state, for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned or unwanted animals, on behalf of and pursuant to a contract with the state or any political subdivision;

 

(11) "Dealer", any person who is engaged in the business of buying for resale, selling or exchanging animals, as a principal or agent, or who holds himself out to be so engaged or is otherwise classified as a dealer by the USDA as defined by regulations of the USDA;

 

(12) "Director", the director of the department of agriculture of the state of Missouri;

 

(13) "Hobby or show breeder", a noncommercial breeder who breeds dogs or cats with the primary purpose of exhibiting or showing dogs or cats, improving the breed or selling the dogs or cats, and having no more than ten intact females. Such breeder shall be classified as a hobby or show breeder if such person only sells animals to other breeders or to individuals;

 

(14) "Humane euthanasia", the act or practice of putting an animal to death in a humane or instantaneous manner under guidelines and procedures established by rules promulgated by the director;

 

(15) "Intact female", with respect to a dog, refers to a female dog between the ages of six months and ten years of age which is capable of being bred; and with respect to a cat, refers to a female cat between the ages of six months and eight years which is capable of being bred;

 

(16) "Pet shop", any facility where animals are bought, sold, exchanged, or offered for retail sale to the general public;

 

(17) "Pound" or "dog pound", a facility operated by the state or any political subdivision of the state for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals;

 

(18) "State veterinarian", the state veterinarian as provided by chapter 267, RSMo;

 

(19) "USDA", the United States Department of Agriculture