WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? A campaign is now underway in Missouri to collect signatures to place a historic measure on the November 2010 ballot. "Missourians for the Protection of Dogs" has been organized to promote a ballot initiative which will address the cruel and inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills. This effort is the result of a partnership including the following organizations: Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (Alliance), Humane Society of Missouri (HSM), Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). These diverse and influential organizations have come together based upon their shared concerns over the harsh living conditions endured by far too many dogs in Missouri's puppy mills.
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW? The campaign committee has been formed, and the ballot language has been approved by the Secretary of State, thus paving the way for the signature-gathering phase. Volunteers are needed immediately to collect enough signatures by April 27, 2010 to place this measure on the November ballot. Missourians would then have the opportunity to relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of dogs by voting YES on the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act on November 2, 2010.
HOW CAN I HELP? You can help gather signatures from registered Missouri voters; you can spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors about this important initiative; and you can provide financial and in-kind support to help the Alliance's efforts.
· Volunteer petitioners are needed immediately to collect more than130,000 signatures by April 27! We urgently need your participation to make this vital effort a success. If you would like to be a part of this historic effort, please contact the Alliance at mail@maal.org, 314-361-3944, or toll free at 877-444-6225.You can also attend one of the following petition kickoff meetings around the state:
Columbia: Wednesday, January 13, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.,
Columbia Public Library, 100 West Broadway,
573-443-3161.
Kansas City: Thursday, January 14, 6:15 to 8:15 p.m., Brush Creek Community Center, 3801 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd (a/k/a Brush Creek Blvd.), 816-513-0730.
Springfield: Friday, January 15, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.,
Grace United Methodist Church, 600 South Jefferson,
417-865-1340.
St. Louis: Saturday, January 16, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.,
Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Avenue,
314-647-8800.
*Please check our website at www.maal.org for location/time changes or call the respective location for confirmation.
WHAT DOES THE ACT DO? Missouri is widely recognized as the "Puppy Mill Capital of the Nation" because of its far greater number of commercial dog breeding facilities than any other state. Every month, thousands of puppies from Missouri are shipped to pet stores throughout North America and beyond. In 1992, the Alliance led the effort to pass the Animal Care Facilities Act (ACFA) which established minimum standards of care and required annual inspections for commercial dog breeders. This proposed ballot measure would add new standards of canine care to the ACFA statute. Specifically the measure would require:
*Sufficient food and clean water
*Necessary veterinary care
*Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements and eliminating wire-floored cages
*Sufficient space for dogs to turn and stretch, lie down, and fully extend their limbs
*Regular exercise, and
*Adequate rest between breeding cycles
Visit the Alliance's website at www.maal.org for the entire ballot initiative language.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, Dan Mickelson, President
P.O. Box 300036, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130-0036
