Animal-Related Legislation

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 2008 Legislation of Interest:

Bill Name	Bill Description	HSMO Position
HB 1566	Dog Fighting Sponsor: Representative Paul LeVota Status: Passed the House 5-15-08, Removed in Conference Committee This bill increases all of the criminal penalties for repeated convictions relating to dog fighting activity in Missouri, including an increase in the penalty for being a spectator at a dog fight from a misdemeanor to a felony for the second offense.  This bill would also create the crime of possessing dog fighting paraphernalia (such as treadmills).	Support
HB 1648	Horse Impoundment Sponsor: Representative James Viebrock Status: Hearing 2-20-08 Conservation and Natural Resources Makes it harder to remove horses or other large animals from a situation where they have suffered serious abuse or neglect.  Currently, local law enforcement officers have the ability to seek a court order to impound abused animals, after seeking the advice of a local veterinarian.  This bill would interject politics into this process by requiring the Department of Agriculture to review the situation and delay the impoundment of horses even if they are visibly malnourished or suffering needlessly.	Opposed
SB 819	Dog Fighting Sponsor: Senator Scott Rupp Status: Placed on Senate Perfection Calendar 3-27-08 This bill would toughen Missouri's dog fighting law, increasing the penality from a misdeamor to a felony for the second offense of being a spectator at a dog fight and makes it easier to seize the property of individuals involved in this brutal activity. This bill focuses on the welfare of the victimized animals, requiring a hearing within 30 days to determine what happens to these animals, instead of waiting months or years for the criminal charges to be resolved.	Support
SB 886	Breed Specific Ordinance Ban Sponsor: Senator Jolie Justus Status: Hearing 2-20-08 Economic Development, Tourism & Local This bill would prevent municipalities from enacting ordinances or regulations that restrict the ownership of certain dog breeds, instead of focusing on the specific behavior of each animal.  The Humane Society of Missouri believes that it is the inhumane acts of humans, as opposed to genetics, that are generally to blame for aggressive or dangerous dogs.  A more positive response to the problem of dangerous dogs is a system of procedures for identifying and controlling individual dogs that have shown dangerous or aggressive tendencies.	Support
SB 914	Healthy Pet Act Sponsor: Senator Joan Bray Status: Referred Agriculture, Conservation, Parks & Nat. Resources This bill would provide better remedies to consumers who purchase a dog or cat from a pet shop and discover within 20 days that it was sold with a latent disease or within 2 years that it has a congenital or hereditary condition for which hospitalization or surgery was required. Sadly, Missouri puppy mills currently churn out far too many sick animals because of the deplorable conditions in which they are raised and consumers are left with only the remedy of replacement, which is unacceptable to the families that have already become attached to the pet.	Support

	Other Important Legislative Links:
	Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation Missouri General Assembly Frequently Asked Questions About Animal Welfare