Get some Facts to answer the lies of the multi-million agriculture business. THEY have the money and the lies. We have the FACTS. Check out this video.

After seeing this video of Sen. Parson lying about the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act passed by voters in November, I attended a rally in support of the new law at the Capitol yesterday.  I carried a sign saying “Sen. Parson:  ‘YOU LIE.'”  It caught the attention of lots of people, including many with cameras.  I hope the story gets back to Sen. Parson.

The reason we were there was because the House was debating HB131 which would gut the new law.  The legislators who want to let a breeder have more than 50 females pregnant all the time in a space barely big enough to roll over or stretch out are heartless to say the least.  We had about 90 people there in the rotunda with signs mostly about letting the vote stand and respecting the vote of the people.

Several groups of school kids, both elementary and high school ages, came through.  Their first stop on the tour is the state seal emblazoned in the floor of the rotunda.  After the tour guides finished and led the kids to their next stop, I told the kids not to bother voting because the legislature would just overturn their vote.  Some of the teachers gave me a thumbs up. Others scowled at me.  Whatever.

A few of us joined Barbara Schmitz, director of the coalition that passed Prop B, to the governor’s office on the 2nd floor.  She had a petition signed by a bunch of folks.  The gov wasn’t there (actually I saw on TV that he was in Forest Park.)  An aide politely took the petition from us and let a photog take our picture for a national animal magazine (All Animals?)  No signs were allowed in the photo, but she let me hold my little American flag.  (no comment)

I learned after I got home that HB 131 was “laid over,” and, according to the Bill Tracking page on the General Assembly website there is no further action scheduled at this time.  

I heard opposite predictions yesterday from two people who know a lot more about how these things work than I do.  One said not to give up because there are good things happening behind the scenes.  The other said there is no way we’re going to stop the repeal/dismantling of the new law.   So it’s a toss up at this point.

Look at these photos of puppy mill conditions.  I know it’s hard to see this, but we have to do it for the dogs’ sake. Call your state rep and state senator and tell them how disgusted you are with this whole attempt to repeal a reasonable improvement of care standards at these facilities.  Send them these photos and ask them how they can sleep at night.   If you are lucky enough to have a rep and senator already supporting Prop B, tell him/her thank you and to please forward the photos to colleagues.