Your Opinion: Find solution to Prop. B problems

Dear Editor:

Every once in awhile I have to remind myself that in spite of freedom of speech, I have to bite my tongue. Therefore I will not say what I really want to say in language that cannot be printed.

I have to wonder why some people who profess to caring about dogs so much can still defend Prop. B.

Several of our lawmakers and newspaper editors who have reservations about circumventing the legislative process have acknowledged that the wording in Prop. B was vague and ill-written and a lot of voters were not fully informed.

There was a lot that HSUS did not disclose. Most of Prop. B provisions were already extensively addressed in the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations (pages 51-71) available at the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

They did not tell voters that dog limits, solid floors and breeding rest periods were designed to systematically put even the best breeders out of business.

They did not tell voters that a threat of a misdemeanor charge for any violation would panic many dog breeders and cause dire consequences but HSUS knew exactly what would happen.

Has HSUS or any of Prop. B's supporters offered any solutions? Sitting down with USDA and MDA inspectors and dog breeders to formulate true common sense, science-based rules seems to be too much to ask of them.

Since Prop. B passed some 400 breeders have quit. Question is where are their dogs? No one is saying. My guess is a lot of them were put down. This will continue throughout 2011 until there are very few licensed breeders left. Did you really think that it would not happen?

It is too bad that the focus has shifted from the welfare of the dogs to a perceived constitutional mutilation. The dogs themselves are no longer important. Of course with Prop. B the dogs themselves were never important. Now they will only be collateral damage in a debate on legislative processes.

If you really care about dogs, now would be the time to contact your legislator and urge him/her to find a solution to Prop. B.

If you really want to keep Prop. B as is knowing what the real consequences are then may God have mercy on your souls.