Returning legislation in Missouri hopes to crack down on the state’s “puppy mill problem” (Photo by Dan Brandenburg/Getty Images).
A Democrat from St. Ann is once again pushing for legislation placing more restrictions on commercial dog breeders, though it faces long odds thanks to resistance from pet stores and large agriculture operations.
A bill that would regulate commercial animal breeders is awaiting the 2025 legislative session — though its sponsor predicts pushback from pet stores and large agriculture operations.
State Rep. Doug Clemens, a Democrat from St. Ann, filed the bill last year and unsuccessfully tried to attach it as an amendment to legislation that would’ve forbid municipalities from banning pet stores that sell dogs .
“Let’s just take care of it so Missouri consumers can be assured that they’re not buying an animal that has been exposed to horrible conditions and is genetically messed up from inbreeding,” he told The Independent in an interview this month.