HB 1969 Would Leave Abused and Neglected Animals in the Hands of their Abusers!

Dear Animal Lover

Missouri House Bill 1969 is an attempt to severely weaken Missouri’s anti-cruelty statutes. It would effectively eliminate disposition hearings for animals that have been abused and/or neglected.

Dogs like Winston, rescued in August 2015, could have been left suffering if a bill like HB 1969 passes.

Under current legislation:

• State prosecutors can seek a disposition hearing in a timely manner for animals that have been cruelly treated and subsequently seized by law enforcement officials.
• A judge can order such animals to be surrendered to an animal shelter, veterinarian, or the appropriate animal control authority.

This ensures that the animals will not remain in the control of those who have abused or neglected them and expedites their adoption into good homes.

HB 1969 has language that would eliminate the disposition process and would leave these animals suffering in the hands of their abusers.

Further, HB 1969 would:

• Negate disposition hearings for impounded animals that were abused and neglected.
• Place undue economic burden on municipal shelters, as well as veterinarians and private shelters, which routinely volunteer to treat, rehabilitate and house abused animals.
• Discourage municipalities and shelters from housing abused and neglected animals as few, if any, could afford to house animals indefinitely, especially when they have no assurances of reimbursement for their costs. Many of these cases last for months or even years.
• Significantly undermine the ability of law enforcement to rescue animals that are being severely abused or neglected as they would have no place to house such animals.
• Allow those who avoided criminal prosecution due to ignorance or mitigating circumstances to reclaim animals and not have to reimburse for the costs of their care.
• Allow abused animals to remain in the hands of their abusers as municipalities can't afford to provide shelter indefinitely without assurances of reimbursement and prosecutors lack the resources of added prosecutorial duties.

After you take action on this issue, please tell your family and friends to take action as well. The more people who contact their representatives, the better our chances are of stopping this bill.

Sincerely,

Kathy Warnick
President
Humane Society of Missouri