Editorials and different Opinion content material provide views on points vital to our group and are impartial from the work of our newsroom reporters.
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Undertake your subsequent canine from a good shelter or rescue.
Grant Hindsley
Related Press file photograph
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As a Missouri veterinarian, I used to be shocked to just lately study that our state as soon as once more tops the listing of the Humane Society of the US’ Horrible Hundred report for having probably the most large-scale business canine breeders which have violated fundamental well being and welfare requirements for animals of their care. Veterinarians see the fallout from these “pet mills” when households buy puppies that find yourself with extreme well being issues. The homeowners incur vital medical payments and expertise heartache as they watch their pet endure.
Listed below are some disheartening examples of Missouri pet mills from the report.
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In October 2019, Missouri Legal professional Common Eric Schmitt introduced a lawsuit in opposition to canine breeder Cory Mincey of Pet Love Kennel (aka Cory’s Cuties) in Dallas County for repeated violations of the Animal Care Services Act. In response to the AG’s press launch, state inspectors who visited the kennel discovered “buildup of feces in enclosures, unfastened or bloody stool present in enclosures, algae or particles crammed water, insufficient veterinary care, canine noticed with skinny physique situation” and extra.
That very same 12 months, courtroom data present the legal professional basic additionally sued one other breeder, Sandra Kozlowski of Sho-Me Labradors, for continual violations of the Animal Care Services Act. Kozlowski surrendered 83 canine to the state between 2019 and 2020 after a number of the animals have been discovered to be skinny with their ribs seen by means of their fur, and others have been present in cramped situations with out sufficient area to stretch their legs. Below a consent settlement dated Could 2020, Kozlowski agreed to adjust to the foundations to maintain her license.
In response to the brand new Horrible Hundred report, each Pet Love Kennel and Sho-Me Labradors are nonetheless in enterprise 2022, regardless of persevering with to incur violations. The report reveals that Mincey and Kozlowski are nonetheless licensed by the Missouri Division of Agriculture regardless of recurring violations. Mincey was discovered as just lately as January this 12 months to have canine uncovered to the bitter chilly with solely frozen water and soiled situations, and Kozlowski was discovered to be conserving giant breed canine in cramped crates that have been far too small for them, a repeated difficulty.
The report additionally reveals that Beauchamp’s Pet World close to Lebanon, whose proprietor Kevin Beauchamp is president of the Missouri Pet Breeders Affiliation, has had recurring violations for canine in want of veterinary care. Beauchamp was fined $6,000 by the U.S. Division of Agriculture in 2017 for a bunch of violations. Beauchamp’s Pet World has appeared in 4 earlier Horrible Hundred reviews, with almost equivalent issues.
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Missouri’s pet mills are exporting each distress and heartache, too. Consumers from throughout the nation have reported sick and even dying puppies bought both instantly from licensed Missouri breeders, or from pet shops that supply from these breeders.
Data present the Missouri Division of Agriculture is diligent in visiting licensed amenities frequently, documenting points, and checking up on complaints about unlicensed canine breeders. However whereas inspections are common and dependable, follow-through, together with significant penalties, appear to be sorely missing. The method of shutting down continual violators takes years — years throughout which a whole bunch of canine could be left struggling and typically dying in depressing situations, whereas the identical violations happen repeatedly.
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Too many repeat offenders nonetheless breed canine
The tenth annual Horrible Hundred report highlights 100 drawback pet mills. Pet mills are business canine breeding operations susceptible to merciless practices from chopping corners on animal well being within the curiosity of revenue. This report demonstrates that even breeders who’re passing federal or state inspections with out a lot as a tremendous are recognized by the accountable businesses for terrible situations. This isn’t good for our state. For the tenth 12 months in a row, Missouri has extra pet mills on the Horrible Hundred report than another state. Actually, our state accounts for greater than 1 / 4 of the 100 canine breeders on this 12 months’s report.
Whereas it is a sampling of 100 drawback pet sellers based mostly on federal and state inspection knowledge, it’s in no way a rating of the worst pet mills. That’s as a result of there are roughly 10,000 of those companies within the U.S., and lots of are usually not inspected in any respect, so no verifiable data on their situations exist. If that is what we see in inspected amenities, think about what situations are like in operations that fly underneath the radar.
Uncovering pet mills is a vital obligation of the state agriculture division, and all of us applaud its work once we see native shelters, together with the Humane Society of Missouri, taking in animals faraway from dreadful situations. However state-licensed breeders who can’t fulfill their obligation of taking correct care of animals should be shuttered. They shouldn’t be on any type of “repeat offenders” listing for 3, 4 and even 5 or extra years in a row.
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Our state businesses have clear mechanisms in place to close down drawback pet mills, however that isn’t occurring almost as usually because it ought to. When breeders which were sued and fined are nonetheless re-offending 12 months after 12 months, one thing is improper. Breeders who’ve been discovered repeatedly with emaciated, sick and injured animals should not be allowed to proceed.
Within the meantime, our state’s shelters are stuffed with principally pleasant, wholesome canine that deserve good properties. The easiest way to keep away from a pet mill is to undertake your subsequent canine from a good shelter or rescue. If going to a breeder, it’s best to at all times go to and meet your potential pet’s mom and the breeder in individual to verify the canine’ dwelling situations are clear, spacious and humane. Till Missouri can show that it has no tolerance for cruelty at licensed kennels, adoption stays the kindest possibility when getting a canine.
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As a proud Missouri native, I’m ashamed of those reviews and may say with certainty this doesn’t mirror the values of the big majority of individuals in our state. I’ve religion that the majority Missourians help stronger enforcement actions to guard animals from struggling. I hope to see our state disappear from this listing endlessly. With dedicated and united effort, I feel we are able to make that occur.
Anna Delabar is a veterinarian practising in Columbia.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – The Missouri State Health Department has provided the results of lettuce taken as part of an E. coli investigation that impacted local high school students.
The St. Louis County Health Department has said that 106 E. coli cases have been found to be connected to events hosted or catered through Andre’s Banquet and Catering. More than half of the cases were connected with Rockwood Summit High School.
On Friday, the Missouri State Health Department said that an unopened package of lettuce collected from Andre’s Banquet and Catering tested negative for E. coli.
The owner of Andre’s Banquet Center provided a statement following the release of the results:
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“Recently, it was brought to my attention that members of our community have tested positive for E. coli. In particular, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health (”Department”) contacted me and indicated there was a concern that lettuce served at two (2) events affiliated with Andre’s Banquet Center may be the cause of the E Coli. I immediately cooperated with the Department and provided samples of the lettuce which was served at the events. The Department, in turn, provided these samples to the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory. However, prior to the Department obtaining samples of the lettuce, St. Louis County issued a Press Release wrongly suggesting that Andre’s was the source of the E. coli. Earlier today, an Environmental Public Health Specialist from the State of Missouri notified me that testing done on the samples was negative for E. coli. While I am relieved to learn of the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory’s negative test results, I will continue to cooperate with the state and local health departments as they now work to determine the source of E. coli that has caused illnesses in the region and which has resulted in individuals who did not attend any events affiliated with Andre’s contracting E Coli.”
Bill Marler of the Marler Clark law firm in Seattle has filed two lawsuits over the E. coli outbreak.
“People eat the evidence,” he said of the health department not finding any contamination in the provided product. “I mean, the fact of the matter is that the food that’s being tested now is not the food that people ate.”
He told First Alert 4 that it is not uncommon for the food to test negative in outbreak situations.
The owner of Las Palmitas Mini Market, Navor Herrera, received a $1M check during a press conference with Powerball officials on Thursday morning. (FOX 11)
Lottery players in 45 states, Washington D.C. and two U.S. territories hope for good luck when Powerball holds its three drawings each week and, according to a GambleSpot report, some states have had more wins than others over the years.
People in Indiana may be pleased to learn their state placed No. 1 thanks to the 1,153 Powerball wins from Match 5, 79 from Match 5 + Power Play and 39 for the jackpot over the span of just over 30 years, the gambling site said.
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The other nine most-winning states for the popular lottery game were spread across the country.
The timeframe that GambleSpot used to determine the order of its list for those types of wins ran from April of 1992 to 2024. It included a total of 43 states.
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The ten states at the top of the ranking notched a combined $40.43 billion worth of prizes adjusted for inflation, it said.
GambleSpot said the “luckiest” states when it came to Powerball were:
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1. Indiana
WHITING, IN – OCTOBER 17: Maryanne Rearick rings up Powerball lottery tickets for customers at a cigarette store October 17, 2005 in Whiting, Indiana. The numbers for the multi-state Powerball lottery, which is currently at the highest amount ever $3 (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The Hoosier State owes its No. 1 spot to 1,271 wins, it said. Those amounted to nearly $6.46 billion.
2. Missouri
Between April 1992 and April 2024, Missouri clocked in at 1,046 wins, 31 of which landed someone the grand prize, according to GambleSpot.
3. Pennsylvania
WASHINGTON CROSSING, PA – MAY 10: Powerball tickets await players at Cumberland Farms convenience store May 10, 2004 in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. The winner of the May 8th $213 million dollar Powerball jackpot has yet to come forward. For se (William Thomas Cain/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The state of Pennsylvania had 918 wins. Pennsylvania is home to about 13 million people, per the U.S. Census Bureau.
4. Minnesota
The gambling site found the North Star State to have garnered 851 wins in about 32 years. Minnesota winnings totalled $3.75 billion during that span. The state lets those who land prizes upwards of $10,000 keep their identities private.
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5. Kentucky
“Seattle, WA, USA – June 15, 2012: A pile of Washington state Powerball lottery tickets. Tickets cost $2 and are sold in several states throughout the United States for a cash prize. Drawings are held every Wednesday and Sunday night.” (iStock / iStock)
Kentucky notched 825 wins, earning it fifth place, and $3.16 billion in prizes, according to GambleSpot. The biggest Powerball jackpot ever scored in Kentucky was $128.6 million in 2009, the Kentucky Lottery website said.
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6. Wisconsin
The number of wins that GambleSpot tracked in the Badger State during its research totalled 797. That equated to $4.35 billion, it said.
7. Arizona
An Arizona Lottery kiosk displays lottery ticket games ahead of a PowerBall $1.5 Billon jackpot at a kiosk inside the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in Phoenix, Arizona on November 3, 2022. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the gambling site counted 789 wins for Arizona. The state started playing Powerball in 1994, per the Arizona Lottery website.
8. Louisiana
Louisiana placed eighth, having 700 wins and nearly $2.42 billion in winnings. The state’s biggest Powerball jackpot, won in 2017, was $191.1 million, according to the Louisiana Lottery.
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9. Florida
MIAMI, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 04: Forms to pick numbers for Powerball are on display in a store on October 04, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Wednesday’s Powerball drawing will be an approximately $1.2 billion jackpot. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The Sunshine state drew 567 wins and $4.90 billion during the timeframe it reviewed, GambleSpot’s research showed.
10. Connecticut
Powerball has been available in Connecticut since late 1995. People in Connecticut have won in 517 instances, per the gambling site.
Overall, people that play Powerball have a 1 in 24.9 chance of winning, with the jackpot carrying odds of 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery.
The largest prize that Powerball has ever seen, a $2.04 billion jackpot, occurred two years ago in California, Powerball’s website showed.
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Only two of the states featured in GambleSpot’s top-10 list – Florida and Wisconsin – have been home to one of Powerball’s 10 largest jackpots.
The lottery’s next drawing is slated for Saturday, when $171 million will go up for grabs.
The mayors of the four largest cities in Missouri, signed a letter addressed to governor-elect Mike Kehoe, asking him to take a concrete step to protect minors against the dangers of firearms.
COLUMBIA — The mayors of the four largest cities in Missouri signed a letter addressed to Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe asking him to take a concrete step to protect minors against the dangers of firearms.
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Kehoe won’t be sworn in until Jan. 13, 2025, but leaders from around the state are already speaking out about what could change in their communities.
The letter, dated Nov. 15, was signed by Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, with co-signatures from Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.
Buffaloe told KOMU 8 that she wants her signature to let “the governor-elect know the mayors of the four largest cities are ready to collaborate on some of his public safety initiatives.”
The current Missouri constitution does not set a minimum age to possess a firearm, and Buffaloe said she thinks in this case, Missouri’s law should match the federal law.
One advocacy group told KOMU 8 that it has made its mission to end gun violence. Kristin Bowen, a Columbia-based volunteer of Mom’s Demand Action, said she feels personally drawn to the issue because of her kids.
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“It’s personal for me,” Bowen said. “Our kids have been trained since kindergarten on how to handle themselves in an active shooter situation, it makes me angry that we put so much on our teachers and our kids and our schools to protect our kids.”
From 2023 to 2024, both victims and offenders of firearm related crimes from the ages of 10 to 17 years old increased, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The number of victims increased from 37 to 51, and the number of offenders increased from 44 to 54.
Bowen said her organization’s message gets lost at times, and is labeled with an “anti-gun” position. To her, Mom’s Demand Action is actually pro-gun ownership.
“We support the second amendment and the right for private citizens to keep and bear arms,” Bowen said. “It’s a misconception that we oppose the second amendment, that I think is a distraction from the real issue.”
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Bowen wants to see real solutions and progress, and hopes that with a new administration, this issue will be less politicized.
“I wish that we could at this moment — where we’ve got new administrations coming in to office — step away from this as a political issue,” Bowen said. “And take seriously what works.”
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