The Canine Cruelty Prevention Act (CCPA) was passed in 2011 and was intended to close down cruel and inhumane dog breeders. This new law greatly enhanced standards of care and mandated veterinary care for sick and injured dogs. The CCPA also granted new authority to the Attorney General to prosecute inhumane breeders.
After its passage, the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) acted quickly and referred numerous disreputable dog breeders to the Attorney General's office for criminal and civil proceedings. This resulted in successful legal action against multiple dog breeders. Recognizing that there were now consequences for their malfeasance and realizing that MDA was serious about enforcing humane laws, literally hundreds of Missouri puppy millers voluntarily shut down their dog breeding operations.
Unfortunately, under the Greitens' administration, MDA decided to turn a blind eye to cruel and unscrupulous dog breeders despite the severity of the violations and the number of dogs suffering from a lack of veterinary care. Chris Chinn, who was appointed Director of Agriculture by Governor Greitens, has steadfastly refused to refer substandard dog breeders to the Attorney General's Office for legal action.