Missouri’s budget for next fiscal year includes $1.1 million more for oversight of dog breeders.
Governor Jay Nixon highlighted the funding at a press conference Tuesday at the Humane Society of Missouri in St. Louis.
The move comes after the governor helped craft a compromise bill this spring that toughened state oversight of dog breeders but scaled back some provisions of the voter-approved initiative Prop B.
Humane Society of Missouri president Kathy Warnick says the group has no regrets about the compromise.
"This is a monumental step forward towards improving the quality of life for these animals that in many instances have been suffering in exceptionally substandard conditions," Warnick said.
The increased funding will be used to hire more veterinarians, inspectors and other enforcement agents.
The Agriculture Department already has hired a new veterinarian.
Attorney General Chris Koster says his office has created a Canine Cruelty Protection Unit and has used its new authority to shut down two dog breeders in the state.
