Letter to the Press
To be published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Dear Editor,

The Missouri Legislature is expected to pass some form of the "Animal Research and Production Facilities Act" which among other things would criminalize the act of photographing or videotaping animal facilities without "express written consent." Proponents of the bill are once again playing the "terrorism" card to protect animal producers from exposé's that serve the interests of the general public. Missouri's notorious "puppy mills" are frequently investigated by the media and photographs or video footage are crucial to their efforts of reporting living conditions these helpless animals are forced to endure.

State and Federal inspectors may be authorized to photograph noncompliant items discovered during inspections, however, their photographs would be permanently sealed and exempt from disclosure under Missouri's Sunshine Law. This is contrary to the principals of our free society and again only serves to protect a select few. The Missouri Legislature is poised to add another veil of secrecy to an already tainted and obscure industry.
 
Pet industry leaders consistently complain that they are treated unfairly by the media and animal protection organizations. They argue that the horrible conditions disclosed by the media and animal advocacy organizations are not typical of their industry. Why then are they striving to hide their industry under such false and ridiculous pretenses?  Could it be that they realize that the general public would be sickened by their "factory farms" for puppies? Is the "Show Me" state ashamed of what we might see? Evidently!

Respectfully,