Missouri Dog Auction
Published December 2nd, 2007
More than 250 dogs were bought and sold to breeders from throughout Missouri. Some went for as little as $12.50, while others fetched hundreds of dollars. Still others went unsold despite the auctioneer pleading, “Anybody want that dog for a $10 bill?” No state has more dog auctions than Missouri, according to the Humane Society of the United States. And those auctions, the society says, are cruel because dogs are housed in metal cages for hours and sometimes denied food and water. “The animals are literally sold like cars in used auto auctions,” said Stephanie Shain, the society’s director of outreach for companion animals. “Cars are probably treated better than these dogs.” The number of dog auctions in Missouri is exploding, according to the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation. According to the organization’s data, there were 10 auctions in 1995. That jumped to 28 in 2000 and 67 in 2005. This year the number promises to grow, and the number of dogs changing hands is likely to exceed 18,000. “Missouri is the dog auction capital of the world,” said John Coffman, the alliance’s legislative director.
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