By Maria Altman, St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis, MO. – St. Louis' mayor and St. Louis County's executive today (Monday) threw their support behind Proposition B, an effort to rein in puppy mills in Missouri.

If the initiative is passed by voters in November it would require large-scale dog breeders to provide sufficient food, clean water, space, and veterinary care, as well as exercise and time between breeding cycles.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County executive Charlie Dooley announced their support in a press release.

Dooley says sick dogs turned out by puppy mills end up in both city and county animal shelters.

"This is one of the things we have in common, is animal welfare," Dooley said. "It was just the right thing to do at the right time."

The proposition would also limit breeders to 50 breeding dogs at a time.

And it would create a misdemeanor of "puppy mill cruelty" for any violations.

A call to a group opposing the measure, the Missouri Federation for Animal Owners, was not returned this afternoon.

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