Dogs in cages in Ava
April 6, 2009 | 6:14 p.m. CDT
Dogs are seen in cages on property in Ava belonging to puppy breeder Marilyn Shepherd. Shepherd, who sells puppies via the Internet, has been the subject of three federal licensing complaints but still maintains a state license. Missouri is the "puppy mill" capital of America, home to more than 4,000 shoddy and inhumane dog-breeding businesses, by one estimate. But now the state is trying to shed its reputation, with the chief of the Agriculture Department pledging to do more to crack down on bad breeders.
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