Governor Jay Nixon, his wife, First Lady Georganne Nixon, and Missouri Agriculture Director Jon Hagler will visit the Humane Society of Missouri Thursday to highlight the administration’s Operation Bark Alert, which is cracking down on unlicensed, illegal pet breeding facilities in Missouri. 

Since taking office in January, Nixon’s administration has successfully rescued more than 1,300 abused and neglected dogs from unlicensed breeding facilities to shelters such as the Humane Society. In the coming weeks and months, Governor Nixon and Director Hagler will continue the administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal operations and promote groups and organizations that comply with state regulations regarding animal breeding.