Producer of “Puppy Mill” Documentary Asks Missouri Governor to View Film

April 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Jene Nelson, the producer/director of I Breathe, is inviting Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to watch the documentary. I Breathe is an in depth look inside the multi billion dollar world of commercial dog breeding. A complimentary copy of I Breathe has been sent to the governor. This comes on the heels of the Missouri House of Representatives passing revisions to Proposition B, which was passed by voters by a slim margin in November. Critics say the revisions gut the requirements of the voter-approved measure, ignore the will of the people, and would scrap most of the key provisions. Proposition B would have prohibited breeders from having more than 50 dogs, limited breeding cycles to once every 18 months, required breeders with 10 or more dogs to provide the animals with sufficient food and water, necessary veterinarian care, as well as larger housing. Under Proposition B, breeders would be required to have ground-level cages with access to the outdoors and stacked cages would have been eliminated. State Sen. Mike Parson's legislation, SB 113, lifts the limit on the number of dogs a breeder can have and could increase the frequency of breeding cycles. It also loosens requirements for veterinarian care, exercise and larger enclosures for housing. The bill passed the Senate last month and passed the House on April 13th by a close 85-71 vote and now goes to Governor Nixon. Barbara Schmitz of the Missourians for the Protection of Dogs called on the governor to veto the bill. Governor Nixon declined to comment on whether he will sign it.

I Breathe took more than a year to complete and focuses on the big business of breeding purebred puppies in the United States. The documentary concentrates on Missouri, which is the largest producer of puppies in the country. The movie will open your eyes to the need for public awareness and make you question why domestic animals are treated as commodities. I Breathe chronicles what is involved on a rescue mission and profiles some of the dogs that are on their way to new lives. Top professionals in the dog breeding industry attend an unprecedented meeting to discuss why there is so much secrecy and reluctance to talk to the media. In one of the more startling moments of the film, it is revealed that Barb York, the president of the Missouri Pet Breeders Association, sold her 8-year-old Miniature Pincher at a dog auction for one penny. He had a retained testicle and should not have been bred. In addition, the dog had a painful hip condition that was left untreated and stage four dental disease.
A clip is available at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOo2jzYi_PQ



Ms. Nelson contacted Governor Nixon’s office via email and offered to send a complimentary copy of I Breathe. She did not receive a response, but decided to send a DVD anyway. The hope is that Governor Nixon and his staff will watch this documentary and realize the decisions that are made regarding the dog breeding industry are of interest not only in Missouri, but throughout the United States.

A digital download is available on Amazon Instant Video at the following link: www.amazon.com/I-Breathe/dp/B004WLJJ78/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1302837945&sr=1-1

Clips are available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1682913/combined.
The DVD can be ordered at the following link: www.amazon.com/I-Breathe-Jene-Nelson/dp/B004CRT86E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1290194125&sr=1-1

I Breathe was produced, directed, written and edited by Jene Nelson. She is a multiple Emmy Award winning producer and the recipient of several Associated Press and Colorado Broadcasters Association Awards. Jene has taught classes on writing and producing and is a former Miss Colorado USA and competed in the 1979 Miss USA Pageant.

For information: www.jenesisproductions.com or
Contact: Jene@Jenesisproductions.com
Phone: 303-755-6462