Title XVII — AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS

273.010. Dog defined. — The word "dog", as used in sections 273.010 to 273.030, shall be held and construed to mean all animals of the canine species, both male and female. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 14537) Prior revisions: 1929 § 12863; 1919 § 4353; 1909 § 857

273.020. Recovery of damages for sheep killed — disposition of dog, penalty. — In every case where sheep or other domestic animals are killed or maimed by dogs, the owner of such animals may recover against the owner or keeper of such dog or dogs the full amount of damages and th…

273.030. Dogs may be killed, when. — If any person shall discover any dog or dogs in the act of killing, wounding or chasing sheep in any portion of this state, or shall discover any dog or dogs under such circumstances as to satisfactorily show that such dog or dogs has or have …

273.033. Killing or injuring a dog, reasonable apprehension of imminent harm is an absolute defense. — 1. In any action for damages or a criminal prosecution against any person for killing or injuring a dog, a showing by a preponderance of the evidence that such person was in rea…

273.036. Owner liable, when — fine, amount. — 1. The owner or possessor of any dog that bites, without provocation, any person while such person is on public property, or lawfully on private property, including the property of the owner or possessor of the dog, is strictly liable…

273.040. Dog defined. — The word "dog", whenever used in sections 273.040 to 273.180 without qualifications, is intended to mean a female as well as a male dog over six months of age. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 14555) Prior revision: 1929 § 12878

273.050. Dog tax, when due. — No dog shall be permitted to be and remain within the limits of the state unless the owner thereof, or someone for said owner, shall have caused such dog to be listed and the tax imposed by sections 273.040 to 273.180 to be paid on or before the firs…

273.060. Amount of tax. — The tax on each male dog and each spayed female dog, of which the certificate of a veterinarian or the affidavit of the owner is produced, in this state shall be one dollar per year, and the tax on all other dogs in this state shall be three dollars per …

273.070. Issuance of license — plate — certificate — license fees — county dog license fund — purposes. — 1. County clerks shall issue licenses to applicants and shall deliver to the applicants a metallic plate having the number corresponding to that of the license stamped thereo…

273.080. License fastened to dog's collar. — It shall be the duty of the owner of every listed dog to put around the neck of such dog a collar to which shall be attached with a metallic fastening the metallic plate aforesaid. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 14552) Prior revision: 1929 § …

273.090. License tags and certificates, how furnished. — The secretary of state shall annually procure such number of metallic plates as may be required, of convenient size and shape, or design to be changed each year, and having cast thereon in raised letters, "S.L.T." and the f…

273.100. Impounding of dogs — redemption — fees — penalty. — 1. Every city or town marshal of every incorporated city or town in this state, within their jurisdiction, shall take up and impound in a suitable place, the location of which place shall be given by a notice posted in …

273.110. Application to recover damages from fund. — 1. No owner or custodian of livestock or poultry which has been injured or killed by dogs shall be entitled to receive any portion of the county dog license fund unless within ten days after suffering such loss or damage he, wi…

273.120. Examination of applications, pass judgment. — The county commission shall between the first and fifteenth days of March of each year hereafter meet in session to consider and examine said applications and affidavits covering losses over a period of one year, which said y…

273.130. Records to be kept — warrants — funds prorated, when. — A complete record shall be kept of the commission's proceedings, including the names of the applicants and cosigners and the amount paid to each applicant, and the number of livestock or poultry injured or killed. T…

[Repealed or reserved.]

273.160. Assessor to list all dogs — notify owner of tax. — The assessor for taxation purposes in each county and city of this state, annually at the time of assessing property as required by law, shall make diligent inquiry as to the number of dogs owned, harbored, or kept by an…

273.170. Applicability of law — petition — election. — 1. Upon the filing of a petition signed by one hundred or more voters of any county and presented to the county commission at any regular or special session thereof the county commission shall order the question, as to whethe…

273.180. Repeal of license tax on dogs — procedure. — 1. Upon the filing of a petition signed by one hundred or more voters of any county and presented to the county commission at any regular or special session thereof, it shall be the duty of the county commission to order the q…

273.325. Citation of law — definitions. — 1. Sections 273.325 to 273.357 shall be known as the "Animal Care Facilities Act". 2. As used in sections 273.325 to 273.357, the following terms mean: (1) "Adequate food", the provision, at suitable intervals of not more than twelve hour…

273.327. License annually required to operate animal boarding facilities, pet shops, pounds, dealers and commercial breeders — fees, exemption from fees for certain licensees. — No person shall operate an animal shelter, pound or dog pound, boarding kennel, commercial kennel, con…

273.329. Director may refuse to license or may revoke licenses, grounds — operation without license, penalty. — 1. The director may refuse to issue or renew or may revoke a license on any one or more of the following grounds: (1) Material and deliberate misstatement in the applic…

273.331. Inspection required for license — state veterinarian's duties and authority — provisional license issued until inspection — inspections required annually or on complaint. — A license shall be issued only upon inspection by the state veterinarian, his designee, or an anim…

273.333. Investigations conducted, when — violations, administrative procedure — order for remedial action by circuit courts — administrative penalties, amount — penalties, deposit in general revenue — appeals, procedure. — The state veterinarian or an animal welfare official, up…

273.335. Substantial ongoing risk to health and welfare of animals, temporary or permanent injunction — animals in pain or diseased taken into custody for euthanasia, when, costs to licensee. — When, in the judgment of the state veterinarian or an animal welfare official, any per…

273.338. Failure of reinspections after original violation, penalty, amount — payment of penalty required before license renewal. — Persons and facilities which subsequently fail two consecutive reinspections for an original violation shall be charged a fee of one hundred dollars…

273.340. Dealers to purchase only from licensed or exempt persons — violation, penalties. — A dealer shall only purchase animals from persons in this state who are licensed under sections 273.325 to 273.357, or who are exempt from licensure. Any dealer who knowingly purchases ani…

273.342. Exemption from licensing requirements, certain persons — registration required annually, content, no fee. — 1. Persons engaged in breeding dogs and cats who harbor three or less intact females shall be exempt from the provisions of sections 273.325 to 273.357. 2. A hobby…

273.344. Standards and regulations for licensed persons and facilities — director to promulgate rules. — 1. Persons and facilities subject to USDA licensure shall comply with the standards and regulations as prescribed by the USDA, as revised from time to time. 2. Persons and fac…

273.345. Canine Cruelty Prevention Act — citation of law — purpose — required care — definitions — veterinary records — space requirements — severability clause. — 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Canine Cruelty Prevention Act". 2. The purpose of this act i…

273.346. Director to develop rules for health and veterinary care for animals in custody and facilities of licensees — records to be kept — pounds, major construction not to be required. — 1. The director shall promulgate rules for an adequate program of health and veterinary car…

273.347. Court action for enforcement, when — crime of canine cruelty, penalty. — 1. Whenever the state veterinarian or a state animal welfare official finds past violations of sections 273.325 to 273.357 have occurred and have not been corrected or addressed, including operating…

273.348. Facilities to be open for inspection — quarantine of animals, by state veterinarian, when — quarantine removed, when — removal of animals under quarantine prohibited — disease treatment procedures, duties of state veterinarian — violations, penalty. — 1. The premises of …

273.350. Director to develop rules to include safety standards for motor vehicles transporting live animals — define exotic animals and their care — wildlife not to be included — shipping diseased animals, penalty. — The director shall promulgate rules pursuant to the provisions …

273.352. Advisory committee, appointment, qualifications — duties to assist in establishing rules — not to receive compensation or expenses — rulemaking procedure. — 1. There is hereby established an advisory committee to assist the director in establishing rules under sections 2…

273.354. Laws not applicable to hospitals or boarding facility under supervision of veterinarians or research. — 1. Sections 273.325 to 273.357 shall not apply to a place or establishment which operates under the immediate supervision and control of a duly licensed veterinarian a…

273.357. Animal care reserve fund created — all license fees to be deposited in fund — purpose and uses — lapse to general revenue, prohibited. — All fees collected by the director from licenses issued under sections 273.325 to 273.357 shall be used to administer the provisions o…

273.359. Stacked cages without impervious barrier prohibited, penalty. — Any person required to have a license under sections 273.325 to 273.357 who houses animals in stacked cages without an impervious barrier between the levels of such cages, except when cleaning such cages, is…

273.400. Definitions. — As used in sections 273.400 to 273.405, the following words mean: (1) "Adopter", a person who is legally competent to enter into a contract and who is adopting or buying a dog or cat from a releasing agency; (2) "Adult animal", any dog or cat that has reac…

273.403. Sterilization of all cats and dogs adopted or purchased from animal shelters or animal control agencies, procedure. — 1. Provisions shall be made for the sterilization of all dogs and cats sold or released for adoption or purchased from any public or private animal shelt…

273.405. Animal considered sterilized when — exceptions to sterilization requirement — costs to be paid by adopter or purchaser. — 1. Each releasing agency shall agree to give title, possession, and control of the animal so long as the adopter complies with the terms and conditio…