Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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.
Revised Statutes of Missouri Chapter 273 — Dogs — Cats
Missouri · statute · Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 273 · 45 active provisions
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 the owner shall forthwith kill such dog or dogs; and for every day he shall refuse or neglect to do so, after notice, he…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 been recently engaged in killing or chasing sheep or other domestic animal or…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful contact by the dog or was acting to prevent such imminent harmful contact against another person by th…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the d…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 first day of February of each year hereafter.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 year, payable to the county clerk of the county in which the owner…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 thereon and shall deliver to such party a certificate from the book furnished to him by the secretary of state, which said certificates, as well as the…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 figures indicating the year for which the tax has been paid; and he shall also cause to be prepare…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 some conspicuous place in his office, all dogs found running at large in their respective cities or t…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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, with two other credible residents of the county, not kin to him by blood or marriage or not in…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 year shall be from the first of March of the year prior to the meeting of said commission to the…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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. The commission shall on or before the twentieth day of March of each year give to the applicant a warrant,…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 273.150
Failure to pay tax — penalty — exceptions
Every owner of a dog and every person who shall suffer or permit a dog to remain upon such premises under his immediate control without having caused such dog to be listed and the tax thereon to be paid as provided for by sections 273.040 to 273.180 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof fined not…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 any person so assessed. The assessor, on or before the thirty-first day of December of each year, shal…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 whether or not there should be adopted the law creating a license tax on dogs, submitted to the voter…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 question, as to whether or not there should be repealed the law, creating a license tax on dogs…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 hours, unless the dietary requirements of the species require a longer interval, of a…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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, contract kennel, pet shop, or exhibition facility, other than a limited show or exhibit, or act as a dealer or commercial breeder, unless such person has obtained a license for such operations from the director. An applic…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 application for any original license or for any renewal license under sections 273.325 to 273.357; (2) Disregard or violation of sections 273.325 to 273.357 o…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 animal welfare official. A facility subject to the provisions of sections 273.325 to 273.357, at the time it applies for licensure, shall be granted a provisional license which shall allow operation of the facility until the f…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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, upon his own information or upon the complaint of any person, may institute an investigation including the inspection during normal business hours of any premises or vehicle upon which any animal is or may be found, and may determine if any violation of sections 273…
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 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 person has been in violation of sections 273.325 to 273.357 so as to pose a substantial ongoing risk to the health and welfare of animals in his custody or so as to pose a substantial ongoing risk that consumers will purchase diseased an…
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