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State Law Reference—Rabies control, §§322.010
et. seq., RSMo.
[CC 1970 §4-23; CC 1947 §§6-40, 6-56.2; Ord. No. 4878 §1, 4-28-1992; Ord. No. 6266 §1, 4-9-2013]
As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the
respective meanings ascribed to them:
Infected with the rabies virus as determined by standard
laboratory testing.
The Director of Health of the City.
Both male and female dogs unless otherwise specifically stated.
When bitten by, or fought with, or has come in close contact
with a dog or other animal shown to be infected with the rabies virus
as determined by standard laboratory testing.
Owning, keeping or harboring at any one time, whether at
one (1) or more locations within the City, four (4) or more dogs over
the age of four (4) months.
Hydrophobia.
Any dog with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to
attack unprovoked, to cause injury to or otherwise threaten the safety
to human beings or domestic animals; or
Any dog which because of its vicious propensity is capable of
inflicting serious physical harm or death to humans and which would
constitute a danger to human life or property if it were not kept
in the manner required by this Article; or
Any dog which, without provocation, attacks or bites or has
attacked or bitten a human being or domestic animal; or
Any dog owned, bred or harbored primarily or in part for the
purposes of dog fighting or any dog trained for dog fighting; or
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no dog may
be deemed vicious if a threat, injury or damage was sustained by a
person who, at the time, was committing a willful trespass or other
tort upon the premises occupied by the owner or keeper of the dog
or if a person at the time of such threat, injury or damage was teasing,
tormenting, abusing or assaulting the dog or was threatening or committing
an assault or other bodily harm to the owner, the owner's immediate
family or their invitees.
[CC 1970 §4-24; CC 1947 §6-41]
The Director of Health shall direct the enforcement of this
Article and the various City Officers shall perform the duties herein
specified to be respectively performed by them.
[CC 1970 §4-25; CC 1947 §6-51]
It is unlawful for any person to conceal an animal or interfere
with the Director in the performance of his/her legal duties as provided
in this Article. The Director shall have the right of entry to any
unenclosed lots or lands for the purpose of collecting any stray or
unlicensed dog or other animal. The Director shall have the right
of entry to any property or premises within any quarantined area during
the period of such quarantine for the purpose of examining or obtaining
any dog suspected of having rabies or having been exposed to rabies.
[CC 1970 §4-26; CC 1947 §6-42]
Every person who owns, controls, manages, possesses or has part
interest in any dog kept at any time during the year in the City or
who permits a dog to come upon, on or in and to remain in or about
his/her home, place of business or other premises in the City shall
have purchased for such dog a St. Louis County dog license as required
by the ordinances of St. Louis County and shall have such license
attached to such dog.
[CC 1970 §4-27; CC 1947 §6-45]
Every person who owns, controls, manages, possesses or has part
interest in any dog, kept any time during the year in the City or
who permits a dog to come upon, on or in and to remain in or about
his/her home, place of business or other premises in the City shall
have such dog inoculated against rabies at least once each year, unless
an approved three (3) year type vaccine is administered, in which
case inoculation shall be required at least once every three (3) years.
Said inoculation shall be performed by a licensed veterinarian.
[CC 1970 §4-28; CC 1947 §6-46]
It shall be a misdemeanor for any person owning, controlling,
possessing or having the management or care, to any degree, of any
dog, whether licensed as required or not, to permit the dog to run
at large or go off the premises of the owner or keeper thereof, unless
it is securely tied or led by a line or leash of a length of no more
than six (6) feet, so as to prevent it from biting, molesting, being
with or approaching any person or animal.
[CC 1970 §4-29; CC 1947 §6-56.7]
In any prosecution charging a violation of Section 210.060, proof that a dog was running off the premises in violation of said Section, together with proof that the defendant named in the complaint was, at the time described in the complaint, the owner or keeper of such dog, shall constitute a prima facie presumption that said owner or keeper was the person who permitted said dog to go off the premises.
[CC 1970 §4-30; CC 1947 §6-47]
It shall be the duty of the Director of Health to take up and
impound in a suitable place, the location of which shall be published
by posting a card or notice in his/her office, any dog found within
the City running at large (not confined on its own premises). The
work of catching and impounding dogs may be let by contract by the
Board of Aldermen to the County or to a private contractor. The Health
Department, in such case, shall supervise the performance of such
contract.
[CC 1970 §4-31; CC 1947 §6-48; Ord. No. 3874 §1, 3-8-1977]
Release of any dog apprehended at large in the City may be ordered
by the Director of Health, provided that if said dog has not been
inoculated against rabies within the previous twelve (12) months with
an approved one (1) year type vaccine or within three (3) years with
an approved three (3) year type vaccine, it shall be accomplished
before release and the cost of such inoculation charged to the owner,
keeper or responsible party, as the case may be. No person shall have
the right to redemption as herein provided unless within one (1) week
after impounding, in lieu of court appearance, the owner may pay to
the Director of Finance a penalty of five dollars ($5.00) for the
first (1st) impoundment, a penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) for the
second (2nd) impoundment of the same or another dog of the same owner
within a one (1) year period. These penalties conditioned on the dogs
being with current inoculation; in the event such dog is not currently
inoculated, the penalties shall be double those above provided.
[CC 1970 §4-32; CC 1947 §6-56.1]
Any dog impounded and not claimed by owner or keeper after one
(1) week may be disposed of in such way or manner as may be directed
by the Director of Health.
[CC 1970 §4-33; CC 1947 §6-50]
Any fierce, vicious or dangerous dog, whether licensed or not,
may be impounded for any length of time deemed necessary by the Director
of Health or, in an emergency in the opinion of the Police, such dog
may be put to death in a humane manner.
[CC 1970 §4-34; CC 1947 §6-49]
Owners or keepers of a dog which acts in a suspicious manner
suggesting rabies or is viciously inclined, either outside or within
the premises of such owner or keeper, either on the public street
or any private property, shall upon receipt of written notice from
the Director of Health cause to be quarantined such dog for a period
of ten (10) days for rabies observation. The quarantining of said
dog shall be at the cost of the owner in a kennel, dog hospital, animal
protective shelter or other establishment approved by the Director
of Health or any other place where the dog shall be kept in such manner
that neither human beings nor other animals can be contacted during
such period of observation. Dogs so quarantined shall be checked by
a licensed veterinarian and written certification from him/her presented
to the Director of Health before release is ordered, any and all costs
shall be borne by the owner or responsible party.
[CC 1970 §4-35; CC 1947 §6-55]
Any person destroying an animal affected with rabies or suspected
of being affecting with rabies shall immediately notify the Director
of Health and shall surrender the carcass of such animal upon demand.
The owner or custodian of any such destroyed animal shall immediately
provide the Health Department with full particulars thereof, including
the time, date, location, the names and addresses of any person bitten
by said animal and also the name and address of the owner or person
having custody of any animal exposed to the animal destroyed.
[CC 1970 §4-36; CC 1947 §6-52]
It is unlawful for any person having ownership, control, management
or possession of any animal subject to rabies to abandon such animal
in any locality in the City subject to this Article.
[CC 1970 §4-37; CC 1947 §6-53]
It shall be the duty of any person bitten by any animal or the parent or guardian of any minor child bitten by an animal to report the same to the Health Department immediately. Such report shall contain the name and address of the dog's owner and of the victim, the day and time bitten, the location where bitten and a general description of the animal. The Director of Health shall immediately take said animal into custody or have the same confined by the owner thereof for ten (10) days as provided in Section 210.120. If the owner shall not confine such animal in a manner satisfactory to the Health Department, such animal shall be forthwith surrendered to the Director of Health or to a person or persons designated by him/her upon demand.
[CC 1970 §4-38; CC 1947 §6-54]
It shall be the duty of every physician to report immediately
to the Health Department the full name, age and address of any person
under his/her care or observation who has been bitten by an animal
affected with rabies or suspected of being affected with rabies and
every veterinarian treating or having under observation any animal
affected with rabies or suspected of being rabid or suspected of having
been exposed to rabies shall report to the Health Department the license
number of such animal and the owner's name and address.
[CC 1970 §§4-40—4-44; CC 1947 §§6-56.2—6-56.6; Ord. No. 3785 §1, 11-25-1975; Ord. No. 3786 §1, 11-25-1975]
A.
License Required. No person shall maintain a kennel within
the City in any single-family or multiple-dwelling zoning district
nor without a license therefor as herein provided.
B.
License Application—Petition—Granting—Period—Fees. The Board of Aldermen on application duly made may, by majority vote,
issue a license for maintenance of a kennel, provided the application
for such license is accompanied by a petition in writing assenting
to the maintenance of such kennel at any location specified, signed
by at least two-thirds (⅔) of the resident property owners
in the block where same is to be maintained. An application not accompanied
by such petition shall be granted only by a two-thirds (⅔)
vote of all members of the Board of Aldermen. A license shall be issued
by the Director of Health for a period of one (1) year. The annual
fee for such commercial kennels shall be fifty dollars ($50.00), but
no individual dog licenses shall be required for dogs maintained in
such kennels.
C.
Number Of Dogs Limited. The number of dogs to be kept in
any licensed kennel at any one time shall not exceed fifteen (15).
D.
Inspection—Revocation Or Suspension Of License. All
licensed kennels shall be inspected by the Health Department at least
once each three (3) months. If said kennel on any inspection is found
not to comply with the provisions of this Article or to constitute
a nuisance, the Director of Health shall report the facts to the Board
of Aldermen and the Board may revoke such license or suspend the same
as it may deem proper.
E.
Prohibited In Residential Building. No kennel may be maintained
in a residential building.
