[1]
State Law Reference—Protection against rabies, ch. 322, RSMo.
[R.O. 2005 §5-46; CC 1997 §5-46]
A. 
Every person who owns any dog or cat, whether in a kennel or not, that is kept any time during the year within the City or who permits a dog or cat to come upon, on or in the City or to remain in or about his/her home, place of business or other premises in the City shall have such dog or cat vaccinated against rabies and registered as provided in the County Rabies Control Code. Such dogs or cats shall be vaccinated at least once each year if a nerve tissue origin vaccine is used. If a chicken embryo or other three (3) year type vaccine, approved by the Health Commissioner, is administered, the dogs or cats shall be inoculated at least once every three (3) years. If any other type of vaccine, approved by the Health Commissioner, is administered, such dog or cat shall be inoculated at the frequency approved by the Health Commissioner.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to own any dog or cat, unless such dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies and wears a current registration tag. The owner shall possess a certificate issued in accordance with the provisions of the County Rabies Control Code.
[R.O. 2005 §5-47; CC 1997 §5-47]
Every dog or cat which has been vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of the County Rabies Control Code shall at all times wear the registration tag in the manner prescribed in such code.
[R.O. 2005 §5-48; CC 1997 §5-48]
All dogs and cats brought into the City shall comply with the rabies vaccination requirements of this Article.
[R.O. 2005 §5-49; CC 1997 §5-49]
No owner of any animal subject to rabies shall abandon such animal in the City.
[R.O. 2005 §5-50; CC 1997 §5-50]
Any person within the City having information or knowledge of any animal within the City that exhibits clinical symptoms suggestive of rabies, has been exposed to rabies or is suspected of having rabies shall report such knowledge or information to the County Health Department and the Department of Police of the City.
[R.O. 2005 §5-51; CC 1997 §5-51]
A. 
Any dog, cat or other animal which exhibits objective symptoms suggestive of rabies may, after written certification to the owner by the Health Commissioner or such other person designated by the Council for the enforcement of this Article, be impounded on or off the property of the owner. This animal shall be held for ten (10) days for clinical observation at the impounding facilities designated by the Council and, if alive at the termination of this period, shall be returned to the owner after payment of the shelter service fee. As an alternative procedure, the owner, at his/her own expense, may designate any veterinary hospital in the County wherein such animal shall be impounded and observed for a similar ten-day period. If such animal shall die during the observation period, regardless of location, the head shall be removed and submitted to a qualified laboratory for examination.
B. 
Any dog, cat or other animal, which has been exposed to rabies, shall be immediately destroyed unless the owner, at his/her expense, desires, chooses, specifies, picks or elects one (1) of the following alternative methods:
1. 
Strict isolation in a kennel or animal hospital for six (6) months;
2. 
If no previous vaccination has been given to a dog or cat within a period of three (3) years with chicken embryo vaccine, within one (1) year with vaccine of nerve tissue origin or if other vaccine approved by the Health Commissioner was used and if the effective protection limit of the last such vaccination has passed, the dog or cat shall be placed on a schedule of immunization approved by the Health Commissioner;
3. 
If a dog or cat has been vaccinated previously with another vaccine approved by the Health Commissioner within the duration of the vaccine's effective protection as approved by the Health Commissioner, the animal shall be revaccinated and restrained by a leash or confined at home for thirty (30) days.
C. 
Prior to release of any dog or cat under clinical observation for rabies, all conditions of this Article shall be fulfilled.
[R.O. 2005 §5-52; CC 1997 §5-52]
A. 
The Health Commissioner or person designated by him/her or such other person as may be designated by the Council shall dispose of any dog or cat or other animal infected with rabies. Such person so designated shall have the power to examine and impound any animal bitten by or exposed to any other animal infected with rabies. He/she shall have the power to require the owners of such dogs or cats to take such necessary measures to prevent further spread of rabies and to dispose of any exposed animal, if such necessary measures are not taken by the owners.
B. 
Any person destroying an animal infected with rabies or suspected of being infected with rabies shall immediately notify the County Health Department and the Police of the City. Such person shall surrender the carcass of such animal upon demand. The owner or custodian of any such destroyed animal shall immediately provide the County Health Department and the Police of the City with full particulars thereof, including the time, date, location, the name and address of the owner or person having custody of any animal exposed to the animal destroyed.
[R.O. 2005 §5-53; CC 1997 §5-53]
A. 
Whenever rabies becomes prevalent in the City, the Mayor shall, according to the necessity of the case, issue a quarantine order requiring every owner or person in charge of any dog or cat whether vaccinated and licensed or not, within the City, to either euthanize his/her dog or cat or confine it in the home or some other secure building. Whenever, during a quarantine, it is necessary that a dog or cat leave the confines of a home or other secure building, such dog or cat shall be placed on a leash no more than six (6) feet in length and under the direct physical control of a competent person not less than fifteen (15) years of age. Such order shall be published once in a paper publishing the business of the City or shall be posted in at least twenty (20) conspicuous places about the City. The Mayor may by proclamation terminate any such quarantine whenever in his/her judgment the necessity for it no longer exists.
B. 
Whenever any quarantine order is issued, it shall be the duty of all members of the Police Department of the City and such other persons as may be designated by the Council to euthanize all dogs or cats found running at large, except those which have been immunized.
[1]
State Law Reference—Quarantine order, §322.040, RSMo.
[R.O. 2005 §5-54; CC 1997 §5-54]
It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal an animal or interfere with the Health Commissioner, persons designated by him/her or such other persons who may be designated by the Council in the performance of their legal duties as provided by this Article. The Health Commissioner, persons designated by him/her or such other persons who may be designated by the Council shall have the right of entry onto any unenclosed lots or lands for the purpose of collecting any dog, cat or other animal which is on such lot or land in violation of this Article and whose presence on such lot or land constitutes a violation of any of the provisions of this Article. The Health Commissioner, his/her duly appointed representative or any other person who may be designated by the Council shall have the right of entry to any property or premises during the period of quarantine for the purpose of examining or obtaining any dog, cat or other animal suspected of having rabies, having been exposed to rabies or having bitten a person or other animal. The use of humane traps by such persons for the capture of any dog, cat or other animal is hereby authorized.
[R.O. 2005 §5-55; CC 1997 §5-55]
No person shall refuse to deliver up to the Health Commissioner or any person designated by the Council a dog or cat or other animal subject to rabies, which such person owns, when requested to do so under the provisions of this Article.
[R.O. 2005 §5-56; CC 1997 §5-56]
A. 
It shall be the duty of any person bitten by an animal or the parent or guardian of any minor bitten by an animal to report the same to the County Department of Health and the City Police immediately. Such report shall contain the name and address of the owner and of the animal, the day and time bitten, location where bitten and a general description of the animal.
B. 
The owner of any dog, cat or other animal which bites any person, regardless of the circumstances or irrespective of whether such dog or cat is vaccinated and licensed, shall be required to place such dog, cat or other animal in the custody of the County Health Department or the City Police for confinement in a manner satisfactory to the County Health Commissioner or Chief of Police in a manner that will prevent contact with people and other animals for a period of ten (10) days following the evening of the day of the bite for the purpose of clinical observation. All expenses shall be borne by the owner of the dog, cat or other animal. If such dog, cat or other animal develops clinical symptoms suggestive of rabies, it shall be allowed to die a natural death. If, for any reason, such dog, cat or other animal should die while in confinement, its head shall be removed by a veterinarian and submitted to a qualified laboratory. If, at the end of such ten (10) day period of observation, such dog, cat or other domestic animal is alive and healthy, it may be released to its owner.
C. 
If, at the time of the biting, the dog, cat or other animal had not been vaccinated and licensed, the procedure outlined in Section 205.090 shall be followed and all other conditions of this Article shall be fulfilled prior to the release of all dogs or cats under clinical observation as the result of biting a person.
[R.O. 2005 §5-57; CC 1997 §5-57]
It shall be the duty of every physician to report immediately to the County Department of Health and the City Police the full name, age and address of any person under his/her care or observation who has been bitten by an animal irrespective of whether infected with rabies or suspected of being infected with rabies or not. Every veterinarian treating or having under observation any animal infected with rabies shall report to the County Health Department and the City Police the owner's name and address and, if the animal is a dog or cat, the County vaccination registration number and the City license tag number.