[R.O. 2008 §5-40; Ord. No. 1879 §1, 8-11-1997]
A.
Any
animal with any of the following characteristics may be classified
as a dangerous animal:
1.
Any animal which has inflicted a severe or fatal injury, as defined
herein, being on public or private property. The victim receiving
severe injuries must provide the Animal Control Officer or the Chief
of Police with a signed physician's statement documenting the injury
and the treatment qualifying such as a severe injury.
2.
Any animal which has bitten a human being, without provocation, on
public or private property other than the property of the owner.
3.
Any animal which, while on the owner's property, has bitten, without
provocation, a human being other than the owner or a member of the
owner's family who normally resides where the animal is kept.
5.
Any animal owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose
of fighting or any animal trained for fighting.
6.
Any animal which, when unprovoked, chases or approaches a person
upon the streets, sidewalks or any public grounds or private property,
other than the property of the owner, in a menacing fashion or apparent
attitude of attack, regardless of whether or not a person is injured
by said animal.
7.
Any animal with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack
unprovoked, to cause injury or to otherwise threaten the safety of
human beings or domestic animals.
B.
Procedure For Declaring An Animal Dangerous. Nothing herein
shall be interpreted or construed to prohibit the County Department
of Health, its Director or authorized agents from enforcing the Animal
Control Code of the County (Chapter 611 of the St. Louis County Ordinances)
with respect to a bad, dangerous or rabid animal or the impoundment,
confinement or euthanasia thereof.
1.
Temporary designation. An animal exhibiting any of the traits described in Section 205.170 Subsection (A) may be immediately declared dangerous by the Director or his/her agent. Such declaration shall be communicated by the Director or his/her agent to the owner and to the City. The owner shall be required to adhere to the provisions of Section 205.180.
2.
Court declaration. The Municipal Judge of the City may upon complaint, after hearing and notice to the owner of an animal, make a determination regarding such animal being a dangerous animal as provided in Section 205.170(A). In addition to or as an alternative to any penalty that may be imposed for a violation of this Chapter, the Municipal Judge may order that a dangerous animal be impounded for up to thirty (30) days, or euthanized, upon a showing after notice and hearing by preponderance of the evidence that the animal is dangerous and the provisions of this Chapter were not being met, regardless of whether such requirements are being met at the time of trial.
[Ord. No. 5335 §2, 9-23-2013]
C.
Inherently Dangerous Animals. The following animals
are hereby classified as inherently dangerous: any lion, tiger, leopard,
ocelot, jaguar, cheetah, margay, mountain lion, Canada lynx, jaguarondi,
bobcat, bear, hyena, wolf, wolf hybrid, coyote, alligator, crocodile,
python, venomous reptile, venomous arthropod, or non-human primate.
[Ord. No. 5335 §2, 9-23-2013]
[R.O. 2008 §5-41; Ord. No. 1879 §1, 8-11-1997; Ord. No. 5335 §3, 9-23-2013]
A.
The following actions shall be required of owners of animals that meet the classifications for or have been declared to be dangerous animals under Section 205.170(A) and (B) of this Code:
1.
Biting or scratching incidents.
a.
Any animal that has been declared dangerous and subsequently bites
or scratches a human being shall be impounded by the owner at the
impoundment facility for the ten-day confinement period.
b.
Any animal that is determined to be dangerous because of biting or
scratching of a human being shall be impounded by the owner for a
ten-day confinement period in accordance with the provisions of this
Chapter.
2.
The owner shall affix a bright orange collar and brightly colored
metal tag so that the animal can be readily identified as a dangerous
animal at all times.
3.
The owner shall implant an electronic identification chip and notify
the Director of the identification number.
5.
While on the owner's property, the owner shall keep the animal securely confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure, suitable to prevent the entry of young children and designed to prevent the animal from escaping. Such pen or structure must have minimum dimensions of five (5) feet in height (six (6) feet maximum) by ten (10) feet in length and must have a secure top, sides and a concrete bottom with the sides embedded in the concrete. The structure must be situated on the lot in accordance with the development standards for accessory uses and structures as provided for in Section 405.460(D) and the fence regulations found in Section 405.690 of the Zoning Code. The enclosure must provide protection from the elements for the animal. The enclosure, when occupied by a dangerous animal, shall not be occupied by any other animal. If the dangerous animal is a female with offspring under four (4) months of age, the offspring may occupy the same enclosure as the mother.
6.
The owner shall display a sign on the premises that there is a dangerous
animal on the property clearly visible from the public street upon
entering the property. A smaller sign shall also be affixed to the
enclosure.
7.
The owner shall sexually neuter the animal within thirty (30) days
of written notice from the Director and provide written proof of the
procedure to the Director within ten (10) days.
8.
When off the owner's premises, the owner shall muzzle and
restrain the animal by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding
six (6) feet in length and keep it under the control of a responsible
person. The muzzle must be made in a manner that will not cause injury
to the animal or interfere with its vision or respiration but must
prevent it from biting any person or animal.
B.
No person shall keep, harbor, own, or knowingly allow to be in or upon the person's property any exotic animal, including but not limited to any animal declared inherently dangerous pursuant to Section 205.170(C).
[R.O. 2008 §5-42; Ord. No. 1879 §1, 8-11-1997]
No person shall own, keep, harbor, maintain or allow to be kept
upon any premises occupied by him/her or under his/her charge or control
any guard dog without such dog being confined within a structure or
behind a fence so as to prevent its escape.
[R.O. 2008 §5-43; Ord. No. 1879 §1, 8-11-1997; Ord. No. 5335 §4, 9-23-2013]
A.
No animal may be declared dangerous pursuant to Section 205.170(A) and (B) if the threat, injury or damage caused by the animal 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 animal or was teasing, tormenting, abusing or assaulting the animal or has, in the past, been observed or reported to have teased, tormented, abused or assaulted the animal or was committing or attempting to commit a crime.
B.
The Director or his/her agent, Animal Control Officer, Chief of Police or the Municipal Judge may, because of extenuating circumstances, determine from the investigation of an incident pursuant to Section 205.170(A) and (B) that an animal is not dangerous. However, the owner, being responsible for said animal, shall be warned of the animal's tendencies and shall take appropriate action to prevent subsequent incidents. This, however, does not exempt the owner from being cited for other animal control ordinance violations.
