[Ord. No. 3801 §§1 — 2(73.010), 12-18-1995]
As used in this Chapter, the following words shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section, unless the context otherwise indicates:
ANIMAL
Any four-legged beast of the animal world or any bird, fowl or reptile, both male and female, otherwise lawfully within the City of Dexter.
AT LARGE
Off the premises of the owner or keeper of such dog, cat or other animal and not on a leash controlled by some person physically able to prevent the dog, cat or other animal from escaping.
CAT
Any of a family (felidae) of the domestic cat, both male and female.
DOG
All animals of the canine species, both male and female.
LEASH
A leash, cord, chain, leather strap or line for leading or restraining a dog, cat or other animal and being no longer than six (6) feet in length.
OWNER OR KEEPER
Any person owning, keeping, bringing in or harboring a dog, cat or other animal within the corporate limits of the City of Dexter.
[Ord. No. 3801 §3(73.020), 12-18-1995: Ord. No. 4427 §§1 — 2, 10-16-2006]
All dogs, cats and other animals found within the City without an inoculation tag issued by a duly licensed veterinarian showing vaccination against rabies for the current twelve (12) months shall be considered as strays and may be given up for adoption or disposed of after one (1) week from the time they are picked up. Non-stray animals shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of Section 205.050. Such inoculation requirement shall not apply to any dog, cat or other animal less than six (6) months of age.
[Ord. No. 3801 §4(73.030), 12-18-1995]
The owner or keeper of any dog, cat or other animal within the limits of the City of Dexter, Missouri, shall keep said dog, cat or other animal restrained or confined on the premises occupied by the owner or keeper thereof, except that such owner or keeper may permit such dog, cat or other animal to be held by a leash when walking or running over any street, alley, thoroughfare or public park or grounds within the corporate limits of the City.
[Ord. No. 3801 §5(73.040), 12-18-1995]
Any dog or cat or other animal running at large or in violation of the leash law may be picked up and impounded by the City Police or any employee of the City, and the owner or keeper thereof notified as soon as is reasonably possible. An owner or keeper redeeming a dog or cat or other animal from impoundment shall, before release, pay an impoundment charge of five dollars ($5.00) plus boarding charges for each twenty-four (24) hours or fraction thereof that such dog, cat or other animal has been impounded. If the owner or keeper of an impounded dog, cat or other animal cannot be identified and found, or if an impounded dog, cat or other animal is not redeemed by the owner or keeper within seven (7) days after impoundment, such dog, cat or other animal may be given up for adoption or disposed of in a humane manner. Cost of same shall be charged to the owner or keeper thereof, if such owner or keeper can be identified.
[Ord. No. 4082 §1(73.045), 1-16-2001]
A. 
Any dog or cat which has been impounded by the City of Dexter and remains unclaimed by its owner or keeper for a period of seven (7) days from the date of impoundment may be put up for adoption according to the following terms:
1. 
A person wishing to adopt an unclaimed animal must fill out an application and enter into a contract with the City of Dexter to have the animal spayed or neutered within six (6) months from the date of adoption.
2. 
Any resident of the City adopting an animal must purchase a City animal license within fifteen (15) days from the date of adoption.
[Ord. No. 3801 §6(73.050), 12-18-1995]
It shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to break open the pound or to attempt to do so, or to take or let out any dog, cat or other animal therefrom, or to take or attempt to take from any City officer any dog, cat or other animal taken up by such officer in compliance with this Chapter or in any manner to interfere with or hinder such officer in the discharge of that officer's duties under this Section.
[Ord. No. 4421 §1, 9-5-2006]
A. 
No person shall taunt, torment, tease, strike, interfere with, endanger, injure or kill or administer or subject any desensitizing drugs, chemicals or substance to any dog used by a Law Enforcement Officer in the performance of his duties or when the dog is placed in a kennel or any enclosure while off duty.
B. 
This Section shall not apply to authorized care administered by a validly licensed veterinarian.
[Ord. No. 3801 §7(73.060), 12-18-1995; Ord. No. 4465 §1, 7-16-2007]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or bring within this City any dangerous or vicious dog, cat or other animal, knowing the same to be dangerous or vicious, and suffer or permit the same to be or run at large upon any public street, sidewalk or thoroughfare, or on the premises of persons other than the owner or keeper, within the City of Dexter. Any dog, cat or other animal that has attacked any person, or which has bitten any person, or which habitually attacks other dogs, cats or animals in the City is declared to be dangerous and may be impounded in accordance with Section 205.050, provided that the same shall have occurred off the premises of the owner or keeper. If a dog, cat or other animal found running at large in violation of this Chapter of the City Code cannot safely be taken up and impounded, the Chief of Police of the City of Dexter, or any of his/her deputies or assistants, may kill the same.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, harbor or allow to be in or upon his/her premises any of the following breeds of dogs whether full-blooded or mixed: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier or Bull Terrier.
[Ord. No. 3801 §8(73.070), 12-18-1995]
No person shall own, keep or harbor upon his/her premises any dog, cat or other animal that by loud or frequent or habitual barking, yelping or howling or by threat of attacking or biting causes fear or annoyance to neighbors or to persons passing upon the streets or sidewalks, and the same is also hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
A. 
A person is guilty of animal abuse when a person:
1. 
Intentionally or purposely kills an animal in any manner not allowed by or expressly exempted from the provisions of Sections 578.005 to 578.023 and 273.030, RSMo.;
2. 
Purposely or intentionally causes injury or suffering to an animal; or
3. 
Having ownership or custody of an animal knowingly fails to provide adequate care or adequate control.
[1]
Note — Under certain circumstances this offense can be a felony under state law.
[Ord. No. 4874, 12-4-2017; Ord. No. 5004, 8-2-2021]
A. 
A person is guilty of animal neglect when he/she has custody or ownership or both of an animal and fails to provide adequate care or adequate control which results in substantial harm to the animal, including the following:
1. 
Failure to provide, at suitable intervals of not more than twelve (12) hours, unless the dietary requirements of the species require a longer interval, of a quantity of wholesome foodstuff, suitable for the species and age, sufficient to maintain a reasonable level of nutrition in each animal, all of which foodstuff is served in a safe receptacle, dish or container;
2. 
Failure to provide sanitary facilities, protection from the extremes of weather conditions, proper ventilation, and appropriate space depending on the species of animal, as defined by regulations of the USDA, as revised;
3. 
Failure to provide either continuously or at intervals suitable to the species, which intervals shall not exceed eight (8) hours, of a supply of potable water in a safe receptacle, dish, or container.
B. 
A person is guilty of animal abandonment when he/she has knowingly abandoned an animal in any place without making provision for its adequate care.
C. 
A person shall not leave an animal in a non-running motor vehicle when the outside temperatures are above seventy degrees Fahrenheit (70° F.) or below thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (32° F.).
D. 
Any person who is convicted of violation of this Section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in § 100.220.
A. 
A person commits the offense of knowingly releasing an animal if that person, acting without the consent of the owner or custodian of an animal, intentionally releases any animal that is lawfully confined for the purpose of companionship or protection of persons or property or for recreation, exhibition or educational purposes.
B. 
As used in this Section, "animal" means every living creature, domesticated or wild, but not including Homo sapiens.
C. 
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to a public servant acting in the course of such servant's official duties.
[Ord. No. 3801 §12(73.110), 12-18-1995]
Any person who shall own or keep or harbor upon his/her premises more than six (6) dogs and/or six (6) cats which are over the age of six (6) months shall be deemed to be the owner or keeper of a dog or cat kennel.
[Ord. No. 3801 §13(73.120), 12-18-1995]
A. 
The owner or keeper of any dog, cat or of any other animal subject to contracting rabies and to vaccinate against the same and who shall own, keep or bring such dog, cat or other animal within the corporate limits of the City of Dexter shall have such dog, cat or other animal vaccinated against rabies and display the proper metal tag as provided by the veterinary, and the owner or keeper thereof shall have in their possession a current certificate issued by a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine certifying that such dog, cat or other animal has been vaccinated against the disease of rabies.
B. 
Unvaccinated Animals. Any dog, cat or other animal referenced in Subsection (A) hereof, which is found within the corporate limits of the City of Dexter, and which has not been vaccinated against rabies, may be impounded or destroyed in accordance with this Chapter.
[Ord. No. 3801 §14(73.130), 12-18-1995]
A. 
Order Of Quarantine Generally. The Board of Aldermen of the City of Dexter, Missouri, shall have the power and authority at any time it shall deem it necessary for the protection of the public peace, health, welfare and safety against the disease known as rabies to issue an order to quarantine and it shall be the duty of any person who owns, controls, possesses, keeps or has in custody any dog, cat or other subject to rabies strictly to comply with such quarantine order. Notice of such quarantine order shall be given by posting copies thereof in at least six (6) public places within the City or by publication in some newspaper published within the City, provided however that the Board of Aldermen shall have the power and authority at any time to cancel and recall such quarantine order.
B. 
Animals To Be Confined. During the time any quarantine order issued by the Board of Aldermen pursuant to this Section shall be and remain in force, all persons owning, keeping or having in their custody and control any dog, cat or other animal within the corporate limits of the City of Dexter shall confine such dog, cat or other animal upon their premises, unless such dog, cat or other animal shall be muzzled, attached to a leash, and held by a competent person.
C. 
Quarantine Of A Dog, Cat Or Other Animal. Owners or keepers of a dog, cat or other animal which has bitten a person or another animal, or which acts in a suspicious manner suggesting rabies, or which is viciously inclined, whether the same occurs upon the premises of such owner or keeper or elsewhere, and who owns, keeps or brings within the City of Dexter such dog, cat or other animal shall, upon receipt of written notice from the Chief of Police or any of his/her deputies or assistants, impound such dog, cat or other animal for a period of fourteen (14) days for rabies observation. Such dog, cat or other animal so impounded or quarantined shall be kept in such manner that neither human beings nor other animals can be bitten during such period of observation.
[Ord. No. 3801 §15(73.140), 12-18-1995; Ord. No. 4874, 12-4-2017]
Any owner or keeper of a dog, cat or other animal, or any person in charge of or having custody and control of a dog, cat or other animal, who shall violate any provision of this Chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
[Ord. No. 3801 §16(73.150), 12-18-1995; Ord. No. 3983 §§1 — 2, 6-7-1999; Ord. No. 4173 §§1 — 2, 5-20-2002; Ord. No. 4874, 12-4-2017]
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, own or otherwise have under his/her custody or control any lion, Canada lynx, bobcat, jaguarundi, hyena, wolf, coyote, python, boa constrictor or any deadly, dangerous or poisonous reptile or animal in any place within the City of Dexter other than a properly maintained zoological park, circus, scientific or educational institution, research laboratory or veterinary hospital.