[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
All owners and custodians or anyone having care, custody or control of any animal shall prevent the animal from being at large. All domesticated animals, when such animal is off of their premises, shall be on a leash not to exceed ten (10) feet in length. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to:
1. 
Dogs being used in hunting, training, field trials and dog shows while on any property with express permission.
2. 
Dogs of any government agency.
3. 
Dogs being trained as service animals by a recognized program for such work.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any owner or anyone having care, custody or control of any dog or cat to:
1. 
Confine an animal in an outdoor pen or enclosure without adequate space so as to provide the animal with free movement or exercise.
2. 
Leave a dog or cat tethered outdoors for ten (10) consecutive hours in a 24-hour period or on a tether that allows a dog or cat to enter upon a sidewalk or right of way.
3. 
Tether a dog or cat except by means of:
a. 
A properly fitting harness or collar.
b. 
A tether in proportion to the size of the animal so that its weight and construction do not burden or encumber the animal's movement but not allow breakage. The tether must be at least fifteen (15) feet in length with a swivel at both ends, if a trolley system is used the trolley cable must be at a safe height from the ground.
4. 
Tether a dog or cat in such a manner that the animal cannot access adequate shelter while tethered.
5. 
Tether a dog or cat in conditions where the animal or tether can become entangled causing a hazard for injury or death, or where the tether can restrict the animal's access to adequate shelter or adequate food or water.
6. 
Tether a dog or cat outdoors in a manner that prevents the animal to defecate or urinate in an area separate from the area where it must eat, drink or lie down.
7. 
Expose a dog or cat to any weather conditions that cause immediate or imminent threat to the animal's physical well-being.
8. 
No person may tether an animal in an area where it stays wet or muddy for more than twenty-four (24) hours after the session of a period of rain.
9. 
No person may leave an animal tethered outside in a residentially zoned area between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M., except temporarily tethering outdoors for a time period not exceeding fifteen (15) minutes for the purpose of urination/defecation.
10. 
No person may tether a dog under the age of six (6) months.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A person may not harbor any stray animal, unless it is reported to St. Charles County Animal Control within twenty-four (24) hours of finding the animal. Animal Control may impound the animal at it discretion.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
A competent person or owner is guilty of animal neglect when having custody or ownership or both of an animal, he/she fails to give it adequate care.
B. 
A competent person or owner is guilty of animal abuse when he/she:
1. 
Intentionally or purposely kills an animal in any manner not allowed by or expressly exempted from the provisions of this act;
2. 
Purposely, intentionally or recklessly causes injury, suffering, or pain to an animal;
3. 
Abandons an animal;
4. 
Overworks, overloads, drives, tortures, beats, or recklessly or maliciously wounds or kills an animal, or carries or transports it in any vehicle or other conveyance in an inhumane or unsafe manner or causes any of these acts to be done; or
5. 
Having ownership or custody or both of an animal and willfully fails to provide adequate care.
C. 
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to euthanasia of an animal by the owner or a veterinarian.
D. 
Any person found guilty of animal abuse or neglect shall be responsible for all real cost associated with the impound, care, keeping, all diagnostic test and treatment.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
An owner is guilty of failure to register/vaccinate when he/she:
1. 
Fails to arrange registration/vaccination of any cat, dog, puppy or kitten with the St. Charles County Division of Humane Services when or before the puppy or kitten reaches four (4) months of age, but not before it reaches three (3) months of age;
2. 
Fails to arrange registration/vaccination of any dog or cat within forty-five (45) days of acquisition by the owner; or
3. 
Fails to have a collar or harness bearing a current tag on the vaccinated dog or cat when the animal is outside the residence of the owner.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
No person shall keep or harbor upon his/her premises any dog that by frequent and habitual barking, yelping or howling causes fear or annoyance to the person or persons living in the immediate area.
B. 
Complaints during normal business hours of the Division of Humane Services shall be taken by the Division. Complaints after the Division's normal business hours shall be taken by the St. Charles County Police Department.
C. 
Before investigating the complaint, the authority receiving it shall take the name, address and telephone number(s) of each complainant. If the Police Department investigates the complaint, the Police Department shall forward a copy of the complaint, as well as an incident report, if any, to the Division of Humane Services. Upon complaint to the Division of Humane Services or upon the Division's receipt of a copy of a complaint taken by the Police Department, the Division of Humane Services may investigate and, upon a finding that the owner of the animal has violated Subsection (A), may request further legal action if either the complainant agrees, in writing, to testify against the violator of this Section or if the Division's own investigation results in evidence of the violation of Subsection (A).
D. 
This Section shall not apply to kennels operating under licenses issued by St. Charles County at the time this Chapter takes full force and effect.
E. 
A violation of Section 205.060 is an infraction punishable by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense, one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the second offense and two hundred dollars ($200.00) to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for any offense thereafter.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
No owner or competent person shall keep or harbor upon his/her premises any dangerous dog in violation of the provisions of Section 205.145(B), nor shall any owner or competent person fail to control his/her dangerous dog as required by the provisions of this Chapter. Violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalties set out in Section 205.250, in addition to the fees and penalties set out in Section 205.240. This Section shall not apply to:
1. 
Dogs being used for official purposes by any government agency.
2. 
Kennels operating under licenses issued by St. Charles County.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
It shall be unlawful to fight-train a dog or to keep, harbor, board or in any manner possess a dog for the purpose of dog-fighting or dog-fight exhibitions. Scars, wounds, training and/or fighting paraphernalia shall be used as evidence of participation in dog-fight training or exhibitions. "Fight training" shall include but not be limited to:
1. 
Actions designed to torment, badger or bait or in any way encourage any dog for purposes of encouraging said dog for fight exhibition.
2. 
The use of other dogs or animals of any sort for blood sport training.
3. 
Abusing the animal by inflicting blows, kicks or other physical contact in order to encourage the dog to develop aggression or fighting skills.
4. 
Any other activity, the primary purpose of which is the training of dogs for aggressive or vicious behavior or dog fights.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
No competent person or owner shall place or leave the carcass of any dead animal in any street, alley or lot, or allow the carcass to remain on his/her or anyone else's property.
B. 
The owner of any animal which has died from any cause shall dispose of the body within twenty-four (24) hours after knowledge of such death. The animal shall be buried no closer than four (4) feet to the natural surface of the ground or disposed of by the County, a private veterinarian or a disposal plant licensed under Chapter 269, RSMo., 1986.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, own, possess or harbor any wild or exotic/dangerous animal in any place other than a properly maintained zoological park, circus, scientific or educational institution, research laboratory, or a licensed sanctuary or refuge. All such animals must be registered by a microchip at the St. Charles County Division of Humane Services. Any violation of the Section shall require the owner or caretaker to immediately surrender the animals forfeiting all ownership to the St. Charles County Division of Humane Services for proper placement or humane euthanasia.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
A. 
No person shall keep more than six (6) domesticated animals, of which no more than four (4) may be dogs, on any parcel of property located within a residentially zoned district, nor shall any person permit or allow more than six (6) domesticated animals, of which no more than four (4) may be dogs, to be kept or domiciled on any such parcel of property; except that any person may keep more than six (6) animals, of which no more than four (4) may be dogs, on any parcel of property only after obtaining a kennel registration issued by the Division Director of Humane Services of St. Charles County.
B. 
Any person that obtains a kennel registration must comply with requirements set forth in the Ordinance of St. Charles County Sections 205.160 — 205.210, inclusive. Nothing herein shall be construed to repeal the provision of the County's Keeping Exotic Animals Ordinance, Ordinance of St. Charles County Section 205.080. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the number of livestock on agriculturally zoned property.
A. 
An owner or any person is guilty of interfering with an officer when he:
1. 
Conceals an animal from an officer of the Division of Humane Services or Police Department.
2. 
Refuses to surrender an animal upon the lawful request of an officer of the Division of Humane Services or Police Department.
3. 
Physically attempts to prevent impounding by the officer of the Division of Humane Services or Police Department.
[Ord. No. 1508 §1, 2-17-2016]
All fecal and urine accumulations in any pen, run, cage or yard where any animal is kept shall be removed and disposed of or cleaned in such a manner as to prevent the attraction of flies and/or the creation of offensive, disagreeable, or noxious odors. Fecal matter shall not be allowed to accumulate for more than one (1) week at a time. Owners or caretakers shall prevent fecal matter or urine accumulations from entering, seeping, falling or dropping onto any other person's property or area. Dog owners or anyone having care, custody or control shall immediately dispose of in a sanitary manner, fecal matter deposited anywhere except on their own property.