A. 
A person commits the offense of animal neglect if he or she:
1. 
Has custody or ownership of an animal and fails to provide adequate care; or
2. 
Knowingly abandons an animal in any place without making provisions for its adequate care.
B. 
All fines and penalties for a first finding of guilt under this Section may be waived by the court if the person found guilty of animal neglect shows that adequate, permanent remedies for the neglect have been made. Reasonable costs incurred for the care and maintenance of neglected animals may not be waived. This Section shall not apply to the provisions of Section 578.007, RSMo., or Chapter 272, RSMo.
C. 
In addition to any other penalty imposed by this Section 578.009, RSMo., the court may order a person found guilty of animal neglect to pay all reasonable costs and expenses necessary for:
1. 
The care and maintenance of neglected animals within the person's custody or ownership;
2. 
The disposal of any dead or diseased animals within the person's custody or ownership;
3. 
The reduction of resulting organic debris affecting the immediate area of the neglect; and
4. 
The avoidance or minimization of any public health risks created by the neglect of the animals.
A. 
A person is guilty of animal trespass if a person having ownership or custody of an animal knowingly fails to provide adequate control for a period equal to or exceeding twelve (12) hours.
B. 
For a first conviction of animal trespass, each offense shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00). The second and all subsequent convictions shall be punishable by imprisonment or a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00), or both such fine and imprisonment. All fines for a first conviction of animal trespass may be waived by the court, provided that the person found guilty of animal trespass shows that adequate, permanent remedies for trespass have been made. Reasonable costs incurred for the care and maintenance of trespassing animals may not be waived. This Section shall not apply to the provisions of Section 578.007 or Sections 272.010 to 272.370, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 040830A §4, 8-30-2004]
No person shall keep any animal, including, but not limited to, dogs, who, by causing frequent or long continued noise, shall disturb the peace, comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity.
[Ord. No. 051114 §§3 — 6, 11-14-2005; Ord. No. 140714A §1, 7-14-2014]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or own a dog or cat within the City, until and unless such person secures a rabies vaccination certificate and the dog displays a tag of registration-vaccination from a veterinarian who holds a current license from the State.
B. 
The licensed veterinarian, upon vaccination of a dog or cat, shall issue a certificate of vaccination, the date thereof and shall also furnish a collar tag showing such vaccination. The vaccination shall be valid for the length of time set forth in the most recent "Compendium of the Animal Rabies Control" published by the Center for Disease Control and said compendium shall be kept on file with the City Clerk's office at all times.
C. 
The rabies vaccine to be used shall be approved by the Society of Veterinary Practitioners of Greene County, Missouri.
D. 
The tag issued after vaccination shall be attached to the dog for which it was issued by means of a secure collar or harness. No cat shall be required to display its collar tag.
[Ord. No. 051114 §§7 — 8, 11-14-2005]
A. 
If a tag is lost, another tag of the same shape may be obtained from the veterinarian who issued the original upon presentation of the original certificate and upon payment of the veterinarian's fee.
B. 
A tag shall not be transferred from the dog or cat for which it was issued to any other dog or cat.
[Ord. No. 051114 §§2, 9, 11-14-2005]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, controlling, harboring, possessing or having the management or care of any dog to permit such dog to run at large on or from the premises of such person. Every dog, when on any street, alley, park, school ground or any other public place in the City, which is not attached to a leash, the other end of which is securely held, shall be deemed running at large. Every dog when on private property within said City, which is either not attached to a leash, the other end of which is securely held or which is not so confined by fences or other enclosures so as to prevent its straying from the premises, shall be deemed running at large.
B. 
Any dog found running at large shall be impounded. A dog running at large is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and it shall be the duty of the City of Willard Public Works Department and/or the Willard Police Department to abate the nuisance. Employees of the City of Willard Public Works Department and/or the Willard Police Department shall have authority to enter upon private property and shall have authority to open gates, cross fences and take whatever steps necessary to abate the nuisance so as to impound the dog that is running at large, except nothing contained herein shall be construed to authorize the City employee to enter into a dwelling of a person.
[Ord. No. 140714A §2, 7-14-2014]
[Ord. No. 051114 §10, 11-14-2005; Ord. No. 140714A §3, 7-14-2014]
A. 
The City of Willard shall arrange for the impoundment by the Springfield Animal Shelter which shall keep such dog or cat impounded for a period of five (5) business days. During impoundment, the dog or cat shall be housed, fed and watered in a manner consistent with good veterinary practices and all applicable Department of Agriculture regulations. During the five-day period, the dog or cat may be released from the impound to any person who signs an affidavit swearing that such dog or cat is his/her personal property and complying with the provisions herein. If such person or owner fails to claim and redeem said dog or cat within said five (5) days, then the Springfield Animal Shelter may arrange for the rescue or humane euthanasia of said dog or cat. Any owner seeking to redeem or release a dog or cat from impoundment shall be required to pay the Springfield Animal Shelter the rates in effect at that time, during the time said dog or cat was impounded.
B. 
Further, should an animal, pursuant to court order or other extraordinary circumstances, be kept for more than five (5) days by the Springfield Animal Shelter after said transfer from the City of Willard, any owner of the transferred animal shall be responsible for payment to the Springfield Animal Shelter the current daily boarding fee beginning on the sixth day of housing the animal and continuing until the animal is returned to its owner, transferred from the Springfield Animal Shelter or humanely euthanized.
[Ord. No. 051114 §11, 11-14-2005; Ord. No. 120514A §1, 5-14-2012]
A. 
Cats. It shall be unlawful for a family to keep, harbor or own more than three (3) cats over the age of six (6) months in any dwelling or structure on any lot within the City limits of the City of Willard, unless a license has been issued by the City to operate a cattery or animal rescue center.
B. 
Dogs. It shall be unlawful for a family to keep, harbor or own more than three (3) dogs over the age of six (6) months in any dwelling or structure on any lot within the City limits of the City of Willard, unless a license has been issued by the City to operate a kennel or animal rescue center.
Exception: Any lot or tract of land greater than or equal to five (5) acres or more shall be allowed to increase the number of cats or dogs to five (5) in lieu of three (3); all other provisions of Subsections (A) and (B) of this Section remaining unchanged.
[Ord. No. 051114 §§12 — 13, 11-14-2005; Ord. No. 140714A §4, 7-14-2014]
A. 
Any dog that bites a human shall be turned over to a private licensed veterinarian located within fifteen (15) miles of the center of the City of Willard or at the Springfield Animal Control for observation as to the existence of rabies for the required ten-day rabies quarantine period. The owner of the animal in quarantine shall provide proof to the Willard Police Department if a private veterinarian is used. Under no circumstances shall the offending dog be destroyed by anyone until such observation is complete. Expenses of keep of the dog during observation shall be paid by the person owning, controlling, harboring, possessing or having the management or care of said dog.
B. 
No person shall destroy a biting dog without submitting it for observation or shall refuse to deliver up to the City of Willard his/her dog when requested to do so when said City of Willard shall have reasonable grounds to believe that a person has been bitten by said dog.