FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1423
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECOOK.
2864H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection578.024,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
offenseofkeepingadangerousdog,withpenaltyprovisions.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section578.024,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection578.024,toreadasfollows:
578.024.1.Apersoncommitstheoffenseofkeepingadangerousdogifheorshe
2ownsorpossessesadogthathas:
3 (1)Bittenanyperson,domesticanimal,orlivestockwithoutprovocationonone
4occasion;or
5 (2)Previouslybittenaperson[or],adomesticanimal, orlivestockwithout
6provocationandthatdogbitesanyperson, domesticanimal,orlivestockonasubsequent
7occasion.
8 2.Theoffenseofkeepingadangerousdogis:
9 (1)Aninfractionundersubdivision(1)ofsubsection1ofthissection;or
10 (2)AclassBmisdemeanorundersubdivision(2)ofsubsection1ofthissection,
11unlesssuchattack:
12 [(1)](a)Resultsinseriousinjurytoanypersonordeathofadomesticanimalor
13livestock, inwhichcase,itisaclassAmisdemeanorundersubdivision(2)ofsubsection1
14ofthissection; or
15 [(2)](b)Resultsinseriousinjurytoanypersonordeathofadomesticanimalor
16livestockandanypreviousattackalsoresultedinseriousinjurytoanypersonordeathofa
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17domesticanimalorlivestock, inwhichcase,itisaclassEfelonyundersubdivision(2)of
18subsection1ofthissection; or
19 [(3)](c)Resultsinthedeathofanyperson,inwhichcase,itisaclassDfelonyunder
20subdivision(2)ofsubsection1ofthissection.
21 3.Inadditiontothepenaltyincludedinsubsection2ofthissection,ifanydogthat
22haspreviouslybittenaperson[or],adomesticanimal, orlivestockwithoutprovocationbites
23anyperson, domesticanimal,orlivestockonasubsequentoccasionorifadogthathasnot
24previouslybittenaperson, domesticanimal,orlivestockattacksandcausesseriousinjuryto
25orthedeathofanyhuman, domesticanimal,orlivestock, thedogshallbeseized
26immediatelybyananimalcontrolauthorityorbythecountysheriff.Thedogshallbe
27impoundedandheldfortenbusinessdaysaftertheownerorpossessorisgivenwritten
28notificationandthereafterdestroyed.
29 4.Theownerorpossessorofthedogthathasbeenimpoundedmayfileawritten
30appealtothecircuitcourttocontesttheimpoundmentanddestructionofsuchdog.The
31ownerorpossessorshallprovidenoticeofthefilingoftheappealtotheanimalcontrol
32authorityorcountysheriffwhoseizedthedog.Iftheownerorpossessorfilessuchanappeal
33andprovidespropernotice,thedogshallremainimpoundedandshallnotbedestroyedwhile
34suchappealispendinganduntilthecourtissuesanorderforthedestructionofthedog.The
35courtshallholdadispositionhearingwithinthirtydaysofthefilingoftheappealto
36determinewhethersuchdogshallbehumanelydestroyed.Thecourtmayordertheowneror
37possessorofthedogtopaythecostsassociatedwiththeanimal'skeepingandcareduringthe
38pendingappeal.
39 5.Notwithstandinganyprovisionofsections273.033and273.036,section578.022
40andthissectiontothecontrary,ifadogattacksorbitesapersonwhoisengagedinor
41attemptingtoengageinacriminalactivityatthetimeoftheattack,theownerorpossessoris
42notguiltyofanycrimespecifiedunderthissectionorsection273.036,andisnotcivillyliable
43underthissectionorsection273.036,norshallsuchdogbedestroyedasprovidedin
44subsection3ofthissection,norshallsuchpersonengagedinorattemptingtoengageina
45criminalactivityatthetimeoftheattackbeentitledtothedefensessetforthinsection
46273.033.Forpurposesofthissection"criminalactivity"shallnotincludetheactoftrespass
47uponprivatepropertyundersection569.150aslongasthetrespasserdoesnototherwise
48engagein,attempttoengagein,orhaveintenttoengageinothercriminalactivitynorshallit
49includeanytrespassuponprivatepropertybyapersonundertheageoftwelveundersection
50569.140.
51 6.Thecourtmayordertheownerorpossessorofthedogtopay:
52 (1)Anymedicalbillofaperson,adomesticanimal,orlivestockresultingfrom
53beingbittenbythedog;or
HB1423 2 54 (2)Thereplacementcostofthedomesticanimalorlivestockifsuchbiteresults
55inthedeathofthedomesticanimalorlivestock.
56 7.Aperson,propertyowner,orlivestockownermaykilladogthatshows
57aggressiontothepersonorownerinanymannerthatputsthepersonorownerinfear
58ofhisorherlife,thelifeofothers,orthelifeofadomesticanimalorlivestock.
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