FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.489
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEVANSCHOIACK.
1185H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection578.018,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
confiscationofanimals,withpenaltyprovisions.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section578.018,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection578.018,toreadasfollows:
578.018.1.Anydulyauthorizedpublichealthofficialorlawenforcementofficial
2mayseekawarrantfromtheappropriatecircuitcourttoenable[himorher]theduly
3authorizedpublichealthofficialorlawenforcementofficialtoenterprivatepropertyin
4ordertoinspect,carefor,or[impound] confiscateneglectedorabusedanimalsassetforthin
5suchwarrant. Allrequestsforsuchwarrantsshallbesigned,witnessed,andaccompanied
6byanaffidavitstatingtheprobablecausetobelieveaviolationofsections578.005to
7[578.023] 578.025hasoccurred.Allwarrantsshallbeservedinthepresenceofalaw
8enforcementofficial.Apersonactingundertheauthorityofawarrantshall:
9 (1)[Begiven] Appearatadispositionhearingbeforethecourtthroughwhichthe
10warrantwasissued,within[thirty] tendaysofthe[filingoftherequest] confiscationforthe
11purposeofgrantingimmediatedispositionoftheanimals[impounded]. Noanimalshallbe
12sterilizedpriortothecompletionofsuchdispositionhearingunlessnecessarytosavelife
13orrelievesuffering;
14 (2)Place[impounded] animalsinthecareorcustodyofaveterinarian,the
15appropriateanimalcontrolauthority,[or]ananimalshelter, orathirdpartyapprovedby
16thecourt. Ifnoappropriateveterinarian,animalcontrolauthority,[or]animalshelter, or
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17thirdpartyisavailable,theanimalshallnotbe[impounded] confiscatedunlessitisdiseased
18ordisabledbeyondrecoveryforanyusefulpurpose;
19 (3)Humanelykillanyanimal[impounded] confiscatedifitisdeterminedbya
20licensedveterinarianthattheanimalisdiseasedordisabledbeyondrecoveryforanyuseful
21purpose;
22 (4)Notbeliableforanyreasonableandnecessarydamagetopropertywhileacting
23undersuchwarrant.
24 2.(1)Theownerofanyanimalthathasbeenconfiscatedunderthissectionshall
25notberesponsiblefortheanimal'scareandkeepingpriortoadispositionhearingif,at
26thedispositionhearing,thereisnofindingofabusebythecourtandthecourtordersthe
27animalreturnedtotheowner.
28 (2)If,atthedispositionhearing,thecourtfindsthatabuselikelyoccurredand
29doesnotordertheanimalreturnedtotheowner,aftercompletionofthedisposition
30hearingtheownerorcustodianoranypersonclaiminganinterestinanyanimalthathasbeen
31[impounded] confiscatedbecauseofneglectorabusemaypreventdispositionoftheanimal
32afterthedispositionhearinganduntilfinaljudgment,settlement,ordismissalofany
33criminalchargesbypostingreasonablebondorsecuritywithinseventy-twohoursofthe
34dispositionhearinginanamountsufficienttoprovidefortheanimal'scareandkeeping[for
35atleastthirtydays,inclusiveofthedateonwhichtheanimalwastakenintocustody] and
36consistentwiththefairmarketcostofboardingsuchananimalinanappropriateretail
37boardingfacility. Notwithstandingthefactthatreasonablebondmaybepostedpursuantto
38this[subsection] subdivision, theauthorityhavingcustodyoftheanimalmayhumanely
39disposeoftheanimalattheendofthetimeforwhichreasonableexpensesarecoveredbythe
40bondorsecurity,unlessthereisacourtorderprohibitingsuchdisposition.Suchordershall
41provideforareasonablebondorothersecurityintheamountnecessarytoprotectthe
42authorityhavingcustodyoftheanimalfromanycostofthecare,keeping, ordisposalofthe
43animal.
44 (3)Theauthoritytakingcustodyofananimalshallgivenoticeoftheprovisionsof
45thissection[bypostingacopyofthissectionattheplacewheretheanimalwastakeninto
46custodyor]bydelivering[it]acopyofthissectiontoapersonresidingontheproperty.
47 3.Theownerorcustodianofanyanimalhumanelykilledpursuanttothissection
48shallnotbeentitledtorecoveranydamagesrelatedtonortheactualvalueoftheanimalifthe
49animalwasfoundbyalicensedveterinariantobediseasedordisabledbeyondrecoveryfor
50anyusefulpurpose, oriftheownerorcustodianfailedtopostbondorsecurityforthecare,
51keeping, anddispositionoftheanimalafterbeingnotifiedof[impoundment] confiscation
52andaftercompletionofthedispositionhearing.
HB489 2 53 4.Allanimalsconfiscatedunderthissectionshallreceivepropercareas
54determinedbystatelawandregulationsforeachspecificanimalandfacilityor
55organizationwheretheanimalisplacedaftersuchconfiscation.Anysuchfacilityor
56organizationshallbeliabletotheanimalownerfordamagesforanynegligentactsor
57abuseofsuchanimalthatoccurswhiletheanimalisinthecare,custody,andcontrolof
58thefacilityororganization.
59 5.Intheeventthattheanimalownerisnotliableforthecostsincurredforthe
60placementandcareofananimaloranimalswhilechargeswerepending,suchcosts
61relatingtoplacementandcare,aswellasliabilityforthelifeordeathoftheanimaland
62formedicalproceduresperformedwhilechargeswerepending,shallbethe
63responsibilityofandshallbeborneandpaidbytheconfiscatingagency.Suchcosts
64shallbeconsistentwiththefairmarketvalueofboardingananimalataretail
65establishmentandwiththeusualandcustomarycostsofveterinarymedicalservices
66providedbyacliniclicensedunderchapter340.
67 6.Iftheownerpostedasufficientbondandisacquittedorthereisafinal
68dischargewithoutconviction,unlessthereisasettlementagreement,consentjudgment,
69orasuspendedimpositionofsentence,theownermaydemandthereturnoftheanimal
70heldincustody.Anyentitywithcare,custody,andcontrolofsuchanimalshall
71immediatelyreturnsuchanimaltotheownerupondemandandproofofsuchacquittal
72orfinaldischargewithoutconviction.Uponacquittalorfinaldischargewithout
73conviction,unlessthereisasettlementagreement,consentjudgment,orasuspended
74impositionofsentence,theownershallnotbeliableforanycostsincurredrelatingto
75theplacementorcareoftheanimalduringthependencyofthecharges.
76 7.Anypersonorentitythatintentionallyeuthanizes,otherthanaspermissible
77underthissection,orintentionallysterilizesananimalpriortoadispositionhearingor
78duringanyperiodforwhichreasonablebondwassecuredfortheanimal'scareisguilty
79ofaclassBmisdemeanorandshallbeliabletotheowneroftheanimalfordamages
80including,butnotlimitedto,theactualvalueoftheanimal.Eachviolationagainsteach
81individualanimalisaseparateoffense.AnysecondorsubsequentviolationisaclassA
82misdemeanorandanyentitylicensedunderstatelawshallbesubjecttolicensure
83sanctionbyitsgoverningbody.
âś”
HB489 3