FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSECOMMITTEESUBSTITUTEFOR
HOUSEBILLNO.489
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
1185H.03C JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection578.018,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
confiscationofanimals,withpenaltyprovisions.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section578.018,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection578.018,toreadasfollows:
578.018.1.Any[dulyauthorizedpublichealthofficialor]lawenforcementofficial
2mayseekawarrantfromtheappropriatecircuitcourttoenable[himorher]thelaw
3enforcementofficialtoenterprivatepropertyinordertoinspect,carefor,or[impound]
4confiscateneglectedorabusedanimalsassetforthinsuchwarrant. Allrequestsforsuch
5warrantsshallbesigned,witnessed,andaccompaniedbyanaffidavitstatingtheprobable
6causetobelieveaviolationofsections578.005to[578.023] 578.025hasoccurred.Aperson
7actingundertheauthorityofawarrantshall:
8 (1)[Begiven] Appearatadispositionhearingbeforethecourtthroughwhichthe
9warrantwasissued,withinthirtydaysofthefilingoftherequestforthewarrantforthe
10purposeofgrantingimmediatedispositionoftheanimals[impounded]. Noanimalshallbe
11sterilizedpriortothecompletionofsuchdispositionhearingunlessnecessarytosavelife
12orrelievesuffering;
13 (2)Place[impounded] animalsinthecareorcustodyofaveterinarian,the
14appropriateanimalcontrolauthority,[or]ananimalshelter, orathirdpartyapprovedby
15thecourt. Ifnoappropriateveterinarian,animalcontrolauthority,[or]animalshelter, or
16thirdpartyisavailable,theanimalshallnotbe[impounded] confiscatedunlessitisdiseased
17ordisabledbeyondrecoveryforanyusefulpurpose;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 (3)Humanelykillanyanimal[impounded] confiscatedifitisdeterminedbya
19licensedveterinarianthattheanimalisdiseasedordisabledbeyondrecoveryforanyuseful
20purpose;
21 (4)Notbeliableforanyreasonableandnecessarydamagetopropertywhileacting
22undersuchwarrant.
23 2.(1)Theownerofanyanimalthathasbeenconfiscatedunderthissectionshall
24notberesponsiblefortheanimal'scareandkeepingpriortoadispositionhearingif,at
25thedispositionhearing,thereisnofindingofneglectorabusebythecourtandthecourt
26orderstheanimalreturnedtotheowner.
27 (2)If,atthedispositionhearing,thecourtfindsthatneglectorabuselikely
28occurredanddoesnotordertheanimalreturnedtotheowner,aftercompletionofthe
29dispositionhearingtheownerorcustodianoranypersonclaiminganinterestinanyanimal
30thathasbeen[impounded] confiscatedbecauseofneglectorabusemaypreventdisposition
31oftheanimalafterthedispositionhearinganduntilfinaljudgment,settlement,or
32dismissalofanycriminalchargesbypostingreasonablebondorsecuritywithinseventy-
33twohoursofthedispositionhearinginanamountsufficienttoprovidefortheanimal'scare
34andkeeping[foratleastthirtydays,inclusiveofthedateonwhichtheanimalwastakeninto
35custody] andconsistentwiththefairmarketcostofboardingsuchananimalinan
36appropriateretailboardingfacility. Notwithstandingthefactthatreasonablebondmaybe
37postedpursuanttothis[subsection] subdivision, theauthorityhavingcustodyoftheanimal
38mayhumanelydisposeoftheanimalattheendofthetimeforwhichreasonableexpensesare
39coveredbythebondorsecurity,unlessthereisacourtorderprohibitingsuchdisposition.
40Suchordershallprovideforareasonablebondorothersecurityintheamountnecessaryto
41protecttheauthorityhavingcustodyoftheanimalfromanycostofthecare,keeping, or
42disposaloftheanimal.
43 (3)Theauthoritytakingcustodyofananimalshallgivenoticeoftheprovisionsof
44thissectionbypostingacopyofthissectionattheplacewheretheanimalwastakeninto
45custodyorbydeliveringittoapersonresidingontheproperty.
46 3.Theownerorcustodianofanyanimalhumanelykilledpursuanttothissection
47shallnotbeentitledtorecoveranydamagesrelatedtonortheactualvalueoftheanimalifthe
48animalwasfoundbyalicensedveterinariantobediseasedordisabledbeyondrecoveryfor
49anyusefulpurpose, oriftheownerorcustodianfailedtopostbondorsecurityforthecare,
50keeping, anddispositionoftheanimalafterbeingnotifiedof[impoundment] confiscation
51andaftercompletionofthedispositionhearing.
52 4.Allanimalsconfiscatedunderthissectionshallreceivepropercareas
53determinedbystatelawandregulationsforeachspecificanimalandfacilityor
54organizationwheretheanimalisplacedaftersuchconfiscation.Anysuchfacilityor
HCSHB489 2 55organizationshallbeliabletotheanimalownerfordamagesforanynegligentactsor
56abuseofsuchanimalthatoccurswhiletheanimalisinthecare,custody,andcontrolof
57thefacilityororganization.
58 5.Intheeventthattheanimalownerisnotliableforthecostsincurredforthe
59placementandcareofananimaloranimalswhilechargeswerepending,suchcosts
60relatingtoplacementandcare,aswellasliabilityforthelifeordeathoftheanimaland
61formedicalproceduresperformedwhilechargeswerepending,shallbethe
62responsibilityofandshallbeborneandpaidbytheconfiscatingagency.Suchcosts
63shallbeconsistentwiththefairmarketvalueofboardingananimalataretail
64establishmentandwiththeusualandcustomarycostsofveterinarymedicalservices
65providedbyacliniclicensedunderchapter340.
66 6.Iftheownerpostedasufficientbondandisacquittedorthereisafinal
67dischargewithoutconviction,unlessthereisasettlementagreement,consentjudgment,
68orasuspendedimpositionofsentence,theownermaydemandthereturnoftheanimal
69heldincustody.Anyentitywithcare,custody,andcontrolofsuchanimalshall
70immediatelyreturnsuchanimaltotheownerupondemandandproofofsuchacquittal
71orfinaldischargewithoutconviction.Uponacquittalorfinaldischargewithout
72conviction,unlessthereisasettlementagreement,consentjudgment,orasuspended
73impositionofsentence,theownershallnotbeliableforanycostsincurredrelatingto
74theplacementorcareoftheanimalduringthependencyofthecharges.
75 7.Anypersonorentitythatintentionallyeuthanizes,otherthanaspermissible
76underthissection,orintentionallysterilizesananimalpriortoadispositionhearingor
77duringanyperiodforwhichreasonablebondwassecuredfortheanimal'scareisguilty
78ofaclassBmisdemeanorandshallbeliabletotheowneroftheanimalfordamages
79including,butnotlimitedto,theactualvalueoftheanimal.Eachviolationagainsteach
80individualanimalisaseparateoffense.AnysecondorsubsequentviolationisaclassA
81misdemeanorandanyentitylicensedunderstatelawshallbesubjecttolicensure
82sanctionbyitsgoverningbody.
âś”
HCSHB489 3