Recovery of damages for sheep killed
If a dog kills or injures sheep or other domestic animals, the animal owner can sue the dog's owner for the full cost of damages. The dog's owner is also required to kill the dog after being told to do so, and for every day they refuse, they owe one dollar. Anyone is allowed to kill the dog if the owner won't. If more than one dog from different owners caused the harm, the animal owner can choose to sue all the dog owners together or each one separately.
273.020. Recovery of for sheep killed — of dog, . — In every case where sheep or other domestic animals are killed or maimed by dogs, the owner of such animals may recover against the owner or of such dog or dogs the full amount of damages and the owner shall kill such dog or dogs; and for every day he shall refuse or to do so, after notice, he shall pay and the sum of one dollar, and it shall be lawful for any person to kill such dog or dogs; provided, however, that whenever in any case the facts shall show that in the worrying or killing, maiming or wounding of any said sheep or other domestic animals that the same was done by two or more dogs belonging to different owners, then the , the person whose animals were killed, wounded or maimed, may at his or her , join all of the owners of said dogs as or may sue each one separately at his or her election.
(RSMo 1939 § 14535)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 12861; 1919 § 4351; 1909 § 855
(1957) Chickens held "animals" within the statute and evidence was sufficient to support . Tillery v. Cook (A.), 297 S.W.2d 9.
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Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.