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Animals & Pets
RSMo 273.030effective 28 Aug 1939

Dogs may be killed, when

In plain English

If someone sees a dog killing, hurting, or chasing sheep or other farm animals — or has good reason to believe a dog just did those things — that person is allowed to chase down and kill the dog right then. However, the dog cannot be killed while it is inside a fence or property that belongs to the dog's owner.

Word-for-word law

273.030. Dogs may be killed, when. — If any person shall discover any dog or dogs in the act of killing, wounding or chasing sheep in any portion of this state, or shall discover any dog or dogs under such circumstances as to satisfactorily show that such dog or dogs has or have been recently engaged in killing or chasing sheep or other or animals, such person is to immediately pursue and kill such dog or dogs; provided, however, that such dog or dogs shall not be killed in any belonging to or being in of the owner of such dog or dogs.

(RSMo 1939 § 14536)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 12862; 1919 § 4352; 1909 § 856

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Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.

RSMo 273.030: Dogs may be killed, when | KnowMo Laws