Canine Cruelty Prevention Act

273.345. Canine Cruelty Prevention Act — citation of law — purpose — required care — definitions — veterinary records — space requirements — severability clause. — 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Canine Cruelty Prevention Act".

2. The purpose of this act is to prohibit the cruel and inhumane treatment of dogs bred in large operations by requiring large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each dog under their care with basic food and water, adequate shelter from the elements, necessary veterinary care, adequate space to turn around and stretch his or her limbs, and regular exercise.

3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person having custody or ownership of more than ten female covered dogs for the purpose of breeding those animals and selling any offspring for use as a pet shall provide each covered dog:

(1) Sufficient food and clean water;

(2) Necessary veterinary care;

(3) Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements;

(4) Sufficient space to turn and stretch freely, lie down, and fully extend his or her limbs;

(5) Regular exercise; and

(6) Adequate rest between breeding cycles.

4. For purposes of this section and notwithstanding the provisions of section 273.325, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) "Adequate rest between breeding cycles" means, at minimum, ensuring that female dogs are not bred to produce more litters in any given period than what is recommended by a licensed veterinarian as appropriate for the species, age, and health of the dog;

(2) "Covered dog" means any individual of the species of the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, or resultant hybrids, that is over the age of six months and has intact sexual organs;

(3) "Necessary veterinary care" means, at minimum, examination at least once yearly by a licensed veterinarian, prompt treatment of any serious illness or injury by a licensed veterinarian, and where needed, humane euthanasia by a licensed veterinarian using lawful techniques deemed acceptable by the American Veterinary Medical Association;

(4) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, or syndicate;

(5) "Pet" means any species of the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, or resultant hybrids, normally maintained in or near the household of the owner thereof;

(6) "Regular exercise" means the type and amount of exercise sufficient to comply with an exercise plan that has been approved by a licensed veterinarian, developed in accordance with regulations regarding exercise promulgated by the Missouri department of agriculture, and where such plan affords the dog maximum opportunity for outdoor exercise as weather permits;

(7) "Retail pet store" means a person or retail establishment open to the public where dogs are bought, sold, exchanged, or offered for retail sale directly to the public to be kept as pets, but that does not engage in any breeding of dogs for the purpose of selling any offspring for use as a pet;

(8) "Sufficient food and clean water" means access to appropriate nutritious food at least twice a day sufficient to maintain good health, and continuous access to potable water that is not frozen and is generally free of debris, feces, algae, and other contaminants;

(9) "Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements" means the continuous provision of a sanitary facility, the provision of a solid surface on which to lie in a recumbent position, protection from the extremes of weather conditions, proper ventilation, and appropriate space depending on the species of animal as required by regulations of the Missouri department of agriculture and in compliance with the provisions of subsection 7 of this section. No dog shall remain inside its enclosure while the enclosure is being cleaned. Dogs housed within the same enclosure shall be compatible, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Missouri department of agriculture;

(10) "Sufficient space to turn and stretch freely, lie down, and fully extend his or her limbs" means having:

(a) Sufficient indoor space or shelter from the elements for each dog to turn in a complete circle without any impediment (including a tether);

(b) Enough indoor space or shelter from the elements for each dog to lie down and fully extend his or her limbs and stretch freely without touching the side of an enclosure or another dog;

(c) Appropriate space depending on the species of the animal, as specified in regulations by the Missouri department of agriculture, as revised, and in compliance with the provisions of subsection 7 of this section.

5. Any person subject to the provisions of this section shall maintain all veterinary records and sales records for the most recent previous two years. These records shall be made available to the state veterinarian, a state or local animal welfare official, or a law enforcement agent upon request.

6. The provisions of this section are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other state and federal laws protecting animal welfare. This section shall not be construed to limit any state law or regulation protecting the welfare of animals, nor shall anything in this section prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations in addition to this section. This section shall not be construed to place any numerical limits on the number of dogs a person may own or control when such dogs are not used for breeding those animals and selling any offspring for use as a pet. This section shall not apply to a dog during examination, testing, operation, recuperation, or other individual treatment for veterinary purposes, during lawful scientific research, during transportation, during cleaning of a dog's enclosure, during supervised outdoor exercise, or during any emergency that places a dog's life in imminent danger. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit hunting or the ability to breed, raise, sell, control, train, or possess dogs with the intention to use such dogs for hunting or other sporting purposes.

7. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the following space requirements shall apply under this section:

(1) From January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2015, for any enclosure existing prior to April 15, 2011, the minimum allowable space shall:

(a) Be two times the space allowable under the department of agriculture's regulation that was in effect on April 15, 2011;

(b) Except as prescribed by rule, provide constant and unfettered access to an attached outdoor run; and

(c) Meet all other requirements set forth by rule of the Missouri department of agriculture;

(2) For any enclosure newly constructed after April 15, 2011, and for all enclosures as of January 1, 2016, the minimum allowable space shall:

(a) Be three times the space allowable under the department of agriculture's regulation that was in effect on April 15, 2011;

(b) Except as prescribed by rule, provide constant and unfettered access to an attached outdoor run; and

(c) Meet all other requirements set forth by rule of the Missouri department of agriculture;

(3) For any enclosure newly constructed after April 15, 2011, and for all enclosures as of January 1, 2016, wire strand flooring shall be prohibited and all enclosures shall meet the flooring standard set forth by rule of the Missouri department of agriculture.

8. If any provision of this section, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid or unconstitutional, that invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section that can be given effect without the invalid or unconstitutional provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.