Spectating dog fighting
It is a crime to go watch dogs fight — or even to be somewhere that people are getting ready for a dog fight — on purpose. This is a class A misdemeanor, which is one of the more serious non-felony crimes. This law does not apply to people who use dogs for herding livestock, hunting, or legal dog training.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
578.026. Spectating dog fighting — . — 1. A person commits the of spectating dogfighting if he or she is present, as a spectator, at any place, building, or structure where preparations are being made for an of the fighting of dogs, with the intent to be present at such preparations, or is knowingly present at such exhibition or at any other fighting or injuring as described in (2) of 1 of section 578.025, with the intent to be present at such exhibition, fighting, or injuring.
2. The offense of spectating dogfighting is a .
3. Nothing in this section shall be to prohibit:
(1) The use of dogs in the management of by the owner of such livestock, his or her employees or agents, or other persons in lawful of such livestock;
(2) The use of dogs in hunting; or
(3) The training of dogs or the use of equipment in the training of dogs for any purpose not prohibited by law.
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Source & history notes
(L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.