Animal may be killed, when, by whom
This law is about large carnivores — like big wild cats or bears kept by private owners. A police officer or regular person is allowed to kill a large carnivore if they see it chasing, attacking, or hurting a human, farm animals, or a pet that is outside its enclosure. Nobody gets in legal trouble for killing or trying to kill the animal in that situation. Also, if a large carnivore wanders onto a farm or field where someone raises animals, that counts as trespassing, and the owner of the carnivore has to pay for any damages.
578.608. Animal may be killed, when, by whom — , when — by animal, when. — 1. A or other person may kill a if such officer or person observes or has reason to believe that the large carnivore is chasing, attacking, injuring, or killing:
(1) A human being, whether the large carnivore is contained in or is outside of its ;
(2) ;
(3) ; or
(4) A mammalian pet, only if the large carnivore is outside of its enclosure.
2. No law enforcement officer, , or person shall be held for or otherwise for killing or attempting to kill a large carnivore under 1 of this section.
3. A large carnivore's entry onto a field or enclosure that is owned by or leased by a person producing livestock or poultry constitutes a trespass, and the person who owns or possesses the large carnivore is .
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Source & history notes
(L. 2010 S.B. 795)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.