A.
All owners and anyone having care, custody or control of any animal
shall prevent the animal from being at large. All domesticated animals,
when such animal is off of their premises, in a residentially zoned
district, shall be on a leash not to exceed ten (10) feet in length.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 15-120 also redesignated this Section
from "205.039" to "205.032."
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord.
No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
A.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or anyone having care, custody
or control of any animal to:
1.
Confine an animal in an outdoor pen or enclosure without adequate
space so as to provide the animal with free movement or exercise.
2.
Leave an animal tethered outdoors for ten (10) consecutive hours
in a twenty-four-hour period or on a tether that allows a dog or cat
to enter upon a sidewalk or right-of-way.
3.
Tether an animal except by means of:
a.
A properly fitting harness or collar.
b.
A tether in proportion to the size of the animal so that its
weight and construction do not burden or encumber the animal's movement
but not allow breakage. The tether must be at least fifteen (15) feet
in length with a swivel at both ends. If a trolley system is used
the trolley cable must be at a safe height from the ground.
4.
Tether an animal in such a manner that the animal cannot access
adequate shelter while tethered.
5.
Tether an animal in conditions where the animal or tether can
become entangled causing a hazard for injury or death, or where the
tether can restrict the animal's access to adequate shelter, adequate
food, or adequate water.
6.
Tether an animal outdoors in a manner that does not allow the
animal to defecate or urinate in an area separate from the area where
it must eat, drink or lie down.
7.
Expose an animal to any weather conditions that cause immediate
or imminent threat to the animal's physical well-being.
8.
Tether an animal in an area where it stays wet or muddy for
more than twenty-four (24) hours after the cessation of a period of
rain.
9.
Leave an animal tethered outside in a residentially zoned area
between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M., except temporarily
tethering outdoors for a time period not exceeding fifteen (15) minutes
for the purpose of urination/defecation.
10.
Tether a dog or cat under the age of six (6) months.
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord.
No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
A person may not harbor any stray animal, unless it is reported
to the Division within twenty-four (24) hours of finding the animal.
The Division may impound the animal at its discretion.
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §1, 10-4-1993; Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
A.
An owner or competent person is guilty of animal neglect when having
custody or ownership or both of an animal and he or she fails to give
it adequate care, adequate food, adequate water, adequate shelter,
or adequate control, or allows an animal to be at large.
[Ord. No. 23-023, 3-13-2023]
B.
An owner or competent person is guilty of animal abuse when he:
1.
Intentionally or purposely kills an animal in any manner not
allowed by or expressly exempted from the provisions of this Section;
2.
Purposely, intentionally or recklessly causes injury, suffering,
or pain to an animal;
3.
Abandons an animal;
4.
Overworks, overloads, drives, tortures, beats, or recklessly
or maliciously wounds or kills an animal, or carries or transports
it in any vehicle or other conveyance in an inhumane or unsafe manner
or causes any of these acts to be done; or
5.
Purposely, intentionally or recklessly fails to provide adequate
food, adequate water, adequate shelter, adequate care or adequate
control or allows an animal to be at large.
C.
A proprietor
of a boarding or breeding kennel, pet shop, dealership or grooming
parlor is guilty of animal neglect if they fail to ensure that an
animal with a serious illness or injury receives prompt treatment
by a licensed veterinarian.
D.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to euthanasia of an
animal by the owner or a veterinarian.
E.
Any person found guilty of animal abuse or neglect shall be responsible
for all actual costs associated with the impound, care and all diagnostic
tests and treatments.
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §2, 10-4-1993; Ord. No. 00-064 §1, 5-31-2000; Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
A.
An owner or competent person is guilty of failure to register/vaccinate
or microchip when he:
1.
Fails to arrange registration/vaccination of any cat, dog, puppy,
kitten or ferret with the Division when or before the puppy, kitten
or ferret reaches six (6) months of age, but not before it reaches
three (3) months of age;
2.
Fails to arrange registration/vaccination of any dog or cat
within forty-five (45) days of acquisition by the owner;
3.
Fails to have a collar or harness bearing a current tag on the
vaccinated dog or cat when the animal is outside the residence of
the owner;
5.
Fails to maintain current contact information with the microchip registry company or the Division by which the owner or competent person of the microchipped animal can be reached, when the microchip is required by Sections 205.080, 205.140 and/or 205.141. Said contact information shall be updated within thirty (30) days of any change.
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §3, 10-4-1993; Ord. No. 00-064 §§1—2, 5-31-2000; Ord. No. 01-161 §1, 11-28-2001]
A.
No
person shall keep or harbor upon his premises any dog that disturbs
the peace of any other person by loud and persistent or loud and habitual
barking, yelping or howling. Brief howling or barking at a disturbance
on or near the property of the regular premises of the dog shall not
be considered habitual barking.
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord.
No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
B.
Complaints
during normal business hours of the Division shall be taken by the
Division. Complaints after the Division's normal business hours shall
be directed to the St. Charles County Police Department.
[Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
C.
Before
investigating the complaint, the authority receiving it shall take
the name, address and telephone number(s) of each complainant. If
the Police Department investigates the complaint, the Police Department
shall forward a copy of the complaint, as well as an incident report,
if any, to the Division. Upon complaint to the Division or upon the
Division's receipt of a copy of a complaint taken by the Police Department,
the Division may investigate.
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord.
No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
D.
This
Section shall not apply to kennels operating under licenses issued
by St. Charles County at the time this Chapter takes full force and
effect.
E.
A violation of Section 205.060 is an infraction punishable by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first (1st) offense, one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the second (2nd) offense and two hundred dollars ($200.00) to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for any offense thereafter.
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015]
[Ord. No. 00-064 §4, 5-31-2000; Ord. No. 01-161 §2, 11-28-2001; Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord. No. 16-088 §1, 10-24-2016]
A.
No owner or competent person shall keep or harbor upon his/her premises any dangerous dog in violation of the provisions of this Chapter, nor shall any owner or competent person fail to control his or her dangerous dog as required by the provisions of this Chapter, the provisions of an order issued pursuant to Section 205.145, or the provisions of an agreement between an owner and the Division. Violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalties set out in Section 205.250, in addition to the fees and penalties set out in Section 205.240.
[Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
[Ord. No. 01-161 §8, 11-28-2001; Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015; Ord. No. 23-023, 3-13-2023]
A.
It shall be unlawful to fight-train an animal or to keep, harbor,
board or in any manner possess an animal for the purpose of animal-fighting
or animal-fight exhibitions. Scars, wounds, training and/or fighting
paraphernalia shall be used as evidence of participation in animal-fight
training or exhibitions. "Fight training" shall include, but not be
limited to:
1.
Actions designed to torment, badger, bait or in any way encourage
any animal for purposes of engaging in an animal fight exhibition.
2.
The use of other animals of any sort for blood sport or animal-fight
training.
3.
Abusing the animal by inflicting blows, kicks or other physical
contact in order to encourage the animal to develop aggression or
fighting skills.
4.
Any other activity, the primary purpose of which is the training
of animals for aggressive or vicious behavior or animal fights.
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §4, 10-4-1993]
A.
No
owner or competent person shall place or leave the carcass of any
dead animal in any street, alley or lot, or allow the carcass to remain
on his or anyone else's property.
[Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
B.
The
owner of any animal which has died from any cause shall dispose of
the body within twenty-four (24) hours after knowledge of such death.
The animal shall be buried no closer than four (4) feet to the natural
surface of the ground or disposed of by the County, a private veterinarian,
or a disposal plant licensed under Chapter 269, RSMo., 1986.
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §5, 10-4-1993; Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015;[1] Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, own, possess or
harbor any wild or exotic/dangerous animal in any place other than
a properly maintained zoological park, circus, scientific or educational
institution, research laboratory, or a licensed sanctuary or refuge.
All such animals present in the County for more than thirty (30) days
out of each year shall be identified by a microchip and that microchip
registered at the Division. Any violation of the Section shall be
considered a separate violation for each day the animal is subject
to microchip and registration and, upon conviction, shall result in
a fine of up to one hundred dollars ($100.00) a day for such failure
to microchip and register such exotic or dangerous animal.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 15-120 also changed the title of this
Section from "Keeping Exotic Animals" to "Keeping Exotic/Dangerous
Animals."
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015]
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, possess, harbor
or keep a rooster in a residentially zoned parcel of land less than
five (5) acres in size.
[Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015]
A.
No person shall harbor, keep or allow another to harbor or keep more
than four (4) domesticated animals on any parcel of property located
within a residentially zoned district; except that any person may
keep more than four (4) animals on any parcel of property only after
obtaining a kennel registration issued by the Division Director.
[Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
B.
No person shall harbor, keep or allow another to harbor or keep more
than four (4) snakes on any parcel of property located within a residentially
zoned district. This shall not apply to any property zoned single-family
residential.
[Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
C.
In
all residential zoning districts, the occupant of a dwelling may only
keep chickens for personal use under the following conditions:
1.
Hens may be kept on residential property. A rooster may only be kept
on a residentially zoned parcel of land five (5) acres or more in
size.
2.
In residential lots of ten thousand (10,000) square feet or more,
the maximum number of hens that may be kept is eight (8).
3.
Hens shall not be kept for commercial or resale purposes. Hens and
eggs may not be sold, nor may they be advertised for sale.
4.
Hens shall be confined in an enclosure by a secure fence (as defined in Section 205.010) meeting the following specifications:
5.
A chicken coop shall be located within or adjacent to the fenced confinement area described in Section 205.085(C)(4). No more than one (1) chicken coop may be located on a lot. The chicken coop shall be structurally sound and meet the following specifications:
a.
A roof constructed of standard building material but not a tarpaulin;
b.
Walls constructed of wood or metal which are six (6) feet or less
in height;
c.
A non-porous floor of vinyl, plastic or concrete, covered with straw
or wood shavings;
d.
Contain a minimum of four ( 4) square feet per animal kept;
e.
A coop shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area, and
shall be located entirely in the rear yard of the residence.
7.
Both the fenced enclosure and the coop shall be maintained as to
not pose a threat to the public health, safety or welfare or to cause
a public nuisance. No material from the confinement area or coop shall
run off onto adjoining property. Any manure or waste shall be collected
and properly removed from the premises or tilled into the soil on
the premises promptly and regularly to prevent offensive smells or
conditions conducive to diseases.
8.
Food for hens shall be stored in a sanitary, leak-proof container
that cannot be contaminated by rodents or insects.
9.
Chickens shall not be slaughtered on the property under any circumstances.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (C), which immediately follows,
was also relettered (D) by Ord. No. 18-051.
D.
Any person that obtains a kennel registration must comply with requirements set forth in Ordinance of St. Charles County Sections 205.160 — 205.210, inclusive. Nothing herein shall be construed to repeal the provision of the County's Keeping Exotic/Dangerous Animals Ordinance, Ordinance of St. Charles County Section 205.080. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the number of livestock on agriculturally zoned property.
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §6, 10-4-1993; Ord. No. 00-064 §1, 5-31-2000; Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
A.
An
owner or competent person is guilty of interfering with an officer
when he:
[Ord. No. 93-162 Art. II §7, 10-4-1993; Ord. No. 15-120 §1, 12-21-2015;[1] Ord. No. 22-075, 11-28-2022]
All fecal and urine accumulations in any pen, run, cage or yard
where any animal is kept shall be removed and disposed of or cleaned
in such a manner as to prevent insects, pests or vermin infestation
and/or the creation of offensive, disagreeable, or noxious odors.
Dog or cat owners or anyone having care, custody or control of a dog
or cat shall immediately dispose of, in a sanitary manner, fecal matter
created while off the dog or cat owner's property.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 15-120 also changed the title of this
Section from "Disposal of Fecal Matter" to "Disposal of Fecal and
Urine Matter."
