Anyone In Missouri With Pit Bulls

I was on a classifieds website today that is based in Missouri and I found this. I have 3 Pits that are like my kids. I have givin up a house so that I could keep my dogs. And now they want to pass a law that says I have to pay $500 per dog to keep them. I have to keep a Muzzle on them if I take them anywhere. And I have to get rid of one because the limit is two. I cannot sit back and let them take away my dogs. I will move to another state first. Anyway, here is what I found. I don't know where to find all the details about when they are voting and all that so if anyone can find out PLEASE let me know!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!



2006 MO H 1686 AUTHOR: Chappelle-Nadal VERSION: Introduced VERSION DATE: 02/07/2006 SECOND REGULAR SESSION HOUSE BILL NO. 1686 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE S CHAPPELLE NADAL, (Sponsor), McGHEE AND BROWN (50) (Co-sponsors). Read 1st time February 7, 2006 and copies ordered printed. STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk AN ACT To amend chapter 273, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to pit bull ownership. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows: Section A. Chapter 273, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 273.225, to read as follows: 273.225. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Department", the Missouri department of agriculture; (2) "Household", any single-family home or apartment building inhabited by one or more individuals; (3) "Muzzle", a restraining device that, when fitted over a pit bull's snout, prevents the pit bull from biting; (4) "Owner", any person who acquires or owns a pit bull as a pet or watch dog. Owner shall not include a veterinarian, an animal control officer, an animal shelter worker, or a dog breeder while such persons possess or acquire pit bulls in the ordinary course of business; (5) "Pit bull", any canine, whether purebred or exhibiting the dominant characteristics thereof, of the following breeds: American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, and American pit bull terrier. 2. Beginning January 1, 2007, every owner of a pit bull residing in this state shall apply for a state pit bull resident owner permit for each pit bull owned by the owner. Each owner shall not own more than two pit bulls. Any person who owns or acquires a pit bull shall, within ten days of acquisition, be required to apply for such permit. The applicant for a state permit shall submit the following: (1) A fee of five hundred dollars; (2) Proof that the pit bull has been spayed or neutered; and (3) Any other information required by the department. 3. A pit bull owner shall be required to: (1) Obtain a separate state permit for each pit bull owned by the owner; and (2) Leash and maintain a muzzle on the pit bull at all times while the pit bull is on public property or any private property not wholly owned by the owner. 4. Any pit bull owner who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to the following penalties: (1) For failure to obtain and maintain a state pit bull resident owner permit: (a) An administrative penalty of one thousand dollars to be collected by the department; (b) The pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for observation for a minimum of ten days and not more than sixty days. The owner shall be assessed a boarding fee of thirty dollars per day for each day of the observation period, with such fee being paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter boarding the pit bull; and (c) If the sixty-day observation period lapses and the owner does not seek to reestablish custody and control of the pit bull or the owner fails to fully pay the boarding fees for the observation period, the owner shall be deemed to have relinquished all ownership rights in the pit bull and the care, custody, and control of the pit bull shall remain with the animal control authority or animal shelter; (2) For failure to maintain a leash or muzzle on a pit bull while the pit bull is on public property or private property not wholly owned by the pit bull owner: (a) For a first offense, the pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for a ten-day observation period, with the owner being assessed a thirty-dollar-a-day boarding fee to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter; (b) For a second offense, the pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for a thirty-day observation period, with the owner being assessed a thirty-dollar-a-day boarding fee to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter; and (c) For a third offense, the owner shall be deemed to have relinquished all ownership rights in the pit bull and the pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter, with a surcharge of eighteen hundred dollars to be imposed, payable to the animal control authority or animal shelter; (3) When a pit bull physically attacks a person or another animal: (a) For a first offense: a. The pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for a thirty-day observation period; b. The owner shall be assessed a thirty-dollar-a-day boarding fee to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter; c. The owner shall be subject to a civil action for restitution for damages to person or animal incurred during the physical attack; and d. The owner shall be required to attend and bear the cost of ten hours of evaluation and counseling by a licensed psychologist to assess the capabilities of the owner relative to responsible ownership of a pit bull; and (b) For a second offense: a. The owner shall be deemed to have relinquished all ownership rights in the pit bull and the pit bull shall be transferred to the care, custody, and control of an animal control authority or animal shelter; b. The owner shall be assessed a surcharge of eighteen hundred dollars to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter; and c. The owner shall be subject to a civil action for restitution for damages to person or animal incurred during the physical attack. 5. The department may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2006, shall be invalid and void. Copyright 2004 State Net. All Rights Reserved. --------------------------- Regardless of how you feel about Pit Bulls - once we allow legislation like this to pass, it is very easily ammended to add other breeds - YOUR Medium-Large breed. Please think about this and help to stop Breed Selective Legislation.