HCS HB 1404 -- ADEQUATE CONTROL OF AN ANIMAL

SPONSOR:  Wright (Cox)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Emerging Issues in Animal Agriculture by a vote of 10 to 1.

This substitute creates the crime of failure to adequately
control an animal if the owner intentionally or recklessly fails
to adequately control or restrain his or her animal and the
animal bites or causes physical injury to a person.  Anyone
committing this crime will be guilty of a class C misdemeanor for
the first offense and a class B misdemeanor for any subsequent
offense.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2011, FY 2012, and
FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that inadequate care or control of an
animal is currently the crime of animal neglect.  Failure to
control an animal needs to be a separate offense to allow for the
prosecution of an owner who fails to exercise adequate control
which results in physical injury to a person.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Cox; and Missouri
Family Network.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:10 pm