Greene County animal control ordinance to go into effect Tuesday (Springfield, MO)

[Rene Allegrini]

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News-Leader.com | News Update

Jane Huh
© 2006, Springfield News-Leader

Greene County's animal control ordinance will go into effect Jan. 2, but full enforcement won't begin until Jan. 15 to allow residents time to adjust to the changes.

The new ordinance prohibits dogs from running loose within the unincorporated area surrounding the city of Springfield, which overlaps the city�s urban service area.

Dogs must be leashed or confined while away from the owners� property. Running-at-large dogs that are found will be taken by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department�s Division of Animal Control. Exceptions include dogs on property with the owners� permission, dogs in vehicles and dogs engaged with their owners in hunting, training or agricultural use.

Also included in the ordinance within the urban animal control area are definitions of what constitutes a vicious dog and a nuisance dog. Dogs found to bite, attack or show threatening behavior toward people, pets, livestock, motorists or bicyclists may be determined vicious or a nuisance.

Owners of declared vicious or nuisance dogs must apply for an annual permit: $275 a year for a vicious dog and $150 a year for a nuisance dog. Owners who keep more than one vicious dog must pay $150 a year on top of the $275 for each additional vicious dog.

Owners found in violation of the ordinance may face up to $1,000 in fines and/or up to 180 days in the Greene County Jail.