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Figures from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that at least 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year.
Moreover, severe dog attacks have been associated with more than 900 trips to hospital emergency rooms daily.
In response to the potentially high-risk dog bites posed to people's safety, many states have imposed breed-specific ordinances, including Missouri.
While the state does not have a general law that prohibits owning some dogs, many cities have enacted ordinances that ban residents from keeping and breeding certain breeds.
Which Cities in Missouri Prohibit Certain Dog Breeds?
In most cities in Missouri, breed-specific ordinances generally prohibit pit bulls.
The group includes Berkeley, Bloomfield, California, Carl Junction, Carthage, Center, Charleston, Chillicothe, Edina, Fayette, Fenton, Ferguson, Fredericktown, Gerald, Hayti, Independence, Kanoka, Kearney, Lathrop, Licking, Montgomery City, Mound City, New Florence, New London, New Madrid, Normandy, and Northwoods.
Other cities that ban pit bulls are Orrick, Pagedale, Palmyra, Pilot Grove, Pine Lawn, Platte City, Plattsburg, Poplar Bluff, Sparta, Springfield, Sugar Creek, Troy, Velda City, Verona, Village of Airport Drive, Village of Country Club, Vinita Park, Warsaw, Weatherby Lake, Webb City, Winchester, and Woodson Terrace.
In Camdenton, Kriskville, Marshfield, Merriam Woods, and St. James, pit bulls are restricted.
Some of those cities ban other dog breeds, including:
Edina (rottweiler)
Mound City (rottweilers and wolf hybrids)
Normandy (rottweilers)
Northwoods (rottweilers)
Pilot Grove (chinesischer kampfhunds, chow chows, Doberman pinschers, and rottweilers)
Plattsburg (presa canarios and presa mallorquin or Ca de Bou)
Which Cities Consider Some Dog Breeds "Dangerous"?
Other cities that have not imposed bans on specific dogs consider pit bulls "dangerous" or "vicious."
The group comprises Bellefontaine Neighbors, Bethany, Bonne Terre, Branson West, Caruthersville, Chaffee, Concordia, Cool Valley, Dellwood, Gladstone, Hazelwood, Jennings, Memphis, Moline Acres, Monroe City, Pleasant Valley, Rock Port, Salem, Seymour, Sikeston, Sullivan, and Winchester.
In addition to pit bulls, these cities have labeled other breeds as "dangerous" or "vicious:"
Chaffee (American bulldogs, rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, and chows)
Concord (rottweilers)
Monroe City (Doberman pinschers and rottweilers)
Rock Port (rottweilers and Doberman pinschers)
In the city of St. Louis, people are also prohibited from breeding or keeping any dog descended from a non-domesticated canine, such as a coyote or wolf.
Keeping Banned or Dangerous Dogs: Is It Illegal?
Under Missouri law, any resident who keeps or breeds a prohibited or dangerous dog may face legal action. The same is true for those who own dogs considered vicious without following the safety measures established by the state's regulations or licenses.
If such dogs bite a person, their owners could be charged with committing crimes. In some cases, owning a dangerous dog that causes serious injury to anyone could be a class A misdemeanor.
Possession of dangerous or prohibited canines resulting in serious injury to any person may also be considered a class E felony after a similar incident or a class D felony when it causes the death of a person.
What Happens If a Banned or Dangerous Dog Bites a Person?
In some of the scenarios mentioned above, dogs may be seized by animal control authorities or the county sheriff.
Owners could face fines, jail time, and be forced to pay compensation to injured people. In severe cases, a dog can be destroyed when:
Has previously bitten an individual without provocation and bites or attacks another person
Has not bitten a person but attacks and seriously injures or kills someone
How Can Personal Injury Lawyers Help
Those who have been attacked and injured or the family members of individuals who have been killed by a dangerous or prohibited dog attack in Missouri can seek legal help from an attorney.
The best dog bite lawyer in St Louis with experience knows the breed-specific ordinances in each city and are prepared to help victims take legal action against those responsible.
Powell Law Firm's legal team goes to great lengths to hold irresponsible dog owners liable for the harm and suffering caused to others.
Dog owners are responsible for any medical expenses, pain, or loss their pets cause. Some victims can even claim emotional distress for fear of rabies after a bite or attack. Therefore, seeking legal assistance is the first step to finding justice and holding them accountable for their negligence.
Our firm has seasoned dog bite attorneys willing to fight for the legal rights of victims or their families and help them obtain the compensation they deserve.
Any individual who has been bitten by a dog in Missouri can call us and get a free consultation today!