St. Louis County, Missouri

611.050– Vaccination—Registration of Dogs, Cats, Puppies and Kittens Required—Duties of the Director, Veterinarians, and Persons Responsible for Animals.

1. Every person responsible for any puppy or kitten shall have such puppy or kitten vaccinated for rabies and registered as provided in this section on or before the puppy or kitten reaches four (4) months of age, but not earlier than three (3) months of age.

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4. The following fees are established for each combined set of a certificate and a tag:

One year if spayed or neutered …..$ 8.00

Three years if spayed or neutered …..20.00

One year if not spayed or neutered …..16.00

Three years if not spayed or neutered …..40.00

611.090– Animals Impounded—When—Where Kept; Hearing; Adoption; Spay and Neutering; Electronic Identification Chip; Euthanasia.

5. A person that adopts an animal from a St. Louis County Animal Control shelter shall spay or neuter such animal within thirty (30) days of adoption.

a.The person adopting such animal shall pay a fee of forty dollars ($40.00) to St. Louis County. Such fee shall include charges for rabies vaccination and registration, and implanting of electronic identification chip. Such fee shall also include spaying or neutering of the animal if a St. Louis County staff veterinarian performs the procedure. If a veterinarian other than a St. Louis County staff veterinarian performs the spay or neuter procedure, the person adopting the animal shall be responsible for any additional fees except as provided in Section 611.100 herein.

b. Upon determination of the Director, animals may be spayed or neutered before transfer or adoption either by a St. Louis County staff veterinarian or by a veterinarian in private practice. If the procedure is performed by a veterinarian in private practice, the fee for the procedure must be prepaid by the prospective adopter.

611.100– Reduced Cost Spay and Neuter Program.

In order to encourage that dogs and cats be spayed and neutered when appropriate, a program is hereby established to provide to persons responsible for dogs and cats spaying and neutering procedures for such animals at reduced cost. Such program may include the provision of spaying and neutering procedures by veterinary and other organizations on a pro bono or reduced cost basis, and may also include the payment by St. Louis County of a portion of said costs. The Director is authorized to establish all rules and regulations necessary to implement such program. The provisions of this section shall become effective January 1, 2006.

Sec. 8-43– Impoundment.

(c) If a dog is not redeemed by the owner within five days’ impoundment, the dog may be disposed of in one of the following ways, but no other way:

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(2) Release for adoption by a new owner who shows evidence of ability and intention to provide the dog with an appropriate home and human care, provided that no unspayed female dog shall be released for adoption unless a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing that he has been paid in full for spaying of the dog and will perform the operation within 30 days or before the dog’s first oestrus period.