St. Louis, Missouri

2007

Dogs and cats may not be tethered for longer than 10 continuous hours or 12 hours total in a 24-hour period. Certain conditions must be met when animals are tethered.

10.04.285 Tethering, confinement and treatment of dogs and cats on owner/guardian’s property.

A. No owner/guardian or other person controlling or possessing any dog or cat shall leave a dog or cat tethered outdoors for ten (10) continuous hours or for a total of twelve (12) hours in a twenty-four-hour period.

B. No owner/guardian or other person controlling or possessing any dog or cat shall tether a dog or cat except by means of a properly fitting harness or collar of nylon or leather construction and a tether in proportion to the size of the animal. The tether must be at least fifteen (15) feet in length with a swivel at both ends.

C. No owner/guardian or other person controlling or possessing any dog or cat shall tether a dog or cat outdoors under conditions where the animal or tether can become entangled on the tether, another animal, or some other object or where the tether can restrict the animal’s access to suitable, edible, and sufficient food, clean water (cool in summer and unfrozen in winter), and appropriate shelter.

D. No owner/guardian or other person controlling or possessing any dog or cat shall tether a dog or cat outdoors in unsafe or unsanitary conditions or when said tether does not allow the animal to defecate or urinate in an area separate from the areas where it must eat, drink, or lie down.

E. No owner/guardian or other person controlling or possessing any dog or cat shall fail to provide the dog or cat with sanitary living conditions including shelter proper for the species and sufficient to protect the animal from extreme temperatures, wind, rain, snow and sun.

F. No owner/guardian or other person controlling or possessing any dog or cat shall maliciously and knowingly restrain a dog or cat using a metal chain, tether, or metal wire grossly in excess of the size necessary to restrain a dog or cat safely.

G. All dogs and cats shall be treated humanely and shall not be beaten, tormented, overworked, neglected or cruelly treated, except that reasonable force may be used to drive off vicious animals. No animal shall be induced or encouraged to perform through the use of chemical, mechanical, electrical or manual devices which may cause physical injury or suffering.

(Ord. 67799 § 2, 2007: prior: Ord. 66384 § 1 (part), 2004: Ord. 65206 § 1 (part), 2001.)