Section 273.020

Title XVII AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS

Chapter 273

Effective - 28 Aug 1939   

  273.020.  Recovery of damages for sheep killed — disposition of dog, penalty. — In every case where sheep or other domestic animals are killed or maimed by dogs, the owner of such animals may recover against the owner or keeper of such dog or dogs the full amount of damages and the owner shall forthwith kill such dog or dogs; and for every day he shall refuse or neglect to do so, after notice, he shall pay and forfeit the sum of one dollar, and it shall be lawful for any person to kill such dog or dogs; provided, however, that whenever in any case the facts shall show that in the worrying or killing, maiming or wounding of any said sheep or other domestic animals that the same was done by two or more dogs belonging to different owners, then the plaintiff, the person whose animals were killed, wounded or maimed, may at his or her election, join all of the owners of said dogs as joint tort-feasors or may sue each one separately at his or her election.

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(RSMo 1939 § 14535)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 12861; 1919 § 4351; 1909 § 855

(1957) Chickens held "animals" within the statute and evidence was sufficient to support judgment. Tillery v. Cook (A.), 297 S.W.2d 9.