Missouri dog laws: leash, licensing, bites and breed rules

This is a general summary of Missouri state law for dog owners. It is information, not legal advice. Reviewed November 2026.

Leashes and licensing

Missouri has no statewide leash law for dogs. A state statute on animals running at large covers horses, mules, cattle, swine, sheep and goats, not dogs (RSMo 270.010), so leash and at-large rules for dogs come from counties, cities and towns.

Licensing is local too. A state dog tax and licence system exists, but it takes effect in a county only after voters approve it on a petition. Where it applies, the tax is $1 a year for a male or spayed female dog and $3 for other dogs, paid to the county clerk, and it applies to dogs over six months old (RSMo 273.040 to 273.180). Many cities and counties license dogs under their own ordinances, so ask your local animal control what applies.

Rabies vaccination

The state's rabies chapter does not set a rabies vaccination requirement for pet dogs. Instead, in the counties the chapter covers (all class one counties and certain class two counties), the county commission may adopt rabies-control rules on dog licensing, impounding and quarantine and on reporting animals that have bitten a person (RSMo 322.090 and 322.120). Cities may have their own rules. If a county has not adopted rules, an animal bite that may transmit rabies must be immediately reported to the county health department, which reports it to the state health department. The state department may order the animal quarantined, isolated, impounded, tested, immunized or disposed of, and considers prior vaccinations in doing so. The owner of a biting animal is responsible for the cost of rabies testing or treatment (RSMo 322.140).

Dangerous dogs and bites

The owner or possessor of a dog that bites a person without provocation, while the person is on public property or lawfully on private property, including the owner's, is strictly liable for the damages, whatever the dog's past behavior or the owner's knowledge of it. Owners are also strictly liable for damage to property or livestock their dogs cause. If the injured party was partly at fault, damages are reduced by that percentage. A liable owner also pays a fine of up to $1,000 (RSMo 273.036). An attack on a person committing a crime is not covered by the liability or criminal provisions.

A person commits the offense of keeping a dangerous dog by owning a dog that has previously bitten a person or domestic animal without provocation and then bites any person again. It is a class B misdemeanor, a class A misdemeanor if serious injury results, a class E felony if serious injury results and an earlier attack also caused serious injury, and a class D felony if a person dies. The dog is seized and held ten business days after written notice, then destroyed, unless the owner appeals to circuit court, and the dog stays impounded during the appeal (RSMo 578.024).

Breed-specific rules

The state dog statutes reviewed contain no breed-specific rule. The state dangerous-dog offense depends on a dog's bites and not its breed. Check your city or county for any breed rule.

Tethering and cruelty

Missouri has no statewide law that limits tethering. Animal abuse, which includes purposely causing a dog injury or suffering or failing to provide adequate care that results in substantial harm, is a class A misdemeanor. It becomes a class E felony for a repeat offense or when the suffering is the result of torture or mutilation consciously inflicted while the animal was alive (RSMo 578.012).

Where to check your local rule

Cities and counties often set leash, licence, number-of-dogs, vicious-dog and breed rules. Check the city or county animal control website or ordinance code. If a dog has bitten someone or been reported, talk to a lawyer or the animal-control office.