Dangerous Dogs

Dangerous Dogs

Missouri City Animal Services handles issues related to dangerous dogs within the City limits. Dangerous dogs are defined in the Missouri City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 10-1, and means a dog that:

• Makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own; or
• Commits unprovoked acts in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person; or
• Commits unprovoked acts at any location within the city that causes a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person even though the dog was being kept in an enclosure or otherwise was restrained by a leash or other mechanism that is not reasonably certain to prevent the dogs escape.

Disposition of Dangerous Dogs

If a person reports an incident with a dog that may meet the definition of a dangerous dog, it is the responsibility of the animal services officer to investigate the incident.The animal services officer will investigate the location and obtain statements from any witnesses available to aid in determining if the dog is a dangerous dog. If the animal services officer makes such determination, the animal's owner will be notified of that fact.

If a dangerous dog has been so determined, the owner may be ordered to:

• Register the dangerous dog with Animal Services;
• Restrain the dangerous dogs at all times by muzzling the dog and keeping the dog on a leash in the immediate control of a person or by keeping the dog in a secure enclosure;
• Obtain liability insurance coverage or show proof of financial responsibility and to provide such proof to Animal Services;
• Ensure that the dangerous dog properly wears the collar issued by Animal Services at all times;
• Immediately notify Animal Services of any attacks made by the dangerous dog on people or domestic animals; and,
• Follow any other requirements of Animal Services that will prevent the likelihood of future acts by the dangerous dog that would characterize the dog as a dangerous dog.

If you wish to report a "dangerous dog," you may contact Animal Services or the Police department at any time.