Chapter 31 - Dogs And Cats
CHAPTER 31 - DOGS AND CATS
ARTICLE 1 - IN GENERAL
11-31-101. Repealed by Laws 1991, ch. 4, 2.
11-31-102. Deemed personalty.
Dogs are personal property and the subjectof larceny the same as other personal property. The value in any criminalprosecution shall be determined as in other cases.
11-31-103. Repealed by Laws 1991, ch. 4, 2.
11-31-104. Penalties for poisoning or killing with ground glass.
Whoever within the limits of anyincorporated city or town willfully poisons or kills any dog by means of groundglass is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than one hundreddollars ($100.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or imprisonednot less than one (1) month nor more than one (1) year, or both.
11-31-105. Killing sheep or other domestic animals; liability of owner.
The owner of any dog is liable for alldamages that accrue to any person, firm or corporation by reason of the dogkilling, wounding, worrying or chasing any sheep or other domestic animalsbelonging to the person, firm or corporation. If two (2) or more dogs owned bydifferent persons kill, wound, chase or worry any sheep or other domesticanimals, the persons are jointly and severally liable for all damage done bythe dogs. Any person who harbors about his premises a dog for twenty (20) daysshall be taken and held as the owner and is liable for all damages that the dogcommits.
11-31-106. Killing sheep or other domestic animals; destruction.
Every person, firm, copartnership,corporation or company owning any dog, which to his knowledge has killed sheepor other livestock, shall exterminate and destroy the dog.
11-31-107. Running livestock; when killing authorized; liability toowner; exception.
Dogs running livestock against the wish ofthe owner of the livestock may be killed at once in cases where the livestockhas been injured or is threatened with injury. The person killing any dogrunning livestock is not liable to the owner where the vicious character of thedog or the damage or danger of damage is shown. When livestock is trespassingupon property the property owner may use dogs to drive and keep off livestockfrom the property.
11-31-108. Running livestock; penalty for permitting.
Any person who permits or directs any dogowned by him or in his possession or in the possession of his employee to chaseor run any cattle or other livestock of which he is not the owner and of whichhe is not in control, farther than one hundred (100) yards from his land, upongovernment lands, or away from any watering place upon the open range, shall befined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) or more than seven hundred fiftydollars ($750.00), or imprisoned not more than six (6) months, or both.
ARTICLE 2 - LICENSING; RABIES CONTROL DISTRICTS
11-31-201. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-202. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-203. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-204. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-205. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-206. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-207. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-208. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-209. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-210. Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 124, 2.
11-31-211. Property rights in unlicensed dog or cat; no right of actionfor destruction.
The owner of a dog or cat has no propertyright in an unlicensed dog or cat, nor does he have any right of action againstany person for the destruction of the dog or cat.
11-31-212. Rabies control districts; establishment; notice.
(a) The board of county commissioners of any county mayestablish a rabies control district by resolution when in the judgment of theboard and the county health officer a district is necessary. The resolutionshall designate the boundaries of the district, which may include anyincorporated city or town, and shall identify the district by name.
(b) The resolution creating the rabies control district shallbe published at least once a week for two (2) successive weeks in a newspaperof general circulation in the county wherein the district is located.
11-31-213. Registration; vaccination certificate required.
The board of county commissioners mayrequire the registration of all dogs and cats within a rabies control districtand may require the owner or person having the right to possession of any dogor cat in the district three (3) months of age or older, to present a validrabies vaccination certificate showing the dog or cat has been vaccinated forimmunization against rabies by a licensed veterinarian as a condition forregistration. The vaccination certificate shall indicate the date ofvaccination, the type of vaccine used and the period of immunization.
11-31-214. Board authorized to adopt rules and regulations.
The board of county commissioners, with theadvice of the county health officer, may adopt such rules and regulations asnecessary to implement the program for registration and immunization of dogsand cats in the rabies control district, including the requirement thatregistered dogs and cats be tagged or marked in such manner as to make themreadily identifiable.
ARTICLE 3 - ANIMALS RUNNING AT LARGE
11-31-301. Public nuisance; notice; penalties; rules and regulations;animal control districts and officers.
(a) A board of county commissioners may declare the running atlarge of any specified animals in unincorporated areas within the county limitsa public nuisance.
(b) Notice of such a declaration shall be published in anewspaper of general circulation within the county and notices may be placed inappropriate locations. The notice shall specify any regulations necessary andconvenient for animal control and shall state that:
(i) It is a public nuisance for one (1) or more specifiedanimals to be running at large in unincorporated areas;
(ii) A fine shall be imposed on the owner of such animal andrestitution for any damages to person or property caused by the animal shall bemade by the owner;
(iii) Dogs or other animals, whose ownership cannot bedetermined, may be destroyed.
(c) Upon the filing of any complaint, the county sheriff mayarrest or issue a summons to the owner of any animal which is running at largeor has attacked a person. A first conviction is punishable by a fine of notmore than fifty dollars ($50.00). Each subsequent conviction is punishable by afine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).
(d) A dog injuring or killing livestock may be killed by theowner of the livestock or his agent or any peace officer.
(e) Any animal attacking any person in a vicious manner or thatbites any person may be impounded by the county sheriff or animal controlofficer and held in quarantine for at least ten (10) days or as long asnecessary as determined by the Wyoming state health officer after the attack todetermine whether the animal has any disease which may be communicated tohumans. Home quarantine may be allowed as determined by the animal controlofficer or the county sheriff if the animal's owner or custodian presents avalid rabies vaccination certificate showing the animal has been vaccinatedagainst rabies by a licensed veterinarian. The costs of impoundment, quarantineand testing shall be paid by the owner or custodian of the animal. Any animalwhich attacks any person in a vicious manner may be destroyed or the owner orcustodian of the animal may be fined not more than two hundred dollars($200.00), or both. Proof of the fact that the animal has bitten or attackedany person at any place where a person is legally entitled to be is evidencethat the animal is vicious within the meaning of this section. A copy of anyanimal control officer report regarding the animal bite shall be submitted tothe state health officer.
(f) Upon the declaration of a public nuisance, the countysheriff may dispose of any unlicensed animals, the ownership of which cannot bedetermined.
(g) A board of county commissioners may enact regulationsrelative to dogs running at large, vicious dogs, dogs running wild game orlivestock or acts by other animals which shall carry out the purposes of thissection. The county sheriff shall and a county animal control officer or anyother peace officer may enforce these regulations to protect persons andproperty.
(h) A board of county commissioners may require an annualcounty license or tag for animals within their jurisdiction upon payment of afee of not more than ten dollars ($10.00). Funds collected pursuant to thissubsection may be used for animal control or for the maintenance of animalcontrol centers for either purpose.
(j) A board of county commissioners may establish and providefor the operation of animal control districts which may encompass all or partsof the unincorporated area of the county and may cooperate with municipalitiesin a joint animal control program. Joint animal control programs may employjoint animal control officers who have the authority to enforce the animalcontrol regulations and ordinances of each of the participating entities.
(k) As used in W.S. 11-31-301 "animal" means a dog orcat.
(m) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this sectionregarding impounding an animal to determine disease status, nothing in thissection shall apply to any livestock guarding animal which is actively engagedin protecting livestock. Except in the case of gross or willful negligence, noliability shall accrue to the owner, or his agent, of any livestock guardinganimal for any injury to any person or animal received from any livestockguarding animal which was actively engaged in protecting livestock. As used inthis subsection, "animal" means as defined in W.S. 11-29-101(a)(i).