267.230. Quarantine violations or interference with veterinarian, penalty--interception of vehicles transporting livestock--impoundment procedure--penalties for violations--law officer may assist.
Quarantine violations or interference with veterinarian,penalty--interception of vehicles transportinglivestock--impoundment procedure--penalties for violations--lawofficer may assist.
267.230. 1. Any person or persons who shall in any wayinterfere with or obstruct the state veterinarian in thedischarge of his duties, or any owner or owners, person orpersons who shall be notified to quarantine animals as providedin sections 267.010 to 267.730 and who shall violate any of theprovisions of those sections or official orders of quarantine, orany person or persons who shall violate any of the provisions ofthe chapter regarding district or municipality quarantine, shallbe guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
2. The director of the department shall have the power toauthorize certain employees of the department or employees of theUnited States Department of Agriculture to assist in theenforcement of sections 267.010 to 267.730.
3. In connection with such enforcement, such authorizedemployees may intercept, stop and detain for official inspectionor inquiry any vehicle carrying livestock in this state. Suchauthorized employees may use a red flashing light to aid them instopping such vehicles.
4. If in the opinion of any authorized employee the animalsare being transported in violation of sections 267.010 to 267.730or the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, the employeeshall have the authority to seize and impound the animals for aperiod of forty-eight hours or until it is shown that the animalsare being transported in compliance with sections 267.010 to267.730 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuantthereto. If within forty-eight hours of initial seizure andimpoundment the state veterinarian or his duly appointed deputymakes a determination that the animals were in fact being held,moved or transported in violation of sections 267.010 to 267.730,he shall order the seizure and impoundment of the animalsfollowing the notice requirements set forth in section 267.531.Upon such order and notice being issued, the department shallfollow the procedures set forth in section 267.531 regardingredemption, payment of expenses, opportunity for hearing, andapplication for an order of sale. Such officers may also issuecitations for violations of the provisions of sections 267.010 to267.730, and summonses to appear before the director. Thedirector may, after a hearing as provided in section 276.631,assess a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars foreach such violation. Any person aggrieved by such penalty mayappeal to the circuit court of the county of residence of theperson or the circuit court of Cole County as provided in chapter621, RSMo.
5. All county and municipal law enforcement officials mayassist such designated employees upon request and all state lawenforcement officials shall assist such designated employees uponrequest to the extent that is consistent with the powers thatsuch law enforcement officials derive from their respectivejurisdictions.
(RSMo 1939 § 14217, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1816, A.L. 1983 1st Ex. Sess. H.B. 11, A.L. 1987 H.B. 368)Prior revisions: 1929 § 12537; 1919 § 12096; 1909 § 719