01 Pets in City

Section 205.011 License Required

No person shall own or keep within the City any dog or cat over the age of six (6) months without first obtaining a license therefore from the City Collector.

Section 205.012  License Fee Imposed

A fee of five dollars ($5.00) annually shall be paid for each license and badge issued pursuant to this Article.  License may be purchased for one (1) year or three (3) years depending on the due date of the pet's rabies vaccination.  License shall run from July 1 to June 30.  The fee for the three year license shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00).

Section 205.017  Vaccination Required-Certificate.

A.   Every owner or keeper of any dog or cat over the age of six (6) months within the City limits shall have said dog or cat vaccinated against rabies on or before the first day of July.

B.  The City Collector shall not issue any license within the scope of the Article to the owner or keeper of any dog or cat until his/her dog or cat is vaccinated in accordance with Subsection (A) of this Section and proof thereof is established by a certificate from the veterinarian who vaccinated said dog or cat.

Section 205.050 Number of Pets Restricted Within City.

A.  It shall be unlawful for any person to keep more than three (3) dogs or three (3) cats or any combination thereof within the City limits of the City of Miller.

B.  Subsection (A) of this Section shall not be applied retroactively to prohibit the keeping of additional pets which are being lawfully kept within the City of the date this Section is enacted.  If ownership of the property on which the pets are being kept changes, Subsection (A) shall apply.  Additionally, pets which fall under this Section shall not be replaced when they die or permanently depart the property by other means, including but not limited to, situations wherein the pet is sold or given to another, stolen off the property, runs away off the property,unless the number of pets is reduced to the maximum of three (3).

Section 205.012  Keeping of Livestock and Other Animals Within City Restricted

A.  Except as provided herein, it shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor more than more than two (2) animals of the species of cattle, horses, mules, sheep, goats and other animals of any types.  It is unlawful to have geese, ducks, turkeys and other fowls including ratite birds or any exotic animals.

1. Such animals shall be kept within a secured fence or enclosure to prevent their running at large, said fence or enclosure to be not less than three (3) acres in area exclusive of any dwelling and yard.  The secured fence or enclosure shall not be within two hundred (200) feet of the dwelling of another, a church, school or business.
2. No person shall keep or harbor animals in such a manner as to become unhealthy for the animal or offensive, noisome or disagreeable to the community.  Animals shall be kept in areas well-drained, dry (excepting rain), free from filth and obnoxious smell...
3. Any person keeping or harboring such animals must file for a permit before acquisition of such animals at City Hall, at a cost of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) annually per animals, to be kept on file and renewed annually.  Such request must  also contain a signature of the person keeping such animals that have read, understood and have received a copy of this Section and Section 215.010.

B.  Exceptions

1. No pigs, swine or hogs are permitted.
2. Dogs and cats are permitted in accordance with the provisions of Article I of Chapter 205.
3. Chickens are allowed subject to the following limitations:

a  Chickens allowed when.

(1)  Only female chickens are allowed, with no restrictions as to breed.

(2) It shall be unlawful for occupants to keep more than six (6) chickens per tract of land.

(3) It shall be unlawful to engage in chicken breeding or fertilizer production for commercial purposes.

b. Enclosures and Fencing

(1) Chickens shall be kept in a secured enclosure or fenced area at all times, and shall be secured within a hen-house, coop or chicken tractor during non-daylight hours.

(2) A permit shall be required for each hen-house, coop, or chicken tractor, upon application with payment of the application fee in the amount of five dollars ($5.00) annually.  The City will require a drawing of the hen-house, coop or chicken tractor.  The secured enclosure and any fenced area used by chickens shall provide safe and healthy living conditions for chickens while minimizing adverse impacts to other residents in the neighborhood.

(3) The secured enclosure shall provide adequate ventilation, sunlight and shade,  and shall be impermeable to rodents, wild birds and predators...

(4)  Covered, fenced pens shall consist of sturdy wire and post or wooden fencing. 

(5)  Enclosures shall be located to the defined rear of the property.  No portion of the enclosure shall be within seven and one-half (7.5) feet of a property line or within twenty-five (25) feet of any adjacent residential dwelling.

c. Sanitary Considerations.

(1) Chickens shall have access to feed and clean water at all times.  Feed shall be stored in such a way to prevent access by rodents, wild birds and/or predators.

(2)  The secured enclosure and covered, fenced pen shall be kept free from trash...

(3)  Odors from chickens , chicken manure or related activities shall be be detectable beyond the property boundaries.

(4)  The chicken owner or caregiver shall take necessary action to prevent the attraction of predators,...

(5)  Slaughtering of chickens may occur for personal use, provided it is conducted in a sanitary manner...

(6)  Dead chickens shall be disposed of within twenty-four (24) hours in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 269, RSMo.  City employees will not remove dead chickens.

Section 205.220  Horses

A.  Riding After Dark Prohibited.  It shall be unlawful for any person to ride or permit any horse to be ridden on the public streets, highways or alleys of the City of Miller between thirty (30) minutes, past sunset in the evening and sunrise of the following morning, unless the horse, its tack and rider display lights or reflective materials sufficient to make the horse and rider readily visible to motorists in the area.

B.  Riding on Sidewalks Prohibited.  It shall be unlawful for any person to ride or permit any horse to be ridden on any sidewalk in the City of Miller, Missouri at any time.

03 Weeds, High Grass

Section 215.020  Weeds, High Grass Or Other Vegetation

A.  Failure to keep weeds, high grass & other vegetation cut and removed, A Nuisance.  All persons owning or occupying any lot or tract of land in the City shall keep the weeds, high grass and other vegetation growing on such property cut and removed.  Whenever such weeds, high grass or other vegetation shall attain the height of six (6) inches, it shall be deemed a public nuisance.

B.  Unlawful to Maintain Such Nuisance.  It shall be unlawful for any person to create or maintain a nuisance as define in Subsection (A).

C.  Liability.  Whenever weeds, high grass or other vegetation in violation of Subsection (A)  of this Section are allowed to grow on any part of any lot or ground within the City, the owner of the ground or, in case of joint tenancy, tenancy by entireties or tenancy in common, each owner thereof shall be liable.

D.  Notice.  The Mayor or any Law Enforcement Officer of the City shall give a hearing after ten (10) days notice thereof either personally or by US mail to the owner or owners, or the owner's agents, or by posting such notice on the premises; thereupon, the Mayor or any Law Enforcement Officer of the City may declare the weeds, high grass or other vegetation to be a nuisance and order the same to be abated within seven (7) days.

E.  Disposition.  In case the weeds, high grass or other vegetation are not cut down and removed within the seven (7) days, the Mayor or any Law Enforcement Officer of the City shall have the weeds, high grass or other vegetation cut down and removed and shall certify the costs of same to the City Clerk.

F.  Tax Bill.  The City Clerk shall cause the certified cost to be included in a special tax bill or added to the annual real estate tax bill, at the collecting official's option, for the property and the certified cost shall be collected by the City Collector or other official collecting taxes in the same manner and procedure for collecting real estate taxes.  If the certified cost is not paid, the tax bill shall be considered delinquent, and the collection of the delinquent bill shall be governed by the laws governing delinquent debt against the owner and shall also be a lien on the property until paid.

G.  If weeds are allowed to grow, or if trash is allowed to accumulate, on the same property in violation of this Section more than once during the same growing season in the case of weeds, or more than once during a calendar year in the case of trash, the Mayor or any Law Enforcement Officer of the City may, without further notification have the weeds or trash removed and the cost of the same shall be billed in the manner described in this Section.  The Subsection does not apply to lands owned byb a public utility and lands, rights-of-way, and0 easements appurtenant or incidental to lands controlled by any railroad.