As used in sections 273.400 to 273.405, the following words mean:

(1) “Adopter”, a person who is legally competent to enter into a contract and who is adopting or buying a dog or cat from a releasing agency;

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 273.400

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020

(2) “Adult animal”, any dog or cat that has reached the age of one hundred eighty days or six months or more;

(3) “Releasing agency”, an animal pound, shelter, humane organization, or animal control agency, whether public or private, but not including an individual who occasionally renders humane assistance or shelter in his* home to a dog or cat;

(4) “Sterilization”, the surgical removal of the reproductive organs of a dog or cat in order to render the animal unable to reproduce, or the use of an approved serum which will permanently render the animal unable to reproduce.