{"data":{"id":"us-mo/mo.-rev.-stat.-273.400","jurisdiction":"us-mo","citation":"Mo. Rev. Stat. § 273.400","heading":"Definitions.","body":"As used in sections 273.400 to 273.405, the following words mean:\n(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;\n(2) \"Adult animal\" , any dog or cat that has reached the age of one hundred eighty days or six months or more;\n(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;\n(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.","path":["Title XVII - AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS","Chapter 273 - Dogs — Cats"],"source_url":"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=273.400","current_through":"2026 legislative session (floor)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T22:23:26Z","sha256":"5b8bd8dc4a7ba0d0212015f85de28b496a4a18767cc2f4a0a22e900668c416a7","source_id":"us-mo","stale":false,"prev":"us-mo/mo.-rev.-stat.-273.359","next":"us-mo/mo.-rev.-stat.-273.403"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}