United States

Summary: This section comprises Mississippi's Animal Research or Exhibiting Facilities Protection Act. The act prohibits a person, without the effective consent of the owner, to acquire or otherwise exercise control over an animal facility with the intent to deprive the owner of the facility, animal or property and to disrupt or damage the enterprise conducted at the animal facility. A person is also prohibited from entering and remaining concealed at a facility with the intent to damage or disrupt the facility. Violation for damaging a facility is a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 3 years. Violation for illegal entry with an intent to damage or disrupt the facility results in a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment up to 1 year.

Summary: This Mississippi chapter states that it is in the public interest to ensure the public health, safety and welfare by strictly regulating the importation, sale, transfer and possession of those wild animals inherently dangerous to humans. Several species are listed under this section as inherently dangerous to humans, including non-human primates, wolves, bears, hyenas, big cats, and hippopotamus, among others. It is unlawful for a person to import, transfer, sell, purchase or possess any wild animal classified inherently dangerous by law or regulation unless that person holds a permit. Those persons who were in possession of such animals on or before May 1, 1997 were able to continue possession provided that they complied with the permit process. Prior to the issuance of a permit, the applicant must have provided proof of liability insurance in the amount of $100,000.00 for each wild animal up to a maximum of $1,000,000.00.

Summary: This Mississippi law makes it a Class I offense a person to engage in computer-assisted remote hunting. It is also unlawful for a person to provide or operate a facility for computer-assisted remote hunting if the game animal or bird being hunted is located in this state.

Summary: This law reflects Mississippi's hunter harassment provision. Under the law, no person shall intentionally interfere with or attempt to prevent the lawful taking of wildlife by another, attempt to disturb wildlife, or attempt to affect wildlife behavior to prevent lawful taking. Further, a person may not harass another person who is engaged in the lawful taking of wildlife or in the preparation for such taking. Engaging in such conduct is a Class II violation.

Summary: This Mississippi statute provides that it is the lawful duty for any sheriff, conservation officer or peace officer of a county or municipality to kill any dog above the age of three (3) months found running at large on whose neck there is no such collar and tag or who are not inoculated according to state law. No action shall be maintained by the owner for such killing. However, the statute then goes on to say that it is the duty of such officer to first impound the dogs for five days and give a description of the dog to the sheriff.

Summary: These Mississippi statutes comprise the state's dog laws. Included are provisions relating to hunting with dogs, local dog ordinances, and liability of owners for damage done by dogs.

Summary: This Mississippi law grants broad powers to local units of government for animal control, including the power to prevent or regulate the running at large of animals of all kinds, and to cause such as may be running at large to be impounded and sold to discharge the costs and penalties provided for the violation of such regulations and the expense of impounding and keeping and selling the same; to regulate and provide for the taxing of owners and harborers of dogs, and to destroy dogs running at large, unless such dogs have proper identification.

Summary: This Mississippi statute provides that the governing authorities of any county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico and having within its boundaries two cities having in excess of forty thousand (40,000) population each and any county with a population in excess of two hundred thousand (200,000) shall have the power to prevent or regulate the running at large of animals of all kinds, and to cause such as may be running at large to be impounded and sold to discharge the costs. These governing bodies are also given the authority to regulate and tax dogs generally.

Summary: The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and guide dog laws.

Summary: Construes the phrase "unfit for human consumption" in the very broad Mississippi Meat Inspection Act of 1960 to apply to horse meat and meat-food products.