Dogs as personal property; seizure of dogs running at large or on property fenced as a fox pen; notice to owner; dangerous or vicious dogs
La. R.S. 3:2773
in effect3:2773. Dogs as personal property; seizure of dogs running at large or on property fenced as a fox pen; notice to owner; dangerous or vicious dogs
A. Dogs owned by citizens of this state and by citizens of other states and situated and located in this state are declared to be personal property of such citizens.
B. Any citizen may, or the sheriff, constable, or other police officers of any parish, ward, or municipality shall seize any dog found unaccompanied by its owner or keeper and running at large on any road, street, or other public place, or trespassing on any premises other than the premises of the owner. If the dog is wearing a collar bearing a tag showing the name and address of its owner, it shall be impounded and the citizen or officer so seizing and impounding the dog shall immediately thereafter by written notice notify the owner of the dog, at the address disclosed by the tag on the dog's collar, that the dog has been seized and impounded by him, and unless the owner or keeper of the dog shall, within seven days from the receipt of the notice, claim the dog and pay the citizen or officer a fee of one dollar for seizing and a fee of twenty-five cents for each day it is impounded, it shall be disposed of in a humane manner.
C. Except in the parishes of St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington, any citizen may, or the sheriff, constable, or other police officers of any parish, ward, or municipality shall, seize any dog found unaccompanied by its owner or keeper and trespassing on any premises that is fenced with at least a two-inch by four-inch wire mesh that is a minimum of four feet high. If the dog is wearing a collar bearing a tag showing the name and address of its owner, it shall be impounded and the citizen or officer so seizing and impounding the dog shall immediately thereafter, by written notice, notify the owner of the dog, at the address disclosed by the tag on the collar of the dog, that the dog has been seized and impounded by him, and unless the owner or keeper of the dog shall, within seven days from receipt of the notice, claim the dog and pay a seizing fee of twenty dollars and an impoundment fee of one dollar for each day it is impounded, it shall be disposed of in a humane manner. Ten dollars of the seizing fee shall be paid to the law enforcement agency called upon to seize the dog. The remainder of the seizing fee shall be donated to a recognized nonprofit conservation group. This Subsection shall apply only to fox pens.
D. Any citizen or officer may kill any dangerous or vicious dog, and no citizen or officer shall be liable for damages or to prosecution by reason of killing any dangerous or vicious dog.
Amended by Acts 1950, No. 231, §1; Acts 1992, No. 1131, §1.
Source: Louisiana State Legislature (legis.la.gov)URL: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=86096Fetched: 10/20/2026