Bear wrestling - penalty.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 578.176
in effect578.176. Bear wrestling — penalty. — 1. A person commits the offense of bear wrestling if he or she:
(1) Wrestles a bear;
(2) Permits bear wrestling to be done on any premises under his or her charge or control;
(3) Promotes, conducts, or stages bear wrestling;
(4) Advertises bear wrestling;
(5) Collects any admission fee for bear wrestling;
(6) Purchases, sells, or possesses a bear which he or she knows will be used for bear wrestling;
(7) Trains a bear for bear wrestling;
(8) Subjects a bear to surgical alteration for bear wrestling.
2. The offense of bear wrestling is a class A misdemeanor.
(Adopted by Initiative, Proposition A, § C, November 3, 1998, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17 (2000) Proposition A did not violate constitutional requirements of single subject and clear title. United Gamefowl Breeders Ass'n. of Missouri v. Nixon, 19 S.W.3d 137 (Mo.banc).
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=578.176Fetched: 10/17/2026