Here you can find information on statutes regarding at large livestock, strays, how long strays need to be kept, and general stock law,
69-13-1 General stock law
There is declared, created and now in existence a statewide stock law which embraces all of the territory of the State of Mississippi and which is declared to be uniform throughout the state, except as hereinafter provided. Any person or persons owning or having under control any livestock such as cattle, horses, mules, jacks, jennets, sheep, goats, and hogs, shall not permit such livestock to run at large upon the open or unfenced lands of another person, except as herein expressly provided, but shall keep such livestock confined in a safe inclosure or upon lands belonging to such person. However, upon the petition of twenty percent of the qualified electors of any county of this state, outside of the municipalities thereof, the board of supervisors of such county shall call an election to be held within sixty days after the filing of such petition for the purpose of permitting the qualified electors of such county, outside the municipalities, to vote upon the question of whether or not the provisions of the statewide stock law shall remain in force in such county, outside the municipalities thereof; and if a majority of the qualified electors of such county, outside of the municipalities thereof, voting in said election shall vote to sustain the statewide stock law, then it shall remain in full force and effect in said county, but should a majority of the qualified electors of said county, outside municipalities, voting in said election, vote against the statewide stock law, then sixty days after said election the provisions thereof shall not apply to or be in force in said county, outside of the municipalities thereof, except in its application to hogs or swine, which shall not be permitted in any event to run at large in any county of this state.
In the event a county has heretofore elected to come out from under the stock law, no less than five years after such election, upon the petition of twenty percent of the qualified electors of any such county outside of the municipalities thereof, the board of supervisors shall call an election to be held within sixty days after the filing of such petition to vote upon the question of whether or not the provisions of the statewide stock law shall apply in that county outside the municipalities. If a majority of electors of such county, outside of the municipalities thereof, voting in said election, shall favor the statewide stock law, then sixty days after said election the provisions of the statewide stock law shall apply in that county outside the municipalities thereof. If the majority of those voting in the election vote against the statewide stock law, the provisions of the statewide stock law shall continue to be inapplicable to such county outside municipalities. No election on the same question may be held more often than once every two years.
In the event a county has heretofore elected to come out from under the stock law, no less than five years after such election, upon the petition of twenty percent of the qualified electors of any such county outside of the municipalities thereof, the board of supervisors shall call an election to be held within sixty days after the filing of such petition to vote upon the question of whether or not the provisions of the statewide stock law shall apply in that county outside the municipalities. If a majority of electors of such county, outside of the municipalities thereof, voting in said election, shall favor the statewide stock law, then sixty days after said election the provisions of the statewide stock law shall apply in that county outside the municipalities thereof. If the majority of those voting in the election vote against the statewide stock law, the provisions of the statewide stock law shall continue to be inapplicable to such county outside municipalities. No election on the same question may be held more often than once every two years.
97-29-57 Stallion or jack not to be kept in public view or permitted to run at large
A person shall not keep a stallion or jack nearer than one hundred yards to a church, or in public view in an enclosure bordering on a public highway, or nearer thereto, than one hundred yards; nor shall any person stand such animals in open view of any public place, or negligently keep such animal or suffer it to run at large. Any such offender, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars, and shall be liable for all damages done by such animals so kept or running at large.
**Ask ADA if this could be used for stallions that are escape artists.
**Ask ADA if this could be used for stallions that are escape artists.
97-3-45 Homicide; owner of dangerous animals
If the owner of a mischievous animal, knowing its propensity, willfully suffer it to go at large, or shall keep it without ordinary care, and such animal, while so at large, or not confined, kill any human being who shall have taken reasonable precautions to avoid the animal, such owner shall be guilty of manslaughter
69-13-19 Owner liable for damages
Every owner of livestock referred to in Section 69-13-1 shall be liable for damages for all injuries and trespasses committed by such animals by breaking and entering into or upon lands, grounds, or premises of another person; and the person injured shall have a lien upon the animal, or animals, trespassing for all such damage. The damages for such trespass shall not be less than ten dollars ($10.00) for each horse, cow, or hog, and five dollars ($5.00) for each other kind of stock; and for every succeeding offense, after the owner has been notified of the first trespass or injury, double damages shall be recovered with costs. For breaking or entering into a pasture or waste ground, however, double damage shall not be recoverable, and the damages in such cases may be assessed as low as eight dollars ($8.00) for each horse, cow, or hog and two dollars ($2.00) for each of the other kinds of livestock.
69-13-15 Stock take up; what done
Any livestock as referred to in Section 69-13-1, found running at large upon the lands of any person other than the owner or custodian of such stock, may be taken up by any sheriff, constable, marshal, or other peace officer of the state within his territorial jurisdiction, and confined within a safe enclosure. If such animal, or animals, taken up be infested with, or exposed to Texas fever tick, they may be dipped by such officers, or persons, having such animal, or animals, so confined, until said livestock are free from infestation, and said dipping shall be under the rules and regulations prescribed by the board of animal health as near as possible. And the charges for so taking up and confining, together with any damage done by said stock, if any, shall be a special, first and paramount lien upon said livestock, and unless same are paid by the owner, or persons having such livestock under his control, when so notified, such livestock shall be sold as estrays, and the cost of taking up and confining, and damages, if any, together with costs and expenses, shall be first deducted, and the balance, if any, shall be paid to the owner, or person having such livestock under his control, and the officer, or person, taking up such livestock, in addition to all other charges now allowed by law, shall receive 50 cents per head for each dipping of each animal infested with or exposed to fever tick.
69-13-101 Unlawful for livestock to roam at large on federal or state designated highways
It shall be and is hereby declared unlawful for any livestock to roam at large on the federal or state designated paved highways or highway rights-of-way of the State of Mississippi, except, however, that in those counties that have heretofore voted to come out from under the statewide stock law this shall only apply to U.S. designated highways, Mississippi Highway 55, and all paved Mississippi highways where said highways traverse more than one county and connect directly with another paved highway in another state being extensively traveled by citizens of other states, and the rights-of-way thereof; and except also that this section shall not apply to any such highway or rights-of-way or any type of highway or road located on any levee maintained by the Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners or the board of levee commissioners for the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta through maintenance contracts calling for or permitting pasturage of livestock on levee rights-of-way.
69-13-113 State or county not liable for injury to impounded livestock
Neither the state nor the county shall be liable for any injury which may occur to livestock which is picked up and removed from the highways and highway rights-of-ways and impounded, or which may be sold under the provisions of this article.
69-13-317 Time allowed for owner to claim and prove property
The owner of all estrays appraised at more than fifty dollars shall be allowed three months; the owner of estrays appraised at twenty dollars and not exceeding fifty dollars, shall be allowed two months; and the owner of estrays valued at less than twenty dollars shall be allowed one month from the date of the certificate of appraisement to claim and prove property to the same.
69-13-111 Owners of livestock roaming at large liable for damages
The owners of livestock which through their owner's negligence are found on federal or state designated paved highways or highway rights-of way shall be subject to any damages as a result of wrecks, loss of life, or bodily injury as a result of said livestock being on the above designated highways. The burden shall be on the owner of any such livestock to prove lack of negligence. This section shall not be applicable to any such highway or highway rights-of way or any type of highway or road located on any levee maintained by the Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners or the board of levee commissioners for the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta through maintenance contracts calling for or permitting pasturage of livestock on levee rights-of-way.