The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
To mistreat through intent to abuse or reckless neglect of any animal in a manner that causes or is likely to cause stress or physical injury or as otherwise stated in this chapter.
Any living creature other than hominids. Unless indicated otherwise, the term shall include livestock, fowl, reptiles, amphibians, and wildlife, as well as dogs, cats and other creatures commonly owned as pets.
The animal control division of the city’s police department, its animal control officers and/or peace officers.
A facility designated by the city council to be used for the impoundment of animals taken up by the animal control officers, or other similar facility that may be temporarily contracted or designated by the chief of police for animal impoundment under the provisions of this chapter.
An association or nonprofit corporation who has as one of its purposes the providing for the welfare and/or protection of animals of any kind.
The local rabies control authority as defined in this section.
A mark made on the skin of any animal which indicates the ownership of the animal, typically used with livestock.
The male and the female of any domesticated member of the feline species of animals.
The chief of police or the chief of police’s designee responsible for the administration of this chapter.
A commercial variety show featuring animal acts for the public at a fee or a part of a charity.
Shall include but not be limited to enterprises such as kennels, pet shops, riding stables, animal auctions, performing animal exhibitions, zoological parks, circuses, animal training services, grooming shops, petting zoos, aviaries or any similar entrepreneurial relationship regarding animals.
Shall have the same meaning as defined in chapter 822, Texas Health and Safety Code, subchapter E.
A workday excluding Saturday, Sunday, and city holidays.
Where a minimum setback or distance between any enclosure for an animal and a residence is required, shall mean the most direct line distance between the two structures, unless otherwise provided.
The male and the female of any domesticated member of the canine species of animal.
Any animal whose physiology has been determined or manipulated through selective breeding and does not occur naturally in the wild, any animal which can be vaccinated against rabies with an approved rabies vaccine, and any animal which has an established rabies quarantine observation period.
Has the same meaning as defined in chapter 142, Texas Agriculture Code, defining estray as stray livestock, stray exotic livestock, and stray exotic fowl.
Any animal or reptile, fish, or bird, born or whose natural habitat is considered to be outside the continental United States, including nonvenomous reptiles and fish.
Any of the cold-blooded animals that extract oxygen from water through the use of gills.
Includes all birds, e.g., chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, guineas, geese, ducks, peafowl and other domestic feathered creatures and nondomestic feathered creatures, regardless of age. The applicability of this article 2.05, division 2, as to the definition of fowl does not include and specifically excludes the allowance of roosters.
An agency or political subdivision of the state or an agency or department of the federal government.
An owner who has received two or more final convictions of this chapter, or the owner of an animal who has been the subject of impoundment in the animal shelter three or more times during a 12-month period, or any combination of convictions and impoundment totaling three incidents.
To possess while in the act of keeping and caring for an animal, or of providing premises to which the animal returns for food, shelter or care for a period of three days or longer.
An establishment designed or used for the selling, breeding, or overnight boarding of animals where more than three dogs and two cats or three cats and two dogs or a combination of five other animals are to be boarded, sold, or bred.
Includes, regardless of age, sex or breed, horses and all equine species, including mules, donkeys and jackasses; cows and all bovine species; sheep and all ovine species; llamas; goats and all caprine species; and pigs and all swine species.
The senior animal control officer, or an officer he designates to act in his place when he is temporarily unable to act for any reason.
Any animal, other than a mammal or bird, that lives in a marine environment.
A person who keeps or harbors five or more cats or dogs or any combination of five or more cats and dogs. Puppies and kittens under four months of age shall not be counted for purposes of this definition.
Any animal, male or female, rendered incapable of breeding or being bred, i.e., castration in the male and spaying or ovariectomy in the female.
Any dog which:
Any person who has purchased or who owns, keeps, maintains, harbors or has care, custody or control of one or more animals. Ownership may be determined by identifying an adult resident of the premises upon which the animal is kept, maintained, harbored or otherwise resides, and such adult shall constitute the owner of the animal upon such premises. Each actual resident of the premises shall be the owner or presumed owner and charged with responsibility for the animals thereon maintained or harbored.
Any spectacle, display, act or event in which animals perform.
An individual human, partnership, co-partnership, firm, company, limited liability partnership or other partnership or other such company, joint venture, joint stock company, trust, estate, governmental entity, association or corporation or any other legal entity, or their legal representatives, agents or assigns. The masculine gender shall include the feminine, and the singular shall include the plural where indicated by the context.
A substance having an inherent harmful property which renders it, when taken into the system, capable of destroying animal life.
The policies and procedures adopted consistent with this chapter and applicable to the animal control division of the city’s police department.
A definite portion of a legal lot of real estate or land, together with any appurtenances or buildings.
Any animal prohibited by state or federal law and including any individual species and/or subspecies of the following animals: antelope, lions, tigers, ocelots, bobcats, lynx, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, hyenas, bears, lesser pandas, ferrets born in natural habitats, binturong, ostriches, emus, elephants, Vietnamese potbelly pigs, miniature pigs, apes or such other nondomestic species of animal not common to this area.
A house or a building, or, in the case of a fence or structure/pen, the fence or structure/pen must be at least four feet in height. The structure/pen must also have minimum dimensions of five feet by ten feet. The fence or structure/pen must form an enclosure suitable to prevent entry of young children and must be locked and secured such that an animal cannot climb, dig, jump or otherwise escape of its own volition. The enclosure shall be securely locked at all times and have secure sides to prevent a dangerous animal or registered dangerous dog from escaping from the enclosure. The structure/pen shall provide protection from the elements for the animal. The animal control officer may require a fence higher than four feet or require a secure top and/or a secure bottom to the structure/pen if the need is demonstrated. Invisible fences or similar technology shall not constitute “proper enclosure.”
A period of ten days used for observation of a domestic or pet animal to determine the health status of that animal in relation to the rabies virus.
An animal owner who quarantines with the animal control officer’s permission under the following conditions:
The animal must have a current rabies vaccination;
The animal must be inside an enclosed structure, i.e., house or garage, and must remain there for ten days;
If maintained outside, the animal must be behind a fence from which it cannot escape and on a chain from which it cannot break loose or inside a covered pen or kennel from which it cannot escape. The length of the chain must prevent the animal from making contact with the fence in which it is kept;
The animal must be kept away from other animals and people except those in the immediate household;
The animal may not be removed from the corporate city limits while under quarantine;
The owner shall notify the animal control officer immediately if the animal becomes sick or displays any behavioral changes;
The owner shall not subject the animal to any medical procedure without first notifying the animal control officer. This includes any vaccination;
The animal must be examined by the local rabies control authority or designee by the first day of home quarantine and again on the final day of quarantine. Upon final examination, the authority may declare the animal to be free of the rabies virus or under questionable circumstance defer such examinations to a licensed veterinarian. In such instances, the owner shall be responsible for all associated costs and when required produce proof of such veterinarian examinations;
Owners who are deemed habitual offenders, as defined herein, shall not be allowed home quarantine;
The owner must allow animal control, with reasonable notice, to view and confirm the health of the animal during the rabies quarantine period.
The vaccination of a dog, cat or other domestic animal with an antirabies vaccine approved by the department of state health services and administered by a veterinarian licensed by the state.
Any dog registered with the city in compliance with chapter 822, Texas Health and Safety Code, subchapter D, and with the sections of this chapter addressing registered dangerous dogs.
Any place of human habitation at any time, day or night, including, but not limited to, any single- or multi-family dwelling, church, school, convalescent center or nursing home.
Any animal secured by a leash, rope or chain of some sort or confined through fencing or otherwise within the property limits of its owner.
Any individual species and/or subspecies defined herein as “prohibited” animals that have been registered and permitted in compliance with the procedures set out in section 2.04.006 herein.
Off-premises:
On-premises:
Any animal, except a cat wearing a vaccination tag, not confined to the premises of the owner by a substantial fence of sufficient strength and height to prevent the animal from escaping therefrom, or secured on the premises by a chain or leash sufficient in strength to prevent the animal from escaping from the premises and so arranged that the animal will remain upon the premises when the leash is stretched to full length;
An animal intruding upon the property of another person other than the owner’s shall be termed “at large”;
Any animal within a vehicle in a manner that would prevent that animal’s escape or contact with other persons or animals shall not be deemed “at large.”
Bodily injury resulting from severe attack or severe bite from an animal which produces severe pain, trauma, or loss of blood or tissue, and which requires medical treatment of wounds inflicted by the animal.
An attack in which the animal repeatedly bites or vigorously shakes its victim, and the victim, or a person intervening, has extreme difficulty terminating the attack.
A puncture or laceration made by an animal’s teeth which breaks the skin, resulting in a degree of trauma which would cause most prudent and reasonable people to seek medical care for treatment to the wound, without considerations of rabies prevention alone.
Any animal, of which there is no identifiable owner or harborer, which is found to be at large within the corporate limits of the city.
A vaccination tag attached to a collar as required by this chapter or some other permanent identifying device attached to a collar or to an animal.
A permanent mark which is made on the skin of an animal by puncturing the skin and inserting indelible color, and which is used to show ownership.
Means that the animal was not hit, kicked, teased, molested or struck by a person with an object or part of a person’s body, nor was any part of the animal’s body pulled, pinched or squeezed by a person.
An injection of a rabies vaccine which is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Biologics Division, state veterinarian, and administered by a licensed veterinarian or at an approved antirabies clinic.
Any person duly licensed to practice veterinary medicine by the state board of veterinary examiners, or who is exempt from such licensing.
Any nondomestic creature (mammal, amphibian, reptile or fowl) which is of a species which is wild by nature, which can normally be found in a wild state, and which is not naturally tame or gentle, or which, because of its size, vicious nature and other characteristics, constitutes a danger to human life or property, including all animals identified herein as prohibited.
A day from Monday through Friday, excluding city holidays, with each respective day’s work hours beginning at 8:00 a.m. and continuously operating until 4:00 p.m., defining the public’s routine access to administrative fee(s) and impound release transactions authorized by this chapter.
Any facility, other than a pet shop or kennel, displaying or exhibiting one or more species of animals, operated by a person or under the auspices of a governmental entity.
(Ordinance 04-01-12 (12), ex. A (2.101), adopted 2/9/04; Ordinance 2025-12-08(10) adopted 12/8/2025)