Animal control officer.
An official designated by the city administrator with city council approval.
Animal.
Any live vertebrate creature, domestic or wild.
At large.
Any animal not restrained.
Domestic animals.
Animals which are naturally tame and gentle, specifically including household pets, such as dogs and cats.
Guard dog.
Any dog trained or used to protect persons, premises or property by attacking or threatening to attack any person found within the area it patrols.
Kennel.
Any place where ten (10) or more dogs, cats or combination thereof, over the age of four (4) months are raised, trained, boarded or kept.
Livestock.
Any member of the horse family, jackass family, hog, sheep, goat or any species of cattle.
Other animals.
Any fowl, rabbit or other animal of the domestic barnyard variety not listed as wild, domestic or stray.
Owner.
Any person who owns, keeps, harbors, controls, feeds or shelters any animal, or any person left in charge of any animal.
Quarantine.
Isolation and close observation of animals to prevent transmission of certain diseases.
Restrain.
An animal shall be deemed to be restrained when it is:
(1) 
Confined on the premises of the owner within a fenced enclosure capable of confining the animal;
(2) 
Fastened by a lead, rope or chain so as to keep the animal on the premises;
(3) 
Under control of a person by leash; or
(4) 
Within a licensed or stickered vehicle, driven or parked.
Stray.
Any pet or head of livestock which has wandered away from the place it is normally kept and is no longer under control or supervision of its owner.
Wild animals.
Those living in a state of nature and not ordinarily tame or domesticated.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.101)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful to keep, harbor, shelter or maintain livestock within the corporate city limits.
Exception: Livestock and other animals under direct supervision of and upon the premises of fairs, livestock shows, rodeos or circuses shall be exempt from this restriction.
(b) 
Violators will be assessed a fine as provided for in the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 of this code until the offending animals are removed.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.102)
(a) 
Tag fees.
An animal tag fee as provided for in the fee schedule found in the appendix of this code is hereby levied upon each owner to pay said fee to the city secretary, who will issue a numbered and dated tag which must be attached to the animal’s collar.
(b) 
Lost tags.
In the event a tag is lost or destroyed, a replacement may be obtained from the city secretary, provided the owner pays the cost of the replacement tag and associated costs.
(c) 
Rabies vaccination.
Each dog and cat must be vaccinated with anti-rabies vaccine by a licensed veterinarian as required in 25 Texas Administrative Code, section 169.29. All such animals must be vaccinated at intervals of not more than one (1) year from the date of the initial vaccination.
(d) 
Vaccination tag.
Upon compliance with the provisions of subsection (c), the owner shall be issued a numbered tag which shall be securely fastened to the animal’s collar. The month and year of issuance shall be recorded by the city secretary.
(e) 
A rabies vaccination certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian must be presented before a city animal tag can be issued.
(f) 
Records.
The city secretary shall collect all dog and cat fees.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.103; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for the owner, caregiver or keeper of any dog to permit such dog to run at-large within the city. A dog is at-large if it is not within an enclosure adequate to contain the dog upon or within property owned or leased by its owner, caregiver or keeper or restrained by a leash or harness personally held by the owner, caregiver or keeper of the dog.
(b) 
It shall he unlawful for the owner, caregiver or keeper of any dog to restrain or anchor a dog by means of a tether, chain, cable, rope or cord, unless the tether or other restraint is being personally held by the owner, caregiver or keeper of the dog.
(Ordinance 051021 adopted 6/14/21)
(a) 
Residents of the city shall be permitted to keep geese, ducks, chickens and other domesticated fowl or rabbits in small numbers provided they are kept in sanitary quarters and not allowed to roam at large, or go upon the premises of another person.
(b) 
Keeping of “other animals” not specifically mentioned herein must be approved by the animal control officer.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.105)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful to keep within the city limits:
(1) 
Bats.
(2) 
Skunks.
(3) 
Poisonous snakes, boa constrictors or pythons.
(4) 
Wolves.
(5) 
Coyotes.
(6) 
Foxes.
(7) 
Any other normally carnivorous wild animal whose weight exceeds twenty-five (25) pounds.
(8) 
Bees.
(b) 
The animal control officer, with city council approval, may grant exceptions to this section for special events.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.106)
It shall be unlawful for any person to place or maintain guard dogs in any area unless the following provisions are met:
(1) 
The dogs shall be confined to an enclosed area adequate to insure they will not escape, or they shall be under the absolute control of a trained handler at all times when not securely enclosed.
(2) 
The owner or other persons in control of the premises upon which guard dogs are kept shall post a warning sign upon each entrance with lettering clearly visible from a distance of fifty (50) feet. The sign shall contain a telephone number where some person responsible for control of the dogs can be reached 24 hours a day.
(3) 
Prior to the placing of a guard dog at any location, the person or persons responsible shall inform the police chief in writing of their intentions, listing the location and number of dogs to be placed.
(4) 
Seeing eye dogs and other animals trained to assist the handicapped shall be exempt from provisions of this article.
(1998 Code, art. 2.2300)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to own or maintain an animal in such manner as to constitute a public nuisance.
(b) 
Such acts shall include:
(1) 
Failure to restrain an animal or fowl.
(2) 
Allowing an animal or fowl to cause property damage.
(3) 
Maintaining an animal or fowl in an unsanitary environment.
(4) 
Permitting any animal or fowl to repeatedly bark, whine, howl, crow, cackle or make any other noises which causes annoyance to the owner’s neighbors.
(5) 
Maintaining a kennel within a residential zone.
(6) 
Allowing an animal to cause bodily harm to another person or to another animal.
(7) 
Keeping of livestock, as previously defined, in violation of provisions of this article.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.107)
(a) 
Any operator of a motor vehicle who strikes a domestic animal shall immediately notify the animal’s owner. If the owner is unavailable or unknown, the driver shall notify the animal control officer of the city office.
(b) 
No person shall set out an open trap or metal jaw trap likely to injure any domestic animal or person.
(c) 
No person shall abuse or unnecessarily confine any animal or fowl, or fail to provide them with proper food, drink and shelter, or in any way treat any animal or fowl with cruelty.
(d) 
No person shall deliberately poison an animal. However, use of poison to control rats, mice and other vermin on one’s own premises is permitted.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.108)
(a) 
In order to carry out and/or oversee enforcement of the provisions of this article, the following are designated as animal control officers:
(1) 
Any law enforcement officer employed by the city or contracted to provide general law enforcement services within the municipal limits of the city; and
(2) 
Any person so designated by the city administrator with the approval of the city counci1.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful to interfere with or hinder the animal control officer, or his designee, in the performance of his official duty.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.109; Ordinance 051021 adopted 6/14/21)
Dangerous wild animals, as defined in V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code, section 822.101, shall be regulated in accordance with the provisions of V.T.C.A, Health and Safety Code, chapter 822, subchapter E, section 822.101 et seq.
(Ordinance adopting Code)
Any person violating a provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined a sum in accordance with the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 of this code. Each day that a person is in violation of any part of this article shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ordinance 051021 adopted 6/14/21)