(a) 
The standards and requirements in this article are established for pet and animal care and are not intended to contravene the provisions for animal cruelty contained in the Texas Penal Code.
(b) 
No person shall fail to provide his animals with sufficient good and wholesome food and water, proper shelter and protection from the weather, and veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and with humane care and treatment.
(2003 Code, sec. 2.801)
(a) 
No person shall beat, treat cruelly, overload, overwork, or otherwise abuse an animal, or cause, instigate, or permit any dogfight, cockfight, bullfight, or other combat between animals or between animals and humans.
(b) 
No owner of an animal shall abandon such animal.
(2003 Code, sec. 2.802)
(a) 
Any individual who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes a domesticated animal shall stop at once and render such assistance as may be possible and, if the owner can be identified and located, shall immediately report such injury or death to the animal’s owner. In the event the identity or location of the owner cannot be ascertained, the motor vehicle operator shall at once report the accident to the animal services officer or the police department.
(b) 
In addition to the provisions of subsection (a), any individual who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes any animal shall report the accident to the police department within a reasonable amount of time if the animal stricken is on or near the roadway so that it constitutes a potential traffic hazard. If the accident occurs while the operator is responding to an emergency, a report of the accident is considered to be within a reasonable amount of time if it is reported as soon as possible.
(2003 Code, sec. 2.803)
(a) 
Definitions.
In this article:
Adequate shelter.
A sturdy structure:
(1) 
That provides the dog protection from inclement weather; and
(2) 
With dimensions that allow the dog while in the shelter to stand erect, sit, turnaround, and lie down in a normal position.
Collar.
A band constructed of nylon, leather, or similar material, specifically designed to be placed around the neck of a dog.
Harness.
A set of straps constructed of nylon, leather, or similar material, specifically designed to restrain or control a dog.
Inclement weather.
Includes rain, hail, sleet, snow, high winds, extreme low temperatures, or extreme high temperatures.
Owner.
A person who owns or has custody or control of a dog.
Properly fitted.
With respect to a collar or harness, a collar or harness that:
(1) 
Is appropriately sized for the dog based on the dog's measurements and body weight;
(2) 
Does not choke the dog or impede the dog's normal breathing or swallowing; and
(3) 
Is attached around the dog in a manner that prevents the dog from escaping and does not cause pain or injury to the dog.
Restraint.
A rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device that attaches a dog to a stationary object or trolley system.
(b) 
An owner shall not leave a dog outside and unattended using a restraint, other than a fence in good repair:
(1) 
Without adequate shelter;
(2) 
Without an area that allows the dog to avoid standing water and exposure to excessive animal waste;
(3) 
Without shade from direct sunlight;
(4) 
Without potable water; or
(5) 
During extreme weather conditions, including conditions in which:
(A) 
The actual or perceived outdoor temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit factoring in windchill;
(B) 
A heat advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or jurisdiction; or
(C) 
A hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for the jurisdiction by the National Weather Service.
(c) 
An owner may not restrain a dog outside and unattended:
(1) 
Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; or
(2) 
Within 500 feet of the premises of a school.
(d) 
An owner may not restrain a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that:
(1) 
Is a chain;
(2) 
Has weights attached;
(3) 
Is shorter in length than the greater of:
(A) 
Five times the length of the dog, as measured from the tip of the dog's nose to the base of the dog's tail; or
(B) 
10 feet; or
(4) 
Is attached to a collar or harness not properly fitted.
(e) 
Person commits an offense if the person knowingly violates this section. The restraint of each dog that is in violation is a separate offense.
(f) 
An offense under this section is a class C misdemeanor, except that the offense is a class B misdemeanor if the person has previously been convicted under this section.
(g) 
Exceptions.
This section 2.04.004 does not apply to:
(1) 
The use of a restraint on a dog in a public camping or recreational area in compliance with the requirements of the public camping or recreational area as defined by a federal, state, or local authority or jurisdiction;
(2) 
The use of a restraint on a dog while the owner and dog engage in, or actively train for, an activity conducted under a valid license issued by this state provided the activity is associated with the use or presence of a dog;
(3) 
The use of a restraint on a dog while the owner and dog engage in conduct directly related to the business of shepherding or herding cattle or livestock;
(4) 
The use of a restraint on a dog while the owner and dog engage in conduct directly related to the business of cultivating agricultural products;
(5) 
A dog left unattended in an open-air truck bed only for the time reasonably necessary for the owner to complete a temporary task that requires the dog to be left unattended in the truck bed;
(6) 
A dog taken by the owner, or another person with the owner's permission, from the owner's residence or property and restrained by the owner or the person for not longer than the time necessary for the owner to engage in an activity that requires the dog to be temporarily restrained;
(7) 
A dog restrained while the owner and dog are engaged in, or actively training for, hunting or field trialing; or
(8) 
A dog walking with a handheld leash.
(h) 
An owner of a dog may only tether a dog if the dog is in the owner's immediate possession and accompanied by the owner. In addition, the owner of a tethered dog shall:
(1) 
Not allow the dog to be tethered in any manner or by any method that allows the dog to become entangled or injured;
(2) 
Not allow the dog to be tethered or restrained with a chain;
(3) 
Use a properly fitted harness or collar that is specifically designed for the dog; and
(4) 
Attach the tethering device to the dog's harness or collar and not directly to the dog's neck.
(Ordinance 22-28 adopted 8/16/22)
(a) 
An owner of a dog commits an offense if the fenced yard, or other outdoor pen or structure, used as the primary living area for the dog or used as an area for the dog to regularly eat, sleep, drink, and eliminate is not:
(1) 
At least 150 square feet for each dog six months of age or older;
(2) 
Designed, constructed, and composed of material sufficient to prevent the dog's escape; and
(3) 
Designed in a manner that provides the dog access to the inside of a doghouse, building, or shelter that meets all requirements of subsection (b) of this section.
(b) 
A doghouse or other building or shelter for a dog must:
(1) 
Have a weatherproof top, bottom, and sides;
(2) 
Have an opening on no more than one side that allows the dog to remain dry and provides adequate shade during daylight hours to prevent overheating or discomfort to the dog;
(3) 
Have a floor that is level and dry;
(4) 
Be free from cracks, depressions, and rough areas that might be conducive to insects, parasites, and other pests;
(5) 
Be of adequate size to allow the dog to stand erect with the dog's head up, to turn around easily, and to sit and lie down in a comfortable and normal position;
(6) 
Have sufficient clean and dry bedding material or other means of protection from the weather that will allow the dog to retain body heat when the weather is colder than what a dog of that breed and condition can comfortably tolerate;
(7) 
Provide a suitable means for the prompt elimination of excess liquid;
(8) 
Be structurally sound, maintained in good repair, and constructed with material that protects the dog from injury; and
(9) 
Allow the dog easy access in and out.
(c) 
A person who owns or harbors an animal, other than a dog, that is kept outside of any structure occupied by humans must provide the animal with a shelter consisting of at least three sides, a roof, and a floor, with the opening facing away from the north. The shelter must be of sufficient size to accommodate all animals using it and allow the animals to stand upright and turn inside it.
(Ordinance 22-28 adopted 8/16/22)
Rabbits shall be kept in a secure pen or enclosure that is at least 30 feet from an inhabited dwelling, other than that of the owner, and such enclosure shall be of such construction and strength to keep the rabbits from running at large.
(2003 Code, sec. 2.806)
(a) 
Chickens, ducklings, other fowl, or rabbits younger than eight weeks of age may not be sold in quantities of less than 10 to a single purchaser.
(b) 
No person shall give away any animal as a prize for or as an inducement to enter any contest, game, or competition, or as an inducement to enter a place of amusement, or offer such animal as an incentive to enter into any business establishment whereby the offer was for the purpose of attracting trade.
(c) 
It is unlawful to color, dye, stain, or otherwise change the natural color of any chickens, ducklings, other fowl, or rabbits, or to process for the purpose of selling or giving away any such animals that have been so colored.
(d) 
No person shall knowingly expose any known poisonous substance, whether mixed with food or not, whereby the substance can be consumed by any pet or domestic animal; provided, however, that persons and licensed pest control operators may use registered pesticides in compliance with the directions for approved use of the pesticides.
(e) 
A person commits an offense if he/she transports or carries any animal in a motor vehicle unless the animal is safely enclosed within the vehicle; or if traveling in an unenclosed portion of a vehicle, including but not limited to, a convertible, pick-up truck, jeep, trailer or flatbed truck, the animal is safely confined by a seatbelt, vented container, cage or other device which will prevent the animal from falling, jumping, leaving or being thrown from the motor vehicle and from strangling on a leash, rope or tether of any type.
(f) 
A person having charge or custody of an animal shall not place or confine such animal or allow such animal to be placed or confined in a motor vehicle or trailer under such conditions or for such a period of time as may endanger the health, safety or welfare of the animal due to heat, lack of food or water, or such other circumstances as may cause injury or death of the animal. Public safety officers, including animal control, fire and police departments may, after attempting to locate the animal's owner, remove the animal from a vehicle or enclosed space using any reasonable means, including but not limited to breaking a window or lock. The owner may be cited for violating this section and the animal may be impounded. It shall be the responsibility of the animal's owner to repair any damage caused by the removal of the animal from the dangerous situation. If professional services are required to remove the animal, the owner is responsible for the cost.
(Ordinance 22-28 adopted 8/16/22)