(a) 
There is hereby created an animal control advisory board. The board shall be composed of five (5) persons with the following qualifications: One (1) licensed veterinarian; one (1) animal welfare organization representative; one (1) city official, one (1) employee from the animal services division and one (1) at-large person. Persons appointed to such positions by the city council shall serve for a term of two (2) years, so long as they do not fail to attend more than two (2) meetings of the board in succession. The city council may appoint two (2) alternate members to the board who shall serve in the absence of one or more of the regular members and shall have the authority and duties of regular members during such absences. In the event of a resignation of a regular member or alternate member from the board, the city council shall name a successor in accordance with this section.
(b) 
The board shall hold at least three (3) regular meetings per calendar year, and the following three (3) dates are hereby designated as regular meeting dates for the animal control advisory board:
(1) 
Third Tuesday of January;
(2) 
Third Tuesday of May; and
(3) 
Third Tuesday of September.
(c) 
The meeting dates specified above may be adjusted by the chairperson of the animal control advisory board, in consultation with the city council, as necessary to accommodate scheduling conflicts or unforeseen circumstances.
(d) 
The board shall perform the following duties:
(1) 
In an advisory capacity to assist the city in complying with the terms of the Texas Health and Safety Code, as amended; and
(2) 
In an advisory capacity assist the city in establishing procedures applicable to the city's animal services program.
(Ordinance 822-2021 adopted 9/16/21; Ordinance 885-2024 adopted 5/16/2024)
(a) 
All animal exhibitions shall, in addition to other requirements of this article, comply with the minimum standards of this chapter. All of the exhibition’s facilities shall be subject to inspection by the animal control officer upon his/her request during reasonable hours.
(b) 
The presenter of the animal exhibition must contact the city animal services at least seven (7) days before the performance or display and provide dates, times, and exact location of each performance or display.
(c) 
It shall be a violation for any person who owns, manages, or represents an animal exhibition that requires a permit or registration to refuse, upon request by the department, to make his/her animal(s), premises, facilities, equipment, and any necessary registration(s) or permit(s) available for inspection for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with the provisions of this chapter. All animal exhibitions must be in compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations.
(Ordinance 822-2021 adopted 9/16/21)
(a) 
All wildlife educational centers, as defined herein, shall be exempt from city regulations so long as they comply with minimum federal and state regulations, except as provided herein.
(b) 
It shall be a violation for any wildlife educational center to refuse, upon request by the department, to make his/her animal(s), premises, facilities, equipment, and any necessary registration(s) or permit(s) available for inspection during the establishment’s regular business hours or at any other reasonable hour for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(c) 
Failure to meet these standards or violating this chapter in any other way shall be grounds for the issuance of a citation subjecting the owner to penalties provided in this chapter.
(Ordinance 822-2021 adopted 9/16/21)
(a) 
All animal establishments and animal dealers, as defined herein, shall, in addition to the other requirements of this article, comply with the minimum standards of this section. Persons wishing to operate an animal establishment or to become an animal dealer within the city must apply in writing to the animal control officer who will issue a permit if all of the state and federal requirements are met.
(b) 
It shall be a violation for any entity or person to sell, offer for sale, give away, offer to give away, or otherwise transfer ownership of any animal without first obtaining an animal establishment or animal dealer permit, unless such activity is authorized by some other section of this chapter.
(c) 
It shall be a violation for any animal establishment or animal dealer to refuse, upon request by the department, to make his/her animal(s), premises, facilities, equipment, and any necessary registration(s) or permit(s) available for inspection during the establishment’s regular business hours or at any other reasonable hour for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(d) 
Failure to meet these standards, or violating this chapter in any other way, shall be grounds for the issuance of a citation subjecting the owner to penalties provided in this chapter, and/or revocation of the owner’s animal establishment or animal dealer permit at the animal control officer’s discretion.
(Ordinance 822-2021 adopted 9/16/21)
No owner or person shall display for commercial purpose, offer, sell, trade, barter, lease, rent, or give away, any live animal, on any roadside, public right-of-way, commercial parking lot, or any flea market. This provision does not prohibit the sale or purchase of animals from a person’s private residence with a permit.
(Ordinance 822-2021 adopted 9/16/21)