(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)