Rowlett's Animal Code includes a dedicated animal-hoarding provision at Section 6-283. It works alongside the city's per-household animal-count limit (Sec. 6-76) and Texas state cruelty law, which together address keeping animals in numbers or conditions that endanger their health and welfare.
Rowlett's Animal Code addresses hoarding directly in Section 6-283, an 'Adequate care of animals' / hoarding provision within Chapter 6. This section sits alongside the city's broader animal-welfare and count rules. The household limit in Section 6-76 caps adult dogs and cats on residential property near other dwellings (no four-or-more of either species, and no combination exceeding three adult dogs and three adult cats), which functions as a front-line check against accumulating excessive numbers of animals. Beyond the city code, Texas state law backstops hoarding situations: Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 821 allows authorities to seize animals that are cruelly treated, and the Texas Penal Code makes cruelty to non-livestock animals (including failing to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter) a criminal offense. Animal hoarding typically involves keeping more animals than a person can adequately care for, leading to inadequate nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care; Rowlett Animal Services enforces both the city's Animal Code and applicable Texas law, and can investigate, seize animals and pursue charges where adequate care is not being provided. For the exact wording and requirements of Sec. 6-283, residents should consult the Animal Code chapter directly.
Keeping animals in numbers or conditions that fail to provide adequate care can trigger enforcement under Rowlett Code Sec. 6-283 and the city's count limit (Sec. 6-76), as well as seizure under Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 821 and criminal cruelty charges under the Texas Penal Code. Penalties can include animal seizure, fines and forfeiture of the animals.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
rowlett-tx
Rowlett does not prohibit backyard composting, and Texas law protects it: Property Code Sec. 202.007 voids any HOA rule banning composting of vegetation such...
rowlett-tx
Rowlett's published code does not specifically prohibit artificial turf on residential property, but the Development Code's landscape standards (Sec. 77-504)...
rowlett-tx
Rowlett's landscape standards favor native and adapted plants: required plant material must be native to or adaptable to the North Central Texas environment ...
rowlett-tx
Rainwater harvesting is allowed in Rowlett and encouraged by NTMWD. Texas law protects it: Local Government Code Sec. 580.004 bars cities from denying a perm...
rowlett-tx
Rowlett is a North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) member city with year-round watering rules. From November 1 to March 31 residents may water a maxim...
rowlett-tx
Rowlett requires owners to keep property free of high weeds, brush, trash, and other nuisances. Weeds 12 inches or higher are prohibited (Sec. 22-121(a) and ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Dallas County.
See how Rowlett's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.