Fort Worth, TX Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

1, a dog becomes 'aggressive' when the animal care and control authority determines it bit someone lawfully inside its own enclosure more than once, attacked another animal outside its enclosure, repeatedly tried to escape to reach a person or animal, or committed unprovoked acts that would make a reasonable person believe it will attack. Owners get 15 calendar days to appeal that finding to the director, whose decision is then final and non-appealable, and must keep the dog leashed under direct control or inside an adequate enclosure at all times, including during the appeal.

3 follows a stricter template: the director investigates reported attacks, may take sworn statements from victims and witnesses, and notifies the owner in writing. This time the owner has 15 days to appeal to municipal court itself, not just the director, and any further appeal of the court's decision runs through Tex. 0424. 4 requires the owner, within 30 days, to register the dog with the animal care and control authority for an annual $500 fee, obtain at least $100,000 in liability insurance or equivalent financial responsibility, spay or neuter the dog, and post four-inch-letter warning signs with a child-legible dangerous-dog symbol on every side of the secure enclosure.

The dog must also be muzzled and either leashed under direct control or secured whenever it leaves the property. Failure to comply within the deadlines lets the director order the dog surrendered for a municipal court hearing that can end in seizure, and if the owner still hasn't complied by the 11th day after seizure, the court orders humane destruction.