Rowlett, TX Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

There is no breed ban in Rowlett, and the city is not permitted to enact one. Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.047 preempts breed-specific legislation: a county or municipality may place additional requirements or restrictions on dangerous dogs only if those requirements are not specific to one breed or several breeds of dogs. This statewide preemption means no Texas city, including Rowlett, can ban or restrict pit bulls, Rottweilers or any other breed by name. Some breed bans that predated the law elsewhere were grandfathered, but new breed-specific ordinances are barred. Rowlett's controls are therefore tied to a dog's behavior rather than its breed. A dog becomes 'dangerous' under the state framework based on conduct, such as an unprovoked attack causing bodily injury, and the owner then faces heightened registration, confinement, restraint and liability obligations under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822 (Subchapter D) and any non-breed-specific local rules. So while Rowlett is permissive about which breeds residents may own, owners of any dog that behaves dangerously are subject to significant requirements regardless of breed.