Garland, TX Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration deadline
- 30 days after owner learns dog is dangerous
- Restraint required
- Leash in hand or locked, escape-proof enclosure
- Liability coverage
- At least $100,000, proof required
- Missed-deadline outcome
- Owner must surrender dog to Animal Services
- Destruction deadline
- 11th day after seizure if still noncompliant
- Appeal stay
- 10 calendar days from a destruction order
Summary
Once a dog is legally determined dangerous, Texas law forces a leash on it: Health and Safety Code Section 822.042(a) gives the owner 30 days to register the dog with Animal Services, keep it "at all times on a leash in the immediate control of a person or in a secure enclosure," and carry at least $100,000 in liability coverage, or surrender the dog for destruction.
(a) Not later than the 30th day after a person learns that the person is the owner of a dangerous dog, the person shall: (1) register the dangerous dog with the animal control authority for the area in which the dog is kept; (2) restrain the dangerous dog at all times on a leash in the immediate control of a person or in a secure enclosure; (3) obtain liability insurance coverage or show financial responsibility in an amount of at least $100,000 to cover damages resulting from an attack by the dangerous dog causing bodily injury to a person and provide proof of the required liability insurance coverage or financial responsibility to the animal control authority for the area in which the dog is kept; and (4) comply with an applicable municipal or county regulation, requirement, or restriction on dangerous dogs. (b) The owner of a dangerous dog who does not comply with Subsection (a) shall deliver the dog to the animal control authority not later than the 30th day after the owner learns that the dog is a dangerous dog.
Full Breakdown
0421. From that date the owner has 30 days to register the dog with the animal control authority, restrain it on a leash in hand or in a locked, escape-proof enclosure, obtain the $100,000 liability coverage, and comply with any Garland regulation on dangerous dogs. 041(4) defines a compliant enclosure as locked, capable of keeping out children and the public, capable of preventing the dog's escape, and clearly marked as containing a dangerous dog. An owner who cannot meet those terms within 30 days must instead deliver the dog to Animal Services under Subsection (b).
If a court finds under Subsection (c) that the owner missed either deadline, it must issue a seizure warrant, and Animal Services impounds the dog in secure, humane conditions at the owner's expense. 042 restraint.
Violations & Fines
Subsection (e) requires the court to order humane destruction if the owner has not complied with Subsection (a) by the 11th day after seizure, and Subsection (f) allows destruction if the owner cannot be located within 15 days of seizure. An owner may appeal, and Subsection (e-1) automatically stays any destruction order for 10 calendar days to allow that appeal, during which the dog may not be destroyed. Every seizure, impoundment and destruction cost is billed to the owner under Subsection (d), with fee amounts set by the municipality.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Garland's dangerous-dog leash rule kick in?
What restraint satisfies the Texas dangerous-dog leash requirement?
What happens if a Garland owner ignores the 30-day deadline?
Can a dangerous-dog destruction order be appealed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Garland to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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Dog Leash Laws in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle dog leash laws.