Travis County, TX Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Travis County Code § 252.005 (Restraint)
- State authority
- Health & Safety Code § 826.014
- Unrestrained hold
- 3 days at Austin Animal Center
- Mandatory seizure trigger
- 3 upheld citations, same dog
- Impound fee
- $40.00 plus $5.00 per day
- Offense class
- Class C misdemeanor
Summary
Travis County Code Section 252.005 requires every dog owner in the unincorporated county to keep the dog securely on the owner's property or, off it, on a leash long enough for direct control. Adopted under Health and Safety Code Section 826.014, the rule applies countywide except in park areas the county has posted as no-restraint zones.
a. Restraint of Dogs. Pursuant to Section 826.014 of chapter 826, Travis County hereby requires that: 1. It is the responsibility of each Owner to effectively restrain the Owner's dog, which means the dog must either be kept securely on the Owner's property so that the dog remains on the Owner's property or, if not on the Owner's property, on a leash of a length that will allow for the direct control of the dog by the Owner or the person in control of the dog (or otherwise contained, such as in a car, in a crate, etc.)... This leash requirement does not apply in portions of public parks officially designated as no-restraint areas (unless the dog has been determined, pursuant to these Rules, to be a Dangerous Dog, in which case a leash is required even in designated no-restraint areas); however, the Owner must still maintain reasonable control over the dog at all times. 2. Each stray or unrestrained dog be declared a public nuisance. ... c. Criminal Penalty. If a person fails or refuses to restrain a dog under this Section 252.005 that is required to be restrained under this Section 252.005, that person commits an offense which is a Class C misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
005(a), the Animal Control Authority, which Travis County designates as the City of Austin's Animal Services Office assisted by the Sheriff's Office, treats every stray or unrestrained dog as a public nuisance subject to seizure. A dog seized only because it was off-property or off-leash can be held up to 3 days at the Austin Animal Center; after that the county's placement policies apply if no owner steps forward and a reasonable effort has been made to notify the owner. 00 deposit added if the dog has not been sterilized.
If a dog is caught back on its own property before the ACA arrives, the ACA may still cite the owner on a sworn complaint, and three upheld citations against the same owner for the same dog trigger a mandatory seizure and impound. 006 must stay leashed. Restraint fees collected go to the Travis County Treasurer earmarked for administering the rabies-control portions of Chapter 252.
Violations & Fines
Failing or refusing to restrain a dog required to be restrained under Section 252.005 is a Class C misdemeanor. Beyond the criminal fine, the owner cannot get the dog back from the Austin Animal Center without paying the impound fee, per-day boarding charge, and any sterilization deposit, and without producing proof of registration and current rabies vaccination. A third upheld restraint citation against the same dog forces the ACA to seize and impound it regardless of where it is found.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to keep my dog on a leash in Travis County?
How long can Travis County hold my dog if it's picked up unleashed?
Are there off-leash areas in Travis County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Travis County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Travis County to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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