The county cannot zone livestock in the unincorporated area, but state law bars letting animals roam a highway right-of-way and lets voters adopt a stock law. Right-to-farm protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits.
Texas counties have no zoning power, so unincorporated Galveston County sets no acreage or head-count limit on horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, or goats. State law still applies: Agriculture Code 143.102 makes it unlawful to knowingly let listed livestock roam at large on a highway right-of-way, and a voter-adopted stock law (Ch. 143) can bar a named class from running at large countywide. Loose livestock can be impounded as estrays under Chapter 142. Established agricultural operations are shielded from most nuisance claims by the right-to-farm law (Ag Code Ch. 251). Inside cities, the municipal code controls whether livestock may be kept at all.
Letting livestock roam a highway right-of-way is a misdemeanor, and the sheriff may impound the animal as an estray; owners pay handling and boarding costs (Ag Code 143.102, Ch. 142).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Galveston County's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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