Irving, TX Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Sec. 6-34(a) requires sterilization within 30 days of the incident for any dog or cat that bites a person, domestic animal, or livestock while running at large, unless the owner shows the animal is under six months old or a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing that the pet is medically unsuitable for surgery or already permanently non-fertile. Proof must be a sterilization certificate from a licensed veterinarian. Failing to sterilize a biting animal within the deadline is itself a separate criminal offense under Sec. 6-34(c), on top of whatever charges stem from the bite itself. Sec. 6-34(b) also lets the animal services manager sterilize a quarantined animal at the department, at the owner's expense, before it can be released once its rabies observation period ends.

A second, independent trigger sits in the impoundment-release rules. Sec. 6-22(a)(3) requires sterilization of any dog, cat, or rabbit picked up by animal services more than once in any rolling 12-month period before the city will release it back to the owner. The owner has 30 days after release to produce the sterilization certificate if it isn't available at pickup, and the same age, medical, and service-animal exceptions in Sec. 6-34(a) apply. Both mandates only reach animals that have already bitten someone or been repeatedly impounded; a pet that has never bitten anyone and has never been picked up loose is not subject to either sterilization rule under Irving's code.