Burleson, TX Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Microchipping in the City of Burleson is tied to the animal shelter and to impoundment rather than to a stand-alone registration duty. Section 6-11(d)(2) of the Burleson Code of Ordinances says all animals reclaimed, except dangerous wild animals, shall be, at the owner's expense, microchipped and registered with the microchip company before leaving the animal shelter. An owner who redeems a dog or cat that got out therefore leaves with a chip in the animal and a registration on file, in addition to paying the impoundment fees and presenting photo identification under § 6-11(d)(1).

The same obligation covers adoption. Section 6-11(e)(2) provides that all dogs and cats adopted from the Burleson Animal Shelter shall be microchipped and/or registered with the microchip company at the adoptive owner's expense. Adopted dogs and cats are also sterilized if they are eight weeks or older or two pounds or more, and vaccinated for rabies if over four months of age, and the adopter does not hold legal ownership until sterilization is done and the animal is claimed from the contracted veterinarian.

A microchip also changes the hold time. Under § 6-11(c) an impounded animal is kept for three days excluding the date of impoundment, but an animal wearing a current tag or microchip is kept for five days excluding the date of impoundment, counting the first day after impoundment as day one. For an owner whose pet slipped out, that is two extra days to claim it before disposition under § 6-11(e).

A third trigger is a dangerous-animal designation. Under § 6-13(g)(1), not later than ten days after the owner receives final notice that an animal is a dangerous animal, the owner must obtain a registration certificate and a tag marked "dangerous animal" and, at the owner's expense, have the animal microchipped and registered with the microchip company, either through the animal control authority or a licensed veterinarian. Section 6-1 defines a MICROCHIP as an identification chip implanted under the skin of an animal for the purpose of identifying its owner.