Carrollton, TX Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Microchip required to redeem
- Impounded animals, § 91.042(B)(2)
- Grace period if not chipped at pickup
- 10 calendar days
- Adopted-animal microchipping
- Mandatory before adoption, § 91.043(C)
- Fee responsibility
- Owner pays implant fee before release
- Enforcing agency
- DCO / animal services
Summary
Carrollton does not mandate microchipping for all pets, but any animal impounded at the shelter must be microchipped before the DCO releases it back to its owner. Owners get 10 calendar days to provide proof if the chip cannot be implanted at pickup.
(2) A microchip implant in the animal is required. (a) If the animal is not already identifiable by microchip, the owner shall pay a fee to have a microchip implanted into the animal prior to release. (b) If a microchip implant cannot occur prior to release, the owner shall have 10 calendar days to provide written proof of a microchip implantation of the animal.
Full Breakdown
042(B) sets the conditions animal services requires before releasing an impounded animal, and paragraph (2) is dedicated to microchipping. It states a microchip implant is required, and if the animal is not already identifiable by microchip, the owner must pay a fee to have one implanted before release. If implantation cannot happen at the time of redemption, subsection (2)(b) gives the owner 10 calendar days to provide written proof that the microchip was implanted. 042(B)(9) separately makes it an offense to fail to provide that proof of microchip implantation once the deadline passes.
The requirement sits alongside three companion conditions in the same subsection: current rabies vaccination (B)(1), mandatory sterilization after a third impoundment in 12 months (B)(3), and current city registration (B)(4). All fees, including the microchip fee, must be paid before release under (B)(5), and the owner must show government identification under (B)(6). 043(C)(1)(a)(3) requires every animal adopted directly from the shelter, not just repeat impounds, to be implanted with a microchip, vaccinated for rabies, and sterilized before adoption, with the adoption fee covering that cost.
Violations & Fines
Failing to provide proof of microchip implantation within the 10-day window is itself an offense under Section 91.042(B)(9), enforced as a Chapter 91 misdemeanor under Section 91.072: a fine of up to $2,000.00 per Section 10.99(A)(2)(e), with each day of noncompliance a separate violation. An animal cannot be released from the shelter until the microchip fee and all other applicable fees are paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Carrollton require every pet to be microchipped?
What if my dog isn't microchipped when I go to pick it up from the Carrollton shelter?
What happens if I never provide proof of microchipping after my pet is released?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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Microchipping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle microchipping.