Bexar County does not mandate microchipping for privately owned pets in unincorporated areas, but Bexar County Animal Care Services microchips all adopted animals and strongly recommends owners register chips with national databases to facilitate lost pet recovery.
Unlike San Antonio, which requires microchipping for all licensed dogs and cats, Bexar County has no countywide microchip mandate. However, every animal released through Bexar County Animal Care Services is microchipped before adoption, with the chip registered to the new owner. Owners must update registration information when moving or transferring ownership. BCAS scans every impounded animal and contacts registered owners before placing the animal for adoption or euthanasia. Failure to maintain accurate registration is the leading cause of unreclaimed lost pets countywide.
No direct civil penalty for unregistered chips, but unmicrochipped strays may be adopted out or euthanized after 72-hour stray hold under Texas HSC 823; reclaim fees rise daily; bite-quarantine animals must be identifiable.
Bexar County, TX
Bexar County requires cats over four months old to be vaccinated against rabies under Texas Health and Safety Code 826.021, but the unincorporated county has...
Bexar County, TX
Bexar County does not impose mandatory spay-neuter on all pets, but Texas Health and Safety Code 828 requires sterilization of animals adopted from public sh...
See how Bexar County's microchipping rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.