Garland's Animal Ordinances: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles animal ordinances a little differently. In Garland, Texas, there are 13 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Cat Rules

Garland is the rare city that lets cats roam: Section 22.03(A) bars every animal from running at large except a cat, and a cat can only be impounded on a nuisance complaint under Section 22.08. Persistent laxness that lets a cat disturb a neighbor "of ordinary sensibilities" is still a citable offense.

Key details: General at-large ban: Applies to every animal except a cat (§22.03(A)). Cat impoundment trigger: Nuisance or hazard complaint only (§22.03(B)). Nuisance standard: "Persistent laxness" disturbing a neighbor (§22.08(4)). Self-help trapping: Owner may trap, must notify Animal Services promptly. Feral colony exemption: Approved advocacy groups exempt from notice duty.

An Animal Service Officer or police officer may cite an owner under Section 22.08(4) once a persistent-laxness nuisance complaint is substantiated, and the cat can then be impounded per Section 22.03(B). Interfering with a neighbor's authorized humane trapping is a separate offense under Section 22.05(C). Two or more article violations tied to a cat in a 12-month period also count toward the excessive-animals review the Supervisor of Animal Services can order under Section 22.21.

Garland is more permissive than most cities when it comes to cat rules. That said, there are still limits.

Microchipping

Garland does not chip every pet up front, but Animal Services makes a microchip mandatory at two checkpoints: every impounded dog or cat is chipped before release under Section 22.05(E), and any animal legally declared dangerous is chipped under Section 22.20(F). Owners can also request voluntary implantation any time for a fee.

Key details: Mandatory chip trigger 1: Before release of any impounded dog/cat (§22.05(E)). Impoundment chip fee: $20 plus the cost of the microchip. Mandatory chip trigger 2: Any animal declared dangerous (§22.20(F)). Voluntary request fee: Master Fee Schedule Art. VII §10.85 + chip cost. Manufacturer registration: 1 year, arranged by Animal Services (§22.04(D)).

An impounded dog or cat cannot be reclaimed until the Section 22.05(E) chip fee, along with impoundment and handling fees, is paid; Animal Services implants the chip as a condition of release, not an optional add-on. For a dangerous animal, Section 22.20(F) makes the microchip fee and first-year registration a mandatory cost of release, and the owner who fails to keep that registration current afterward bears sole responsibility under the same subsection.

Bird Protection

Garland protects birds two ways: a captive-keeping setback and a wild-catching ban. Pigeon coops must sit at least 30 feet from any neighbor's dwelling under Section 22.16, while Section 22.18(H) bars catching wild fowl off any City lake or pond without written Animal Services permission, unless the water is your own.

Key details: Pigeon coop setback: 30 feet from any neighboring dwelling (§22.16(A)). Exempt keepers: Vet clinics, zoos, shelters, pet stores, schools (§22.16(B)). Wild waterfowl capture: Banned without Animal Services permission (§22.18(H)). Private pond exception: Owners may collect their own fowl (§22.18(H)). Sanitary setback: 5 feet from an adjoining residentially zoned lot (§22.17(B)(6)).

Keeping a pigeon or similar bird enclosure inside the 30-foot residential setback is a citable Animal Services offense under Section 22.16(A) unless the Section 22.16(B) institutional defense applies. Catching wild fowl from a public body of water without the Supervisor of Animal Services' written permission is a separate offense under Section 22.18(H), enforced through the same Animal Service Officer citation authority in Section 22.02(A).

Garland is more permissive than most cities when it comes to bird protection. That said, there are still limits.

Pet Limits

Garland has no flat cap on pets. Instead, Section 22.21 lets the Supervisor of Animal Services impose a case-by-case ceiling once an owner has racked up more than two article violations in 12 months and the Supervisor traces those violations to keeping too many animals. Exceeding that individually-set number is then its own offense.

Key details: Trigger: More than 2 article violations in 12 months (§22.21(A)). No fixed cap: Supervisor sets the number case-by-case. Factors weighed: 8 listed, incl. lot size, animal count, neighbor complaints. Appeal body: Administrative Review Board (§22.21(C)). Compliance timing: Reduction applies even while appeal is pending.

Once a maximum is prescribed, "a person commits an offense if the person possesses, harbors, or keeps any number of animals in excess of the number prescribed by the Supervisor of Animal Services." An owner must comply with the reduction order immediately after receiving it, and filing an appeal to the Administrative Review Board does not pause that compliance deadline.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Garland actively enforces its pet limits requirements.

Beekeeping

Beekeeping is permitted in Garland subject to setback, hive density, water source, and flyway barrier requirements; beekeepers must also register with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service.

Key details: Setback: 5-foot setback from side/rear property lines. Requirement: Six-foot flyway barrier required when close to neighbors. Requirement: On-site water source required. Note: Hive count limited by lot size. Requirement: State registration with TAIS required (TX Ag Code 131).

Chickens & Livestock

Garland allows backyard chickens with setback and coop requirements under Chapter 6 of the City Code; roosters are prohibited in residential zones and the number of fowl is limited by lot size.

Key details: Birds Allowed: Hens permitted, roosters banned. Coop Setback: 50 feet from neighbor dwelling. Flock Limit: Based on lot size. Sanitation: Odor and vermin free. Complaints: Code Compliance (972) 205-3340.

Garland is more permissive than most cities when it comes to chickens & livestock. That said, there are still limits.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Garland's Development Code treats veterinary care as three separate zoning uses: Veterinary Clinic, Large Animal; Small Animal (Indoors); and Small Animal (Outdoor). Each is a distinct entry in the citywide Land Use Matrix under GDC § 2.50, so a clinic is allowed by right, allowed only with a Specific Use Provision, or barred outright depending on the district and which category the operation actually fits.

Key details: Governing code: Garland Development Code § 6.03, § 2.50. Use categories: Large Animal; Small Animal Indoors; Small Animal Outdoor. Matrix symbols: P (by right), S (SUP required), blank (prohibited). Indoor outdoor allowance: One break, max 60 minutes, per treated animal. Unlisted use rule: Prohibited citywide unless ruled similar (§ 2.50(C)).

Operating a veterinary clinic outside its approved Land Use Matrix classification, such as adding large-animal or extended outdoor care to a Small Animal (Indoors) approval, is a misdemeanor under GDC § 5.24, fined per City Code § 10.05: up to $2,000 for a zoning violation ($500 for other code violations), with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The City Attorney may also pursue civil enforcement under GDC § 5.23, and the City can seek injunctive or abatement action under § 5.22 to stop unauthorized use.

Breed Restrictions

Garland does not ban specific dog breeds; instead, the city follows the Texas dangerous dog statute and enforces its own dangerous-dog registration, containment, and liability-insurance requirements.

Key details: Breed Specific: No breed-specific ban (Texas H&S Code 822 preempts cities). Requirements: Dangerous dog registration required after qualifying incident. Insurance Required: $100,000 liability insurance or surety bond required for dangerous dogs. Requirements: Secure enclosure and muzzle/leash off-property required. Agricultural: Animal Services enforces under Garland Code Chapter 6.

Garland is more permissive than most cities when it comes to breed restrictions. That said, there are still limits.

Exotic Pets

Garland prohibits keeping dangerous wild animals (big cats, bears, wolves, primates, venomous reptiles) in residential areas and enforces Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 822 Subchapter E registration requirements.

Key details: Restrictions: Dangerous wild animals (big cats, bears, primates) effectively banned in residential zones. Requirements: TX H&S Code 822 Subchapter E registration required statewide. Requirements: $100,000 liability insurance and USDA caging required. Common exotics: Common exotics (ferrets, hedgehogs, non-venomous snakes) allowed. Native wildlife: Native wildlife regulated by TPWD under Parks & Wildlife Code Ch. 63.

Garland is more permissive than most cities when it comes to exotic pets. That said, there are still limits.

Pet Groomer Rules

No one may groom animals for business in Garland without an Animal Services permit: Section 22.22(A) bans engaging in "the business of selling, grooming, breeding, showing, exhibiting, boarding, or training animals without a valid permit," and any groomer that washes or bathes animals must also install a Supervisor-approved hair trap under Subsection (J).

Key details: Permit required for: Selling, grooming, breeding, boarding, training animals (§22.22(A)). Permit term: 12 months, renewed annually (§22.22(D)). Plumbing requirement: Supervisor-approved hair trap for bathing businesses (§22.22(J)). Vet clinic status: Exempt from permit, not from hair-trap rule (§22.22(H)). Revocation appeal window: 10 days to Supervisor, then Administrative Review Board (§22.22(I)).

Operating a grooming business without the Section 22.22(A) permit is a citable Animal Services offense enforced under Section 22.02(A). The Supervisor of Animal Services may revoke a permit for noncompliance with the article, and the permit holder must file a written appeal within 10 days of the revocation notice or lose the right to a hearing before the Administrative Review Board.

Compared to other cities, Garland takes a harder line on pet groomer rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Dog Leash Laws

Once a dog is legally determined dangerous, Texas law forces a leash on it: Health and Safety Code Section 822.042(a) gives the owner 30 days to register the dog with Animal Services, keep it "at all times on a leash in the immediate control of a person or in a secure enclosure," and carry at least $100,000 in liability coverage, or surrender the dog for destruction.

Key details: Registration deadline: 30 days after owner learns dog is dangerous. Restraint required: Leash in hand or locked, escape-proof enclosure. Liability coverage: At least $100,000, proof required. Missed-deadline outcome: Owner must surrender dog to Animal Services. Destruction deadline: 11th day after seizure if still noncompliant.

Subsection (e) requires the court to order humane destruction if the owner has not complied with Subsection (a) by the 11th day after seizure, and Subsection (f) allows destruction if the owner cannot be located within 15 days of seizure. An owner may appeal, and Subsection (e-1) automatically stays any destruction order for 10 calendar days to allow that appeal, during which the dog may not be destroyed. Every seizure, impoundment and destruction cost is billed to the owner under Subsection (d), with fee amounts set by the municipality.

This is one of the stricter rules in Garland's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Pet Store Rules

Garland runs no puppy-mill ban and no adoption-only mandate on pet stores. Chapter 22, Article I of the City Code exempts anyone "involved in the retail sale of dogs or cats" from the entire animal ordinance, and a second provision separately confirms store stock is exempt from the citywide unsterilized-pet ban.

Key details: Governing section: Ch. 22, Art. I, § 22.00(A)(3). Retail dog/cat sale: Exempt from entire Animal Services article. Spay/neuter tie-in: § 22.19(B)(1) retail-store affirmative defense. Local permit: Not required for exempted retail dog/cat sale. Enacted: Ordinance 7495, adopted 1/9/2024 (§ 22.00).

There is no local violation to cite here: Section 22.00(B)-(C) instructs that nothing in Article I may be enforced in a way that reaches an exempted activity, so an Animal Service Officer's citation authority under Section 22.02 does not extend to a retail pet store's dog or cat sales, its sterilization status, or a missing Section 22.22 permit for that specific activity. Zoning, building and health-code compliance for the storefront itself still apply outside this chapter.

The rules around pet store rules in Garland lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Mandatory Spay/Neuter

Garland bans keeping an unaltered cat or dog past six months old citywide. Section 22.19(A)(1) makes it "unlawful to keep, harbor, sell, transfer, convey or release" an unsterilized cat or dog over six months, but Subsection (B) carves out seven specific defenses, from retail pet stores to registered show animals to a documented medical exemption.

Key details: Core ban: Unsterilized cat/dog over 6 months, unless exempted (§22.19(A)(1)). Listed defenses: 7, incl. retail sale, shows, medical fitness, breeder permit. Medical exemption window: 30 days to sterilize once condition clears (§22.19(B)(3)). Impounded-animal deadline: 30 days after reclaiming to prove sterilization (§22.05(N)). Sterilization refund: $75 if proof filed within 30 days (§22.06(A)(2)).

Keeping, harboring or transferring an unsterilized cat or dog over six months without a Section 22.19(B) defense is a citable Animal Services offense enforced by an Animal Service Officer under Section 22.02(A). Separately, an owner who reclaims an impounded unsterilized dog or cat and misses the 30-day sterilization-proof deadline "commits an offense" under Section 22.05(N), independent of any citation on the original keeping violation.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Garland actively enforces its mandatory spay/neuter requirements.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Garland gives residents more room on animal ordinances. 6 of the 13 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects Garland's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.