Animal Ordinances in El Paso, TX (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for El Paso, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
El Paso Code Chapter 7.04 permits up to 6 chickens (hens only) per residential lot with coops setback at least 25 feet from neighboring dwellings. Roosters are prohibited in residential zones.
El Paso Chickens and Livestock
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
El Paso Chapter 7.04 requires dogs to be on a leash no longer than 6 feet whenever off the owner's property. Off-leash dogs are prohibited except in designated dog parks such as Eastwood Dog Park.
El Paso Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsTexas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.042 (Requirements for Owner of Dangerous Dog)
Sec. 822.042. REQUIREMENTS FOR OWNER OF DANGEROUS DOG. (a) Not later than the 30th day after a person learns that the person is the owner of a dangerous dog, the person shall:(1) register the dangerous dog with the animal control authority for the area in which the dog is kept;(2) restrain the dangerous dog at all times on a leash in the immediate control of a person or in a secure enclosu...
Breed Restrictions
El Paso does not ban specific dog breeds. Texas Health and Safety Code Section 822.047 preempts city-level breed-specific legislation.
El Paso Breed Restrictions
Few RestrictionsTexas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.041 (Dangerous Dogs — Definitions)
Sec. 822.041. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:(1) "Animal control authority" means a municipal or county animal control office with authority over the area where the dog is kept or a county sheriff in an area with no animal control office.(2) "Dangerous dog" means a dog that:(A) makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure i...
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is permitted in El Paso subject to Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 131 (registration) and city setback rules.
El Paso Beekeeping
Some RestrictionsTexas Agriculture Code Sec. 131.045 (Beekeeper Registration)
Sec. 131.045. BEEKEEPER REGISTRATION. (a) Each beekeeper in this state may register on an annual basis with the chief apiary inspector. A registration under this section expires August 31 following the date the registration is issued.(b) A registration must include:(1) information required by the chief apiary inspector; and(2) the county or counties in which the beekeeper operates.(c) T...
Exotic Pets
El Paso Chapter 7.04 and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 43 prohibit keeping dangerous wild animals such as large cats, bears, primates, and venomous reptiles without state exotic permits.
El Paso Exotic Pets
Heavy RestrictionsTexas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.101, 822.103 (Dangerous Wild Animals)
Sec. 822.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: ... (4) "Dangerous wild animal" means:(A) a lion;(B) a tiger;(C) an ocelot;(D) a cougar;(E) a leopard;(F) a cheetah;(G) a jaguar;(H) a bobcat;(I) a lynx;(J) a serval;(K) a caracal;(L) a hyena;(M) a bear;(N) a coyote;(O) a jackal;(P) a baboon;(Q) a chimpanzee;(R) an orangutan;(S) a gorilla; or(T) any hybrid of an animal listed...
Wildlife Feeding
El Paso prohibits feeding wildlife such as coyotes, foxes, javelinas, and skunks under Chapter 7.04 because it conditions animals to residential areas.
El Paso Wildlife Feeding
Some RestrictionsLivestock
Livestock such as horses, cattle, goats, and sheep are permitted in El Paso only in agricultural or ranch-residential zoning districts with minimum 1-acre parcels.
El Paso Livestock Rules
Heavy RestrictionsTexas Agriculture Code Sec. 142.003 (Estray — Discovery and Notice)
Sec. 142.003. DISCOVERY OF ESTRAY; NOTICE. (a) If an estray, without being herded with other livestock, roams about the property of a person without that person's permission or roams about public property, the owner of the private property or the custodian of the public property, as applicable, shall, as soon as reasonably possible, report the presence of the estray to the sheriff of the cou...
Animal Hoarding
El Paso Chapter 6 lets Animal Services Center officers act when animal counts at a single residence create unsanitary or cruel conditions, even where each pet is individually licensed and rabies-vaccinated under the city kennel rules.
Animal Hoarding Limits Under El Paso Ch. 6
Some RestrictionsTexas Health and Safety Code Sec. 821.021 (Disposition of Cruelly Treated Animals — Definitions)
Sec. 821.021. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:(1) "Cruelly treated" includes tortured, seriously overworked, unreasonably abandoned, unreasonably deprived of necessary food, care, or shelter, cruelly confined, caused to fight with another animal, or subjected to conduct prohibited by Section 21.09, Penal Code.(2) "Nonprofit animal welfare organization" means a nonprofit organization that ha...
Pet Limits
El Paso Chapter 6 caps the number of dogs and cats that may be kept at a single residence. Households exceeding the cap need a kennel or multi-pet permit, and zoning rules in Title 20 also restrict where commercial kennels may operate.
Household Pet Limits in El Paso, Texas
Some RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
El Paso requires sterilization for most adopted dogs and cats, and charges higher annual license fees for intact animals. The Animal Services Center runs a low-cost spay-neuter clinic that subsidizes surgery for residents living inside city limits.
Spay-Neuter Rules for El Paso Pet Owners
Some RestrictionsTexas Health and Safety Code Chapter 828 (Dog and Cat Sterilization), Sec. 828.002, 828.003
Sec. 828.002. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTION. Except as provided by Section 828.013, a releasing agency may not release a dog or cat for adoption unless the animal has been sterilized or the release is made to a new owner who signs an agreement to have the animal sterilized. Sec. 828.003. STERILIZATION AGREEMENT. (a) The sterilization agreement used by a releasing agency must contain:(1) the d...
Microchipping
El Paso ties pet registration to microchip implantation. Dogs and cats reclaimed from the Animal Services Center must be chipped before release, and the chip is recorded with the city license so officers can scan strays in the field and return them home.
Microchip Rules for El Paso Dogs and Cats
Some RestrictionsCoyote Management
El Paso neighborhoods that border the Franklin Mountains, Castner Range, and arroyos report frequent coyote activity. Animal Services and Texas Parks and Wildlife coordinate on hazing, public education, and limited removal where coyotes lose their fear of humans or attack pets.
Coyote Sightings in El Paso's Franklin Mountains Edge
Few RestrictionsLooking for El Paso County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement El Paso city rules.
Animal Ordinances in El Paso County →