Animal Ordinances in Fort Worth, TX (2026)
14 verified animal ordinances for Fort Worth, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Fort Worth Code Sec. 11A-22 allows fowl on residential property with caps tied to lot size: 12 fowl (max two roosters) on lots up to 1/2 acre, 25 fowl over 1/2 acre but under 1 acre, and 50 fowl on 1+ acre lots. Coops must be at least 50 feet from any neighbor's residence.
Fort Worth Backyard Chickens Ordinance
Some RestrictionsTex. Agric. Code Sec. 161.003
Sec. 161.003. DUTY OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. (a) The commissioners court of each county shall cooperate with and assist the commission in protecting livestock, domestic animals, and domestic fowl from communicable diseases, regardless of whether a particular disease exists in the county.(b) Each commissioners court may employ a veterinarian at the expense of the county. Any veterinari...
Dog Leash Laws
Fort Worth requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required. TX HSC §822.013 covers dogs at large.
Fort Worth Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.041(2)
Sec. 822.041. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: ... (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 in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own; or (B) commits unprovoked acts in a place other than an enclosure in wh...
Breed Restrictions
Fort Worth does not ban any dog breed. Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.047 preempts cities from enacting breed-specific legislation. Instead, Fort Worth regulates individual dogs under its 'dangerous' and 'aggressive' dog provisions in Chapter 6.
Fort Worth Breed Restrictions (Preempted)
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.047
Sec. 822.047. LOCAL REGULATION OF DANGEROUS DOGS. A county or municipality may place additional requirements or restrictions on dangerous dogs if the requirements or restrictions: (1) are not specific to one breed or several breeds of dogs; and (2) are more stringent than restrictions provided by this subchapter.
Beekeeping
Fort Worth allows beekeeping on residential property under Chapter 6 of the Code. If hive entrances are perpendicular to and within 25 feet of a property line, the keeper must install a solid 6-foot-tall wall, fence, or hedge between the hives and the property line as a flyway barrier.
Fort Worth Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsTex. Agriculture Code Sec. 131.001(2)-(5), (8-a)
Sec. 131.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: ... (2) "Apiary" means a place where colonies of bees or nuclei of bees are kept. (3) "Beekeeper" means a person who owns, leases, possesses, controls, or manages one or more colonies of bees for any personal or commercial purpose. (4) "Bee" means any stage of the common honeybee, Apis mellifera species. (5) "Colony" means a distinguishable localized ...
Exotic Pets
Fort Worth Sec. 6-62 prohibits dangerous animals and TX HSC §822.102 Dangerous Wild Animals (lions, tigers, bears, primates, etc.). Exemptions for zoos, circuses, educational institutions, licensed labs, and wildlife rehabilitators. Miniature swine addressed separately.
Fort Worth Exotic Pet Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.103
Sec. 822.103. CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION; FEES. (a) A person may not own, harbor, or have custody or control of a dangerous wild animal for any purpose unless the person holds a certificate of registration for that animal issued by an animal registration agency. (b) A certificate of registration issued under this subchapter is not transferrable and is valid for one year after its date of issua...
Wildlife Feeding
Fort Worth prohibits feeding wildlife including coyotes, raccoons, feral hogs, and bobcats under Chapter 6, though songbird and squirrel feeding from standard feeders is allowed.
Fort Worth Wildlife Feeding
Some RestrictionsLivestock
Fort Worth, despite its Cowtown heritage, restricts livestock on urban lots. Horses, cattle, goats, and swine require agricultural zoning or minimum acreage; chickens and bees are allowed with limits.
Fort Worth Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsTex. Agric. Code Sec. 142.003
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 co...
Animal Hoarding
Fort Worth Animal Care and Control investigates suspected hoarding under City Code Chapter 6 and Texas Penal Code 42.092. Officers may seize neglected animals, file misdemeanor or felony charges, and seek court-ordered relinquishment of all animals.
Animal Hoarding: Cruelty Investigation and Seizure
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 821.002
Sec. 821.002. TREATMENT OF IMPOUNDED ANIMALS. (a) A person who impounds or causes the impoundment of an animal under state law or municipal ordinance shall supply the animal with sufficient wholesome food and water during its confinement.(b) If an animal impounded under Subsection (a) continues to be without necessary food and water for more than 12 successive hours, any person may enter th...
Pet Limits
Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 caps household dogs and cats at five total adult animals per residence without a multiple animal permit. Larger households need an inspection and permit through Fort Worth Animal Care and Control before keeping additional pets.
Household Pet Limits in Fort Worth
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 requires cats over four months old to be registered with Animal Care and Control and vaccinated against rabies. Owners must keep proof of current vaccination, and feral colony caretakers may participate in trap-neuter-return programs.
Cat Rules: Registration and Rabies Vaccination
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 826.001-.002
Sec. 826.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the Rabies Control Act of 1981. Sec. 826.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:(1) "Animal" means a warm-blooded animal. ... (3) "Cat" means Felis catus. ... (5) "Department" means the Department of State Health Services.(6) "Dog" means Canis familiaris.(7) "Epizootic" means the occurrence in a given geographic area or population of c...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 requires dogs and cats over six months old to be spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an annual intact-animal permit from Animal Care and Control. The rule aims to reduce shelter intake and euthanasia citywide.
Mandatory Spay-Neuter: Intact Animal Permit Required
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 828.002-.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
Fort Worth Animal Care and Control requires licensed dogs and cats to carry a registered microchip. Owners must keep contact information current with the chip registry, and shelters scan every impounded animal to expedite reunification.
Microchipping Required for Licensed Pets
Some RestrictionsCoyote Management
Fort Worth Animal Care and Control follows a hazing-first coyote management policy. Texas Parks and Wildlife classifies coyotes as nongame; residents may legally haze coyotes to restore fear of humans, with lethal removal reserved for confirmed aggressive animals.
Coyote Management and Hazing Rules in Fort Worth
Some RestrictionsPet Store Rules
Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 regulates pet shops through licensing, sourcing disclosure, and humane handling standards. Unlike Dallas, Fort Worth has not adopted a strict shelter-only sourcing ban for retail dogs and cats as of 2026.
Pet Store Retail Sales Rules in Fort Worth
Some RestrictionsTex. Occ. Code Sec. 802.001-.002
Sec. 802.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the Dog or Cat Breeders Act. Sec. 802.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:(1) "Adult animal" means an animal six months of age or older.(2) "Animal" means a dog or a cat. ... (8) "Dog or cat breeder" means a person who possesses five or more adult intact female animals and is engaged in the business of breeding those animals for direc...
Looking for Tarrant County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fort Worth city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Tarrant County →