Animal Ordinances in Houston, TX (2026)

Tex. Agriculture Code § 161.001

Sec. 161.001. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter:(1) "Animal" includes livestock, exotic livestock, domestic fowl, and exotic fowl.(2) "Commission" means the Texas Animal Health Commission.(3) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 604, Sec. 5.(4) "Exotic livestock" means grass-eating or plant-eating, single-hooved or cloven-hooved mammals that are not indigenous to this state and are known as ung...

Texas Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.007, 822.005(a) (Local Regulation of Dogs; Attack by Dog)

Sec. 822.007. LOCAL REGULATION OF DOGS. This subchapter does not prohibit a municipality or county from adopting leash or registration requirements applicable to dogs. ... Sec. 822.005. ATTACK BY DOG. (a) A person commits an offense if the person is the owner of a dog and the person: (1) with criminal negligence, as defined by Section 6.03, Penal Code, fails to secure the dog and the dog ...

Texas Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.047 (Local Regulation of Dangerous Dogs - Breed-Specific Restrictions Prohibited)

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.

Texas 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...

Tex. Health & Safety Code § 822.101

Sec. 822.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:(1) "Animal registration agency" means the municipal or county animal control office with authority over the area where a dangerous wild animal is kept or a county sheriff in an area that does not have an animal control office.(2) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1, Sec. 3.1639(119), eff. April 2, 2015.(3) "Commercial activity" means:(A) ...

Houston Code of Ordinances § 32-123(b)(8), (9), (12)

(b) Except as may be specifically authorized by a permit or permits issued in accordance with section 32-124, all persons using the preserve shall comply with the following: ... (8) No person shall remove any wildlife from the preserve, or release, abandon, place, bury, or otherwise dispose of any live animal, carcass, or remains of an animal in the preserve, except as provided by section 32-35...

Houston Code of Ordinances § 6-76

It is unlawful for any person to own, keep, possess or have control over four or more adult dogs, four or more adult cats, or any combination thereof exceeding three adult dogs and three adult cats on residential property within 100 feet of any other building used for human habitation. The distance shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest point of the structure or fenced enclosure ...

Tex. Health & Safety Code § 826.022

Sec. 826.022. VACCINATION; CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person fails or refuses to have each dog or cat owned by the person vaccinated against rabies and the animal is required to be vaccinated under:(1) Section 826.021 and department rules; or(2) ordinances or rules adopted under this chapter by a county or municipality within whose jurisdiction the act occurs.(b) A...

Tex. Health & Safety Code § 828.003

Sec. 828.003. STERILIZATION AGREEMENT. (a) The sterilization agreement used by a releasing agency must contain:(1) the date of the agreement;(2) the names, addresses, and signatures of the releasing agency and the new owner;(3) a description of the animal to be adopted;(4) the sterilization completion date; and(5) a statement, printed in conspicuous, bold print, that sterilization of the animal...

Houston Code of Ordinances §§ 6-85, 6-86(a)

No person shall own, possess or have control over any dog or cat that is four months of age or older unless the dog or cat has been implanted with a microchip. The owner or custodian of any dog or cat must register the animal by providing to BARC animal services the identification number of the implanted chip and a physical description of the animal before the animal attains four months of age,...

Tex. Occupations Code § 802.002

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.(3) "Cat" means a mammal that is wholly or partly of the species Felis domesticus.(4) "Commission" means the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation under Chapter 51.(5) "Controlling person" means an individual who:(A) is a partner, manager, director, o...

Tex. Occupations Code § 801.002

Sec. 801.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:(1) "Board" means the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.(1-a) "Certified veterinary assistant" means a person who has been certified as a certified veterinary assistant by the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and is employed by a licensed veterinarian.(2) "Compensation" includes a fee, monetary reward, discount, or emolument, whether rece...

Tex. Parks & Wildlife Code § 64.002

Sec. 64.002. PROTECTION OF NONGAME BIRDS. (a) Except as provided by this code, no person may:(1) catch, kill, injure, pursue, or possess, dead or alive, or purchase, sell, expose for sale, transport, ship, or receive or deliver for transportation, a bird that is not a game bird;(2) possess any part of the plumage, skin, or body of a bird that is not a game bird; or(3) disturb or destroy the egg...