Animal Ordinances in Houston, TX (2026)
16 verified animal ordinances for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Houston allows up to 30 domestic fowl per lot with no roosters and a 100-foot setback from neighboring buildings under Chapter 6. No permit is required. Texas HB 1750 prevents cities from banning chickens, but HOA deed restrictions still apply.
Houston Chicken & Livestock Ordinance (Chapter 6)
Few RestrictionsTex. 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exotic livestock, domestic fowl, and exotic fowl.(2) "Commission" means the Texas Animal Health Commission.(3) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 604, Sec. 5.(4) "Exotic livestock" means grass-eating or plant-eating, single-hooved or cloven-hooved mammals that are not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...
Dog Leash Laws
Houston requires dogs to be leashed or under physical control in all public spaces under Chapter 6. Fines range from $500 to $2,000 per violation. Mandatory microchipping required since January 2022. BARC enforces.
Houston Dog Leash Law (Chapter 6)
Heavy RestrictionsTexas 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 ...
Breed Restrictions
Houston has no breed-specific legislation. Texas prohibits BSL statewide under Health and Safety Code Chapter 822. Houston uses behavior-based dangerous dog determinations under Chapter 6. No breed is banned or restricted.
Houston Breed Restrictions (None - Behavior-Based)
Few RestrictionsTexas 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.
Beekeeping
Houston has no city-specific beekeeping ban. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS) regulates bees at the state level under Agriculture Code Chapter 131. Deed restrictions and HOAs may impose local limits.
Houston Beekeeping Regulations
Few 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...
Exotic Pets
Houston Code Chapter 6, Art. III prohibits the possession of wild or exotic animals within city limits. It is unlawful for any person to keep any wild or exotic animal upon any premises within the city, with limited exceptions for zoological parks, circuses, and veterinary hospitals.
Houston Exotic and Wild Animal Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsTex. 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) ...
Wildlife Feeding
Houston does not have a specific municipal ordinance prohibiting wildlife feeding on private property. City parks have rules managed by the Parks and Recreation Department, and general nuisance provisions under Chapter 10 may apply if feeding creates unsanitary conditions.
Houston Wildlife Feeding Regulations
Few RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Animal hoarding in Houston addressed through Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 6 and BARC Animal Shelter. Texas Penal Code 42.092 for cruelty.
Houston Animal Hoarding Rules
Some RestrictionsPet Limits
Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 6 generally limits residences to four dogs and four cats over four months old per household. Exceeding the limit requires a kennel or breeder permit and may trigger zoning concerns.
Houston Pet Limit Four Dogs and Four Cats
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Houston Chapter 6 treats cats as companion animals subject to rabies vaccination, BARC licensing, and humane care. Free-roaming cats may be impounded; community cat caretakers should follow trap-neuter-return protocols.
Houston Cat Rules and Rabies Vaccination
Some RestrictionsTex. 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...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Houston has no broad mandatory spay-neuter ordinance. Sterilization is required for shelter-adopted animals and free-roaming cats in TNR programs. BARC and partners run low-cost and free clinics throughout the city.
Houston Spay-Neuter Largely Voluntary
Few RestrictionsTex. 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...
Microchipping
Houston BARC microchips every dog and cat at adoption and reclaim, registering the chip to the new owner. While Chapter 6 does not require microchips on all pets, BARC strongly recommends scanning and registering for lost-pet recovery.
BARC Microchips Adopted Pets in Houston
Some RestrictionsCoyote Management
Coyotes are protected nongame wildlife under Texas Parks and Wildlife jurisdiction. Houston BARC handles urban coyote complaints with hazing guidance, while lethal removal generally requires TPWD authorization or licensed wildlife control operators.
Houston Coyote Management Through BARC and TPWD
Some RestrictionsPet Store Rules
Texas has no statewide ban on pet store sales of dogs and cats, and Houston has not adopted a humane retail pet ordinance. Stores must follow USDA, state animal welfare, and basic Houston Chapter 6 standards.
Houston Pet Store Sales Largely Unrestricted
Few RestrictionsTex. 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...
Pet Groomer Rules
Texas does not license pet groomers, so Houston groomers operate under general business permits, sales tax registration, and Houston Chapter 6 humane standards. Mobile groomers must follow city vehicle, noise, and water-discharge rules.
Houston Pet Groomer Business Permits
Few RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic Zoning
Houston has no traditional zoning, so veterinary clinics open citywide subject to deed restrictions, parking, noise, and waste-disposal rules. State licensure through the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners remains mandatory.
Veterinary Clinics Without Houston Zoning
Few RestrictionsTex. 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...
Bird Protection
Most native birds in Houston are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64. Killing, capturing, or disturbing nests, eggs, or feathers without a permit is illegal year-round.
Houston Bird Protection Under Federal and Texas Law
Heavy RestrictionsTex. 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...
Looking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Harris County →