16 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 8 cities in Harris County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Harris County does not have specific poultry or livestock ordinances for unincorporated areas beyond general nuisance and animal cruelty laws. Texas counties lack zoning authority to restrict agricultural activities on private property. Deed restrictions are the primary control.
Texas Agriculture Code Sec. 161.001, 161.003 (Definitions and County Cooperation — Texas Animal Health Commission)
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. ... (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 ungulates, including animals from the swine, horse...
All dogs and cats must be kept under restraint in unincorporated Harris County. Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet when off the owner's property. Annual licensing is required for all dogs over 3 months ($20-$60). Unlawful tethering is prohibited 10 PM-6 AM.
Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.042 (Requirements for Owner of Dangerous Dog — Leash and Secure Enclosure)
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 enclosure;...
Harris County does not have breed-specific legislation (BSL) banning any dog breed. However, dogs classified as 'dangerous' face strict requirements: mandatory registration ($50/year), liability insurance ($100,000 minimum), microchipping, spaying/neutering, secure enclosure, and orange collar.
Texas Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.047 (Local Regulation of Dangerous Dogs)
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. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 916, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991. SUBCHAPTER E. DA...
Harris County has no beekeeping restrictions for unincorporated areas. Texas is a bee-friendly state with strong right-to-farm protections. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS) provides state-level registration. Deed restrictions may prohibit hives in subdivisions.
Harris County regulates dangerous wild animals under county regulations and Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822. Keeping lions, tigers, bears, primates, and other specified dangerous animals requires registration, $100,000 liability insurance, and secure enclosures approved by animal control.
Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.101 (Dangerous Wild Animals — Definitions)
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 in...
Harris County has no ordinance prohibiting wildlife feeding in unincorporated areas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regulates interactions with protected wildlife. Feeding wildlife that creates a nuisance may be addressed under general nuisance provisions.
Animal hoarding in unincorporated Harris County is addressed through Harris County Animal Control. Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 821 covers dangerous dogs and cruelty. Texas Penal Code 42.09/42.092 for cruelty.
Tex. Penal Code Ch. 42 (Disorderly Conduct and Related Offenses)
Sec. 42.092. CRUELTY TO NONLIVESTOCK ANIMALS. (a) In this section:(1) "Abandon" includes abandoning an animal in the person's custody without making reasonable arrangements for assumption of custody by another person.(2) "Animal" means a domesticated living creature, including any stray or feral cat or dog, and a wild living creature previously captured.
Harris County imposes no pets-per-household cap. Each city sets its own limit. Houston caps dogs and cats at six combined per single-family residence; Pasadena, Pearland, and Sugar Land use similar limits with kennel-permit options for larger numbers.
Harris County has no dedicated cat ordinance. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 mandates rabies vaccination for cats over four months old. Harris County Public Health Veterinary Public Health serves as the local rabies authority while cities run licensing and TNR programs.
Texas Health & Safety Code Sec. 826.022 (Restraint and Vaccination of Dogs and Cats)
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...
Texas has no statewide spay-neuter mandate, and Harris County does not require sterilization. Cities choose their own rules: Houston requires intact-animal permits under Chapter 6, while suburbs and unincorporated areas remain entirely voluntary unless an animal is adopted from a shelter.
Texas Health & Safety Code Sec. 828.003 (Sterilization Required)
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...
Harris County has no microchip ordinance, and Texas does not require microchipping pets. Harris County Pets microchips every adopted animal as standard practice. Houston Code Chapter 6 mandates microchips for dogs and cats; suburbs vary.
Harris County coordinates coyote conflict response with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which classifies coyotes as nongame predators. HCPH Veterinary Public Health handles rabies surveillance; cities run hazing education and trapping programs to reduce attractants and bold-coyote behavior.
Texas does not prohibit retail pet sales statewide, and Harris County imposes no countywide pet-store sourcing ban. Houston has not adopted a humane-sourcing ordinance either, so commercial breeder sourcing remains legal in stores throughout the county.
Texas does not license pet groomers, and Harris County imposes no county groomer rule. Groomers operate under general business licensing and animal-cruelty law. HCPH only intervenes when a grooming-related rabies exposure or cruelty complaint arises.
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 801 governs veterinary licensing through the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. Harris County does not zone clinics; cities set zoning, parking, and noise rules. Houston has no traditional zoning, relying on deed restrictions instead.
Native birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64. Harris County has no separate bird ordinance. Removing nests, eggs, or birds without a permit is a federal offense with substantial fines.
Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code Sec. 64.002 (Protection of Nongame Birds)
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 ...
8 cities in Harris County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
16 verified rules • Animal Hoarding, Beekeeping
7 verified rules • Animal Hoarding, Beekeeping
7 verified rules • Beekeeping, Breed Restrictions
7 verified rules • Beekeeping, Breed Restrictions
7 verified rules • Beekeeping, Breed Restrictions
8 verified rules • Animal Hoarding, Beekeeping
7 verified rules • Beekeeping, Breed Restrictions
7 verified rules • Beekeeping, Breed Restrictions
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