10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Nueces County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Nueces County cannot zone, so it sets no backyard-chicken or livestock limits in unincorporated areas; those rules come from your city. Statewide, livestock owners may not knowingly let animals roam on U.S. or state highway right-of-way, and local stock laws can require fencing.
Texas Agriculture Code § 143.102(a)
A person who owns or has responsibility for the control of a horse, mule, donkey, cow, bull, steer, hog, sheep, or goat may not knowingly permit the animal to traverse or roam at large, unattended, on the right-of-way of a highway.
Unincorporated Nueces County has no county leash ordinance, but inside Corpus Christi and other cities dogs must be kept under restraint (leashed, fenced, caged, or tethered) at all times. Loose dogs anywhere risk dangerous-dog and rabies enforcement under state law.
Corpus Christi Code of Ordinances § 6-1 (Restraint)
Restraint means any animal that is securely caged; secured by a leash or lead attached to a collar or harness and under the effective control of a responsible person and obedient to that person's commands, within the confines of its owner's home or yard which is fully enclosed by a secure and substantial fence; or properly tethered.
There are no breed bans in Nueces County. Texas law forbids breed-specific dog regulation: any additional local requirements on dangerous dogs must not target particular breeds. Enforcement focuses on a dog's behavior, not its breed, under Health & Safety Code Ch. 822.
Texas Health & Safety Code § 822.047
This subchapter does not prohibit a county or municipality from... imposing additional requirements or restrictions [that] are not specific to one breed or several breeds of dogs; and are more stringent than restrictions provided by this subchapter.
Nueces County sets no beekeeping ordinance for unincorporated areas because it cannot zone; hive rules come from your city. Beekeeping is an agricultural activity in Texas, and established ag operations get right-to-farm protection from nuisance suits after one year.
Texas Agriculture Code § 251.004(a)
No nuisance action or other action to restrain an agricultural operation may be brought against an agricultural operation that has lawfully been in operation and substantially unchanged for one year or more prior to the date on which the action is brought.
Texas regulates dangerous wild animals countywide: you may not keep a lion, tiger, bear, or other listed dangerous wild animal without a certificate of registration from the local animal registration agency. This is one area where the county does have real authority.
Texas Health & Safety Code § 822.103(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.
Nueces County has no ordinance banning the feeding of wildlife in unincorporated areas, and it cannot zone to create one; any such rule comes from your city. Attracting animals that create filth or hazards can still be abated as a public nuisance under state law.
Nueces County cannot zone livestock in unincorporated areas; keeping cattle, horses, goats, or hogs is governed by state stock law and your city. Owners may not knowingly let listed animals roam on U.S. or state highway right-of-way.
Texas Agriculture Code § 143.102(a)
A person who owns or has responsibility for the control of a horse, mule, donkey, cow, bull, steer, hog, sheep, or goat may not knowingly permit the animal to traverse or roam at large, unattended, on the right-of-way of a highway.
Nueces County has no standalone hoarding ordinance, but Texas cruelty and public-nuisance laws apply countywide. Failing to provide adequate care, or keeping animals in filthy overcrowded conditions, can be prosecuted as cruelty and abated as a nuisance regardless of city limits.
Nueces County sets no limit on the number of dogs or cats because it cannot zone unincorporated areas. Pet-number caps come from your city's code. Corpus Christi and other cities may cap household pets and require registration of each dog and cat.
Texas requires every cat to be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age, and this applies countywide. Cat registration and any leash or free-roaming rules are set by your city; Nueces County itself does not regulate pet cats in unincorporated areas.
Texas Health & Safety Code § 826.021
The owner of a dog or cat shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies by the time the animal is four months of age and at regular intervals thereafter as prescribed by department rule.
1 cities in Nueces County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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