Abilene, TX Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited condition
- Harborage for rats, mice, snakes, vermin
- Notice period
- 10 days written notice to abate
- Hearing forum
- Municipal court judge
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor, up to $500/day
- Recovery method
- Abatement cost becomes a property lien
Summary
Abilene's nuisance code makes it unlawful to maintain any condition on public or private property that provides harborage for rats, mice, snakes or other vermin. Code Enforcement can order abatement within ten days, and property owners who ignore the notice face a Class C misdemeanor and City cleanup billed back to them under Chapter 19.
The maintaining, using, placing, depositing, leaving or permitting to be or remain on any public or private property of any of the following items, conditions or actions are hereby declared to be and constitute a nuisance and are therefore prohibited and unlawful; provided, however, this list shall not be deemed or construed to be conclusive, limiting or restrictive... (3) Any condition that provides harborage for rats, mice, snakes and other vermin... Except as otherwise provided in sections 19-34, 19-35 and 19-45, violations of provisions of this chapter or failure to comply with any of its requirements shall constitute a Class C misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 19-15 lists conditions the City treats as a nuisance regardless of intent, and subsection (3) singles out any condition that provides harborage for rats, mice, snakes and other vermin, alongside noxious weeds, accumulated rubbish, and buildings kept in an unsanitary condition that endangers neighbors' health. Chapter 8's minimum-standards division reinforces the same concern for occupied structures: Sec. 8-552 defines vermin as small, objectionable animals such as insects or rodents that are difficult to control, spread disease, or compete with domestic animals for food, and Sec.
8-554(1)(k) lists vermin infestation as one of the conditions that can get a dwelling condemned as substandard. Enforcement runs through the Administrator, defined in Sec. 19-3 as City peace officers, firefighters, Code Enforcement Officers, the Public Health Authority or the City Manager's designee. Under Sec. 19-25, the Administrator must give ten days' written notice by certified mail or hand delivery before acting, and Sec. 19-26 requires the notice to describe the nuisance, order abatement within a reasonable stated time, and explain the right to request a hearing before the municipal court judge within ten days.
If the property owner does not abate the condition or request a hearing, Sec. 19-28 lets the City enter the property, abate the harborage condition itself, and bill the cost as authorized by Sec. 19-30, with unpaid costs becoming a lien on the property under Sec. 19-31.
Violations & Fines
Failing to abate a rat, mice or snake harborage condition after notice is a Class C misdemeanor under Sec. 19-32, punishable by the Code's general fine of up to $500.00 per day under Sec. 1-9, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Beyond the fine, the City can recover its abatement costs as a lien against the property under Sec. 19-31, and corporate officers or managers who control a violating business remain personally liable under Sec. 19-32(a).
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a rodent nuisance in Abilene?
Who enforces rodent-harborage complaints in Abilene?
What happens if I ignore a rodent-nuisance notice in Abilene?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Abilene
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