(a) 
A person commits an offense if he/she owns or keeps any dog, cat or ferret in the city which is not currently vaccinated against rabies.
(b) 
A person commits an offense if he/she fails to provide a certificate of rabies vaccination, as described in subsection (e) of this section, for any dog, cat, or ferret upon request by animal services personnel or a police officer.
(c) 
A person commits an offense if he/she owns or keeps any dog, cat or ferret in the city which is not wearing a properly fitted collar or harness with a current rabies tag fastened securely at all times while the animal is outdoors.
(d) 
A person commits an offense if he/she uses a rabies tag for any animal other than the one (1) for which it was issued.
(e) 
Any licensed veterinarian who vaccinates an animal for rabies shall issue to the owner a current rabies tag and a certificate of rabies vaccination. The certificate shall contain the following information:
(1) 
Name, address and telephone number of the owner; and
(2) 
Name, address, telephone number of the veterinary clinic or service provider; and
(3) 
Animal identification, including species, sex, age, weight, predominant breed and color; and
(4) 
Vaccine used, including whether it is a vaccine labeled for one-year or three-year, manufacturer, expiration date, and serial number; and
(5) 
Date the vaccination was administered; and
(6) 
Rabies tag number; and
(7) 
Veterinarian's signature and license number.
(f) 
If a previously unvaccinated dog, cat or ferret bites or scratches a person, a rabies vaccine shall not be administered until the required observation period is complete, as defined in Section 6-1.
(g) 
It is a defense to prosecution under this section if the animal is under four (4) months of age.
(Ordinance 2021-10468, § 2, adopted 7/22/2021)
(a) 
A person who knows of an animal bite or scratch to an individual in the city that the person could reasonably foresee as capable of transmitting rabies, or who knows of an animal that the person suspects is rabid, shall report the incident or animal to the department as required by Texas Health and Safety Code, Title 10, § 826.041, as amended.
(b) 
Any person who suspects an animal has rabies or has been exposed to rabies shall report such to the department within twenty-four (24) hours and shall provide information about where the animal may be found, if known.
(c) 
Any person who knows or suspects that a rabid animal has bitten or scratched a domestic animal or livestock shall report the incident to the department within twenty-four (24) hours and shall provide information about where the rabid or suspected rabid animal may be found and shall provide a description of the bitten or scratched domestic animal or livestock and the location of where it may be found, if known.
(Ordinance 2021-10468, § 2, adopted 7/22/2021)
(a) 
The local rabies control authority is authorized to quarantine an animal as provided in Texas Health and Safety Code, Title 10, Chapter 826, as amended, and the rules adopted by the Texas Board of Health under that chapter.
(b) 
A person commits an offense if he/she owns, harbors or keeps any animal which has bitten or scratched a person and fails to submit such animal to the department for rabies quarantine or testing within twenty-four (24) hours.
(c) 
A person commits an offense if he/she owns, harbors or keeps any animal which has rabies, is suspected of having rabies, or has been bitten or scratched by an animal suspected of having rabies and fails to submit such animal to the department for rabies quarantine or testing within twenty-four (24) hours.
(d) 
If a person fails to submit an animal for quarantine as required in subsections (a) or (b), the animal may be seized by the city with a court order.
(e) 
A person commits an offense if he/she conceals, sells, gives away, or otherwise disposes of or permits an animal to be removed from quarantine that has bitten or scratched a person until such animal has been released from quarantine by the local rabies control authority.
(f) 
Any animal known or suspected of biting or scratching a person or to have been exposed to rabies will be quarantined in the city animal shelter, with a licensed veterinarian at a veterinary clinic or other rabies quarantine facility approved by the local rabies control authority unless an owner is approved by the local rabies control authority to assume personal responsibility for home confinement. The local rabies control authority may allow home confinement, provided the owner strictly complies with the following:
(1) 
The animal is kept in a secure enclosure, as defined in section 6-1, and is kept away from other animals and people except as necessary to provide care for the duration of the observation period; and
(2) 
The animal is currently vaccinated against rabies; and
(3) 
The animal was not at large at the time of the bite or scratch; and
(4) 
The owner of the animal observes the animal at least twice a day and reports any health or behavior changes, or death, to the local rabies control authority immediately; and
(5) 
The owner allows the local rabies control authority or his/her designated representative to inspect the animal and the location of confinement as requested for compliance with these requirements.
(g) 
At the local rabies control authority's sole discretion, the conditions in subsection (f)(1) of this section may not be required for service animals approved for home confinement.
(h) 
A military or police service animal is exempt from the quarantine requirements of this section if the animal bites a person while the animal is under routine veterinary care or while the animal is in training or being used for law enforcement, corrections or investigative purposes, provided that any changes in health or behavior, or death are reported to the local rabies control authority immediately.
(i) 
The local rabies control authority may require an animal that is showing clinical signs of rabies or any high-risk animal to be euthanized and tested for rabies.
(j) 
The local rabies control authority may require an animal that cannot be safely maintained in quarantine or that has inflicted multiple bite wounds, punctures or lacerations to be euthanized and tested for rabies.
(k) 
The local rabies control authority may require an unowned animal to be euthanized and tested for rabies.
(Ordinance 2021-10468, § 2, adopted 7/22/2021)
If, after the required observation period has been completed for quarantine, the local rabies control authority determines, or a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing to the local rabies control authority that such animal is not showing signs of rabies, the local rabies control authority shall authorize the release of the animal if the following conditions are met:
(a) 
The animal is currently vaccinated against rabies and the local rabies control authority has received a valid certificate of rabies vaccination for the animal or the animal is vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, at the owner's expense; and
(b) 
The animal is not subject to a pending hearing or court order; and
(c) 
All fees authorized by this chapter are tendered to the city.
(Ordinance 2021-10468, § 2, adopted 7/22/2021)
(a) 
Any dog or cat that bites a person, domestic animal or livestock while at large shall be required to be sterilized within thirty (30) days of the bite occurrence. For the purposes of this subsection, proof of sterilization shall be a sterilization certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian, or the owner of the animal may provide proof that one (1) of the following conditions are met:
(1) 
The animal is less than six (6) months of age;
(2) 
A licensed veterinarian certifies in writing and on office letterhead that the dog or cat is not medically suitable to be spayed or neutered due to health condition(s) or is permanently non-fertile as confirmed by a health examination.
(b) 
The animal services manager may require an animal quarantined at the city animal shelter to be sterilized by the department at the owner's expense prior to releasing the animal to the owner after the observation period has expired.
(c) 
A person commits an offense if he/she fails to have a dog or cat sterilized as required in subsection (a).
(d) 
A military or police service animal is exempt from the sterilization requirements of this section if the animal bites a person while the animal is in training or being used for law enforcement, corrections or investigative purposes.
(Ordinance 2021-10468, § 2, adopted 7/22/2021)