City Ordinances

The City of Texas City has multiple ordinances that address animals. Please be familiar with and obey all of our ordinances. Failure to do so can result in citations and fines.

City of Texas City - Code of Ordinances - Chapter 95: Animals

Animals shall be confined within a building or home, or within a fenced yard or premises, so that the animals cannot escape from the building, house or fenced yard or premises without human assistance.

On dogs and cats, they shall at all times have a collar or harness on the animal. All dogs and cats must be tagged/microchipped and registered with the city. Tag & microchip registrations can be purchased at Galveston County Animal Resource Center.

(A) All dogs and cats, four months of age or older, within the city are hereby required to be immunized against rabies by means of an anti-rabies vaccine approved by the Galveston County Animal Resource Center and administered by a duly licensed veterinarian. 

(B) Every veterinarian who vaccinates any dog or cat within the city shall issue a certificate of vaccination to the owner, stating the name and address of the owner, a description of the dog or cat, the date of vaccination, the number of the rabies vaccination tag and the kind of vaccine used, which the owner shall give to the authorized person of the city. This rabies tag MUST be present on the dogs/cats collar at all times.

No owner or keeper of any dog shall permit the dog to run at large within the corporate limits of the city. All dogs MUST be confined in their enclosure/home/trolley running line or on a handheld leash controlled by the owner.

No person who shall harbor or keep on his or her premises or in or about his or her premises or premises under his or her control any dog which, by loud or unusual barking or howling, shall cause or is reasonably liable to cause the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or the occupants of adjacent premises to be disturbed.

No person may intentionally release or dump a dog or cat within the corporate limits of the city. 

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor, possess or maintain more than four dogs or unsterilized (not spayed/neutered) cats upon or within any single dwelling premises owned by such person within the city at any one time. Multi-dwelling premises (apartments and duplexes) are limited to two dogs or unsterilized cats. Cats that are sterile (spayed/neutered) are not included in your animal limit.

No person shall, at any time, fasten, chain or tie any dog or cause such dog to be fastened, chained or tied while such dog is on the dog owner’s property, or on the property of the dog owner’s landlord, or on any property within the limits of the city. Any dog confined must have an adequate space based on a dimension of at least 150 square feet of unheeded space per dog. Nothing prohibits owners or others walking dogs with a hand held leash. Owners are allowed to have their dogs be attached to over head runs (i.e., leash or chain attached to an over head wire at least ten feet long, that allows the dog to move unheeded.) 

Owners must provide an enclosure for each animal (with 3 sides and a roof) to protect the animal from the elements. This includes protection from heat, rain, snow, cold, etc.

  • ANIMALS CAN NOT BE LEFT IN VEHICLES UNATTENTED

Owners can not leave any animal secured in a vehicle for any duration of time unattended in city limits.

Wild or exotic animals may not be kept as pets within the city.

  • ANIMALS MUST BE PROPERLY CARED FOR AND PROVIDED FOR AT ALL TIMES

All animals, non livestock and livestock, MUST be provided with an adequate amount of water at ALL TIMES. Proper food, medical care and cleanliness MUST be provided to sustain a healthy body weight and condition for all animals within city limits. Failure to do so will result in an Animal Cruelty Investigation, which can result in seizure of animals and criminal charges. If you own animals, make sure you care for them properly, seek medical care when needed, and provide them with a humane lifestyle and environment.

All livestock (cloven and hoofed animals) MUST be confined at all times, where the animals can not escape the enclosure without human assistance.

Any property or premise that contains or houses livestock MUST be registered with the city. This registration can be obtained at the Texas City Police Station at the Records Department located in the front lobby. This registration is very important, as it assists us with locating owners when livestock is at large.