976 (S.B. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION IN DOG AND CAT REGISTRY; CRIMINAL PENALTY. 822.104. 219), Sec. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. (3) provide the animal's owner a copy of the signed written statement obtained under Subdivision (2). (a) Information contained in a rabies vaccination certificate or in any record compiled from the information contained in one or more certificates that identifies or tends to identify an owner or an address, telephone number, or other personally identifying information of an owner of a vaccinated animal is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. 1, eff. 219), Sec. April 2, 2015. window.status = msgStr; In addition, Texas laws pertaining to rabies vaccinations for animals: Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 826, Rabies Control Act Texas Administrative Code, Ch. (a) It is a defense to prosecution under Section 822.044 or Section 822.045 that the person is a veterinarian, a peace officer, a person employed by a recognized animal shelter, or a person employed by the state or a political subdivision of the state to deal with stray animals and has temporary ownership, custody, or control of the dog in connection with that position. (b) If the result of an election is for the registration of and registration fee for dogs, an election to repeal the registration and fee may not be held for two years from the date of the election. The governing body of any municipality may at any time by order require that all dogs in such municipality shall be securely confined between sunset and one hour after sunrise during the period of time designated in the order, or, if no time is so designated, until the order is revoked. (e) It is a defense to prosecution under Section 822.005(a) that the person attacked by the dog was at the time of the attack engaged in conduct prohibited by Chapters 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29, and 30, Penal Code. //help_ftr_01_05o = new Image(38, 28);help_ftr_01_05o.src = '/images/help_nav_over.gif'; The law only applies to bites on a human, not on another dog. DOGS OR COYOTES THAT ATTACK ANIMALS. 826.031. 1 (S.B. 826.015. 3.1619, eff. 1, eff. 219), Sec. 96, Sec. (d) The filing of an appeal of the denial or revocation of a certificate of registration under Subsection (c) stays the denial or revocation until the court rules on the appeal. 219), Sec. Sec. QUARANTINE OF ANIMALS. May 5, 1995. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. Renumbered from Health & Safety Code Sec. No person in the United States has ever contracted rabies from a dog, cat or ferret held in quarantine for 10 days. Blast an air horn to startle the dogs and, if they're on a leash, pull them apart. INJUNCTION. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 822.0012. 3.1607, eff. Renumbered from Health & Safety Code Sec. Sept. 1, 1991. Does the Type of Animal Affect a Bite Injury Case? Sec. 5, eff. April 2, 2015. Most states mandate a 10-day dog bite quarantine because federal law governing testing and vaccination against rabies for animals is insufficient to protect everyone from this highly contagious virus. Biting animal to be confined; veterinarian to report. HEARING. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. Sec. Sec. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. California State law requires that any domestic mammal that has bitten a person, or that has potentially been exposed to rabies through contact with a wild animal, be quarantined and observed for signs of rabies infection. (3) "Dangerous dog," "dog," "owner," and "secure enclosure" have the meanings assigned by Section 822.041. (b) It is a defense to prosecution under Section 822.044 or Section 822.045 that the person is an employee of the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or a law enforcement agency and trains or uses dogs for law enforcement or corrections purposes. http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.826.htm#826.042 In the Marshall case, Paul Marshall sued John Ranne for damages suffered when Ranne's boar severely injured his hand. (2) is required to be placed in quarantine under ordinances or rules adopted under this chapter by a county or municipality within whose jurisdiction the act occurs. Sec. All rights reserved. (b) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish minimum standards for impoundment facilities and for the care of impounded animals. (c) The local rabies control authority shall investigate a report filed under this section. (b) Reimbursement under Subsection (a)(2) shall be made on the order of the commissioners court only on satisfactory proof of the killing. |. 976 (S.B. (a) The court shall set a time for a hearing to determine whether the dog caused the death of or serious bodily injury to a person by attacking, biting, or mauling the person. REGISTRATION TAGS AND CERTIFICATE. 822.101. 44, Sec. 1, eff. 99, Sec. Sec. 1. 1331 (S.B. The chart below provides a helpful, plain language summary of statutes that comprise Texas' dog bite laws, with links to important code sections. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. (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. Owners of registered dangerous dogs are ordered by court to: Register the dog as dangerous with the City of Austin and pay an annual $50 fee. May 5, 1995. May 17, 1999. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 826.023. 1355), Sec. April 2, 2015. Sec. (c) Notwithstanding Section 30.00014, Government Code, or any other law, a person filing an appeal from a municipal court under Subsection (a) is not required to file a motion for a new trial to perfect an appeal. September 1, 2017. A few days later, the shelter reported that they had received positive test results. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. April 2, 2015. 3, eff. 3.1612, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. 822.107. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. (a) The fee collected for the registration of a dog shall be deposited to the credit of a special fund of the county and used only to: (1) defray the cost of administering this subchapter in the county, including the costs of registration and the identification tags; and. POWERS AND DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER; CAGING REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS. 826.0211. BALLOT PROPOSITION. Section 42.092 of the Texas Penal Code. Sec. This is the main section that was updated in the latest revision of Order 171. IAdminfootr01a_01_04 = new Image(123, 28);IAdminfootr01a_01_04.src = '/images/om_nav.gif'; (b) A dog or cat may not be subject to dual registration. The governing body of a municipality or the commissioners court of a county may adopt this chapter and the standards adopted by the executive commissioner. 1420, Sec. 1355), Sec. 822.021. 916, Sec. A governmental entity or person that receives the information, including a county or municipality that registers dogs and cats under Subchapter D, must maintain the confidentiality of the information, may not disclose the information under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not use the information for a purpose that does not directly relate to the protection of public health and safety. 219), Sec. 1, eff. (c) When transporting a dangerous wild animal, the owner of the animal, or a designated carrier or intermediate handler of the animal, shall comply with all transportation standards that apply to that animal under the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. Sec. April 2, 2015. 219), Sec. (2) the veterinarian knows or suspects is rabid or has exposed an individual to rabies. did notbite a human, the law mandates quarantine. 530 (H.B. 1 (S.B. (e) A veterinarian shall quarantine an animal that: (1) is in the possession of the veterinarian; and. (a) If rabies is known to exist in an area, the department or its designee may declare an area rabies quarantine to prevent or contain a rabies epizootic. 916, Sec. (c) A person may not sell or distribute rabies vaccine for animals to any person except a licensed veterinarian or to a person working in a veterinary clinic who accepts the vaccine on behalf of the veterinarian. Sept. 1, 2001. Sept. 1, 1989. The dog that bit a person must be quarantined and observed for a minimum of 10 days to assess if the dog has the rabies virus. ATTACK BY DOG. SUITS TO ENJOIN OPERATION OF QUARANTINE OR IMPOUNDMENT FACILITY. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. Sec. Vaccines are meant to prevent illness and disease in your dog, but the effects aren't permanent. 822.116. (c) If a person is found guilty of an offense under this section, the court may order the dog destroyed by a person listed in Section 822.004. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. (b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. 826.0311. 1, Sec. (5) the injured person was younger than eight years of age, the attack, bite, or mauling occurred in an enclosure in which the dog was being kept, and the enclosure was reasonably certain to keep a person younger than eight years of age from entering. May 21, 2015. However, if the animal has never bitten anyone before, then the injured person must prove that it was vicious before they could recover for the injuries. (A) does not compromise the public's health and safety; (B) does not reduce the total area of the primary enclosure below that established by the executive commissioner; and. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. TermsPrivacyDisclaimerCookiesDo Not Sell My Information, Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select, Please enter a legal issue and/or a location, Begin typing to search, use arrow (e) The court, after determining that the dog is a dangerous dog, may order the animal control authority to continue to impound the dangerous dog in secure and humane conditions until the court orders disposition of the dog under Section 822.042 and the dog is returned to the owner or destroyed. (2) administers or supervises the administration of rabies vaccine as part of a local rabies control program established by a county or municipality under this chapter. April 2, 2015. 1002, Sec. This chapter may be cited as the Rabies Control Act of 1981. 3.1639(119), eff. (4-a) "Executive commissioner" means the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. (5) if an applicant holds a Class "A" or Class "B" dealer's license or Class "C" exhibitor's license issued by the secretary of agriculture of the United States under the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. (c) An animal registration agency may approve a deviation from the caging requirements and standards established by the executive commissioner, only if: (1) the animal registration agency has good cause for the deviation; and. 52 (H.B. 6, eff. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. (3) any other person authorized to take possession of the dog. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, eff. June 18, 2005. A man was killed and a woman critically injured in a "horrific" dog attack in Texas on Friday, authorities said. (C) does not otherwise adversely affect the overall welfare of the animal involved. (a) Information that is contained in a municipal or county registry of dogs and cats under Section 826.031 that identifies or tends to identify the owner or an address, telephone number, or other personally identifying information of the owner of the registered dog or cat is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. (2) It is illegal to transport animals subject to the statewide rabies quarantine from, to . Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. DEFINITIONS. QUARANTINE OR IMPOUNDMENT FACILITY; CRIMINAL PENALTY. To report an animal bite please call the Customer Call Center at 311 or contact Animal Care Services at 361-826-4634 or 361-826-4616. If any of these scenarios apply, a dog attack attorney can help you determine liability. (c) If a dog is moved to another county, the owner may present the registration certificate to the county treasurer of the county to which the dog is moved and receive without additional cost a registration certificate. This applies to both domestic and wild animals. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. (c) The owner of an animal that is quarantined under this chapter shall pay to the veterinarian or local rabies control authority the reasonable costs of the quarantine and disposition of the animal. Sec. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 3.1618, eff. (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant; (2) a complete identification of each animal, including species, sex, age, if known, and any distinguishing marks or coloration that would aid in the identification of the animal; (3) the exact location where each animal is to be kept; (A) all information in the application is complete and accurate; and, (B) the applicant has read this subchapter and that all facilities used by the applicant to confine or enclose the animal comply with the requirements of this subchapter; and. (e) The department or its designee may compile, analyze, publish, and distribute information relating to the control of rabies for the education of physicians, veterinarians, public health personnel, and the public. An employee of the department, on the presentation of appropriate credentials to the local rabies control authority or the authority's designee, may conduct a reasonable inspection of a quarantine or impoundment facility at a reasonable hour to determine if the facility complies with: (1) the minimum standards adopted by the executive commissioner for those facilities; and. 826.051. If there is insufficient money in the fund to reimburse all injured persons in full, reimbursement shall be made on a pro rata basis. 1, eff. 219), Sec. (c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has previously been convicted under this section. (d) The owner shall submit the animal to the local rabies control authority of the county or municipality in which the exposure occurs. (b) A person who violates this section commits an offense. The log must: (3) describe the type or nature of treatment; and. 219), Sec. 1436), Sec. (c) If a person is found guilty of an offense under this section, the court may order the dangerous dog destroyed by a person listed in Section 822.004. April 2, 2015. (d) An owner of a registered dangerous dog shall notify the office in which the dangerous dog was registered of any attacks the dangerous dog makes on people. Sec. May 5, 1995. 822.022. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 822.041. If the owner had reason to know that the dog was dangerous, then the owner is strictly liable for the injury caused. The average cost per claim decreased 1 percent in 2021 to $49,025 from $49,558 in 2020. 1562), Sec. Investigate animal bites on humans and other animals and assure the proper quarantine of these animals . 54, Sec. (c) The county treasurer shall assign a registration number to each dog registered with the county and shall give the owner or person having control of the dog the identification tag and a registration certificate. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 219), Sec. His wife was also attacked by the dogs and remains in critical condition at University Hospital. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 99, Sec. A dog owner may be criminally liable if they acted with criminal negligence or if they had reason to know their dog was dangerous. 14.809, eff.