Harris County Texas Dog Bite Laws

Texas or the united states.

Harris county texas dog bite laws. Harris county public health hcph through its veterinary public health division hcph vph is the entity designated as the local rabies control authority for harris county pursuant to section 826 017 of the health safety code. Rabies is spread by a bite or scratch from an infected mammal. The texas supreme court articulated the law and standards that texas follows for animal attacks in a case called marshall v. Texas health and safety code 822 005 states a person can be criminally charged if his or her negligent behavior causes serious bodily injury or death to another person.

Hcph vph shall act as the county s animal control authority for purposes of. The following are the elements for texas s dog bite statute. All cats and dogs over the age of three months and residing in unincorporated harris county are required to have a harris county license. Texas doesn t have a civil liability law specifically for dog bites but that doesn t mean you won t be liable if your dog bites someone.

Criminal dog bite laws in texas in texas being grossly negligent of your dog can be a crime. Definition of the leash law in harris county. Harris county leash laws harris county animal regulations require custodians meaning owners or handlers to keep the dog under restraint while in an unincorporated area within the county in other words outside of city limits. Texas lack of dog bite statute is at odds with the majority of states because the one bite rule shields a dog owner from liability each time one of his dogs bites a person for the first time unless it can be proved that the owner knew that the dog had the propensity to bite people without justification.

They include negligence causing a dog bite by violating an animal control law failing to stop a dog attack which is in progress and keeping a dog that is known to be vicious. Application to register a dangerous wild animal. It is important to understand that animal bites may need immediate medical care but rabies prevention treatment is rarely an emergency. Report animals in violation of the leash law to our shelter by calling 281 999 3191.