Rabies infects humans and animals most commonly by a bite from an infected animal, but occasionally by other forms of contact with the virus such as a scratch. APPLICATION TO COUNTIES THAT ADOPT SUBCHAPTER. (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. 826.012. Sec. V.T.C.A., Health . 7, eff. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. Sec. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. DOGS AND COYOTES THAT ARE A DANGER TO ANIMALS. Once a dog has bitten someone, and a report has been filed, California law regarding dog bites mandates that the dog be quarantined. var showMsg = navigator.userAgent != "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.0; Mac_PowerPC)"; And this is often the case if the assault is not severe. 822.011 and amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. or uses dogs for law enforcement or corrections purposes. (a) A person commits an offense if: (1) the person fails or refuses to restrain a dog or cat owned by the person; and. then by law it must be euthanized and tested. 1 (S.B. This article focuses on civil liability for dog bites, but a discussion of criminal penalties has been provided. Sept. 1, 1989. An owner of a dangerous wild animal shall maintain liability insurance coverage in an amount of not less than $100,000 for each occurrence for liability for damages for destruction of or damage to property and death or bodily injury to a person caused by the dangerous wild animal. (e) If the ownership of a dog is transferred, the dog's registration certificate shall be transferred to the new owner. (a) The department or its designee, with the cooperation of the governing bodies of counties and municipalities, shall administer the rabies control program established by this chapter. 822.116. If the attack happened because of an intruder, different rules could apply, Bisnar says, but generally speaking, any dog bite in California is considered the dog owner's fault. (c) Each time a dog or coyote runs at large in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense. CARE, TREATMENT, AND TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMAL. 3. Sec. (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. If you have any questions regarding a previously reported bite or quarantine, please call (805) 781-4424. entrepreneurship, were lowering the cost of legal services and EFFECT OF SUBCHAPTER ON OTHER LAW. Sec. (2) are more stringent than restrictions provided by this subchapter. 826.047. To report an animal bite of any kind, please call 311. (3) provide the animal's owner a copy of the signed written statement obtained under Subdivision (2). Vaccines are meant to prevent illness and disease in your dog, but the effects aren't permanent. The dogs that killed an elderly man in San Antonio, Texas "snapped" at family members after a stint with pet services before last week's fatal attack, the family said. 1, eff. 826.042. (T) any hybrid of an animal listed in this subdivision. Sec. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. September 1, 2017. This includes animals that already have their rabies shots. According to city ordinance, when a dog or other animal bites a human and breaks the skin, both the bite victim and the animal owner must contact Garland Animal Services. (2) "Serious bodily injury" means an injury characterized by severe bite wounds or severe ripping and tearing of muscle that would cause a reasonably prudent person to seek treatment from a medical professional and would require hospitalization without regard to whether the person actually sought medical treatment. 1, eff. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 6, eff. (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. 219), Sec. Criminal negligence or previously determined dangerous dog (Texas H&S 822.05): Attack by a dog determined to be dangerous (Texas H&S 822.044): Note: State laws are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. 2, eff. (c) If an owner of a registered dangerous dog sells or moves the dog to a new address, the owner, not later than the 14th day after the date of the sale or move, shall notify the animal control authority for the area in which the new address is located. Sept. 1, 2001. San . 2, eff. (c) The county or municipality in which the violation occurs may also recover the reasonable costs of investigation, reasonable attorney's fees, and reasonable expert witness fees incurred by the animal registration agency in the civil action. Lawyers know that many Texas dog bites occur when an animal is threatened. In the 15-year period of 2005 through 2019, canines killed 521 Americans. (2) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. Section 2132), and its subsequent amendments, that is licensed by the secretary of agriculture of the United States under that Act; (3) an organization that is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; (4) an injured, infirm, orphaned, or abandoned dangerous wild animal while being transported for care or treatment; (5) an injured, infirm, orphaned, or abandoned dangerous wild animal while being rehabilitated, treated, or cared for by a licensed veterinarian, an incorporated humane society or animal shelter, or a person who holds a rehabilitation permit issued under Subchapter C, Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife Code; (6) a dangerous wild animal owned by and in the custody and control of a transient circus company that is not based in this state if: (A) the animal is used as an integral part of the circus performances; and. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. (b) Notwithstanding the definition in Section 822.041(1), for purposes of this subchapter the police department of a municipality described by Subsection (a) is the animal control authority for the municipality in all areas in which a dog is kept and that are subject to the authority of the police department. 44, Sec. If your dog bites someone, whether on your property or not, you are liable.". 822.106. DEFINITIONS. (e) The court may order the dog destroyed if the court finds that the dog caused serious bodily injury to a person by attacking, biting, or mauling the person. 1 (S.B. May 17, 1999. (c) To the extent of any conflict between this section and any other law or rule relating to the administration of rabies vaccine, this section controls. function dm(msgStr) { A civil penalty collected under this subsection may be retained by the county or municipality. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. 870, Sec. Health officials or a vet will monitor the animal for signs of rabies. Sept. 1, 1995. The ballot for an election under this subchapter shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the proposition: "Registration of and registration fee for dogs.". Any animal involved in an animal bite or scratch incident is required by State of Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 826 to be quarantined for at least 10 days from the date of the animal bite occurrence. Sept. 1, 1991. September 1, 2007. (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. (2) the animal is required to be restrained under the ordinances or rules adopted under this chapter by a county or municipality within whose jurisdiction the act occurs. (f) The owner shall pay a cost or fee assessed under Section 822.042(d). 1, eff. USE AND SALE OF RABIES VACCINE. Texas laws pertaining to rabies vaccinations for animals: Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 826, Rabies Control Act Texas Administrative Code, Ch. The owner shall pay any cost incurred in seizing the dog. 7, eff; May 5, 1995. Sept. 1, 1989. Name REPORTS OF RABIES. 826.025. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. (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. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. (e-1) Notwithstanding any other law or local regulation: (1) any order to destroy a dog is stayed for a period of 10 calendar days from the date the order is issued, during which period the dog's owner may file a notice of appeal; and. A man was killed and a woman critically injured in a "horrific" dog attack in Texas on Friday, authorities said. The dog must remain quarantined for at least ten days, often at the owner's home or the pound. The fees may be used only to help defray the cost of administering this chapter or the ordinances or rules of the enforcing agency within its jurisdiction. (3) "Dog" means a domesticated animal that is a member of the canine family. 822.004 and amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. Sept. 1, 1989. Location: MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR RABIES CONTROL. Statewide Quarantine. Search Texas Statutes. 826.033. Person is a dog trainer or an employee of a guard dog company. 826.013. (a) A person commits an offense if the person fails or refuses to quarantine or present for quarantine or testing an animal that: (1) is required to be placed in quarantine or presented for testing under Section 826.042 and department rules; or. Renumbered from Health & Safety Code Sec. (c) Any interested party, including the county attorney or city attorney, is entitled to present evidence at the hearing. COUNTIES MAY ADOPT ORDINANCES AND RULES. IAdminfootr01a_01_03o = new Image(226, 28);IAdminfootr01a_01_03o.src = '/images/tac_nav_over.gif'; 5 High Risk Animals Bat Skunk Raccoon Coyote Fox What to Do if Bitten or Scratched The first thing you should do if you have been bitten, scratched, or have had your skin broken is: Wash immediately with soap & water Contact 911 or the Sheriff's Office to report incident Contact Animal Control 3, eff. (2) if the person was not in control of the dog, the person was making immediate and reasonable attempts to regain control of the dog. 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. (c) The animal registration agency may establish and charge reasonable fees for application, issuance, and renewal of a certificate of registration in order to recover the costs associated with the administration and enforcement of this subchapter. Should the animal involved in a biting incident have rabies or be suspected of having rabies, the animal must be euthanized and the brain sent to a lab for testing. if (document.images) { The chart below provides a helpful, plain language summary of statutes that comprise Texas' dog bite laws, with links to important code sections. Section 42.092 of the Texas Penal Code. Sec. 44, Sec. 1728), Sec. Search, Browse Law 13, eff. 99, Sec. HEARING. 678, Sec. Sec. 99, Sec. Therefore, it is illegal to transport the following species from, to, or within the State of Texas: foxes, coyotes, skunks, or raccoons indigenous to North America. 1, eff. 1, Sec. The Texas Supreme Court articulated the law and standards that Texas follows for animal attacks in a case called Marshall v. Ranne. 979, Sec. 44, Sec. 1, eff. 44, Sec. If after biting the person the animal exhibits any abnormal behavior, the law enforcement agency and the animal's handler or rider shall make the animal available within a reasonable time for testing by the local health authority. 678, Sec. (3) serve a copy of the notice of appeal on the animal control authority by mailing the notice through the United States Postal Service. The owner or person having control of a dog at least six months of age in a county adopting this subchapter may not allow the dog to run at large unless the dog: (1) is registered under this subchapter with the county in which the dog runs at large; and. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. Domestic Animals Cats, dogs and ferrets If you were bitten by a cat, dog, or ferret that appeared healthy at the time you were bitten, it can be confined by its owner for 10 days and observed. If the domestic animal is showing clinical signs consistent with rabies . Sec. Sept. 1, 1997. However, the commissioners court of the county may set the fee in an amount of more than $1 but not more than $5, and if the court sets the amount of the fee the owner must pay that amount. (d) The owner shall submit the animal to the local rabies control authority of the county or municipality in which the exposure occurs. (a) If the animal registration agency finds that an application for an original or renewal certificate of registration under this subchapter does not meet the requirements of Section 822.104 or, after inspection, that an applicant has not complied with this subchapter, the animal registration agency shall deny the applicant a certificate of registration and give the applicant written notice of the denial and the reasons for the denial. Ramon Najera, an 81-year-old . The San Antonio attack was the first of two pit . Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. (b) A person who kills a dog or coyote as provided by this section is not liable for damages to the owner, keeper, or person in control of the dog or coyote. April 2, 2015. If the victim is deemed to be more than 50% at fault, there is no liability. 678, Sec. May 5, 1995. SUITS TO ENJOIN OPERATION OF QUARANTINE OR IMPOUNDMENT FACILITY. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. CRIMINAL PENALTY. 669 (H.B. Rabies is a deadly virus with elevated levels in central Texas. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. VACCINATION; CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) The owner or person having control of a dog six months of age or older in a county that has adopted this subchapter must register the dog not later than the 30th day after the date on which the proclamation is published or adopted. May 17, 1999. (b) Reimbursement under Subsection (a)(2) shall be made on the order of the commissioners court only on satisfactory proof of the killing. (B) the injured person was at least eight years of age, and was trespassing in the enclosure when the attack, bite, or mauling occurred; (2) the dog was not being used for the protection of a person or person's property, the attack, bite, or mauling occurred in an enclosure in which the dog was being kept, and the injured person was at least eight years of age and was trespassing in the enclosure when the attack, bite, or mauling occurred; (3) the attack, bite, or mauling occurred during an arrest or other action of a peace officer while the peace officer was using the dog for law enforcement purposes; (4) the dog was defending a person from an assault or person's property from damage or theft by the injured person; or. RELOCATION OR DISPOSITION OF ANIMAL. 14.810, eff. (b) On the declaration that a quarantine exists, the executive commissioner shall: (1) define the borders of the quarantine area; and. (5) "Department" means the Department of State Health Services. Sec. May 5, 1995. 1355), Sec. IAdminfootr01a_01_04 = new Image(123, 28);IAdminfootr01a_01_04.src = '/images/om_nav.gif'; REGISTRATION. 219), Sec. 1002, Sec.