It is unlawful for any person to intentionally or knowingly:
(A) Torture an animal;
(B) Fail unreasonably to provide necessary food, clean water, care, and shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
(C) Abandon unreasonably an animal in person's custody;
(D) Transport or confine an animal in a cruel manner;
(E) Kill, seriously injure, or administer poison to an animal belonging to another without legal authority or the owner's effective consent, except when an animal is discovered on the person's property in the act of or immediately after injuring or killing livestock or fowl;
(F) Cause one animal or fowl to fight with another;
(G) Use a live animal as a lure in dog race training or in a dog coursing on a racetrack;
(H) Trip a horse;
(I) Seriously overwork an animal; or
(J) Leave an animal in or on a motor vehicle in which any motor vehicle is moving, standing, or parked in such a way to endanger the animal's health, safety, or welfare. An animal services officer or police officer is authorized to use reasonable force to remove the animal from the vehicle whenever it appears that the animal's health, safety or welfare is or will be endangered. The animal shall be taken to the shelter or to a veterinarian if the animal is in distress. A written notice bearing the name of the officer removing the animal, a telephone number where he or she can be contacted and the location where the animal may be claimed by the owner shall be attached to the vehicle if the owner is not present. Any person violating this section shall bear the full cost and expense incurred by the city in the care, medical treatment, impoundment cost and disposal of said animal, including removal from and damage done to the vehicle.
(Ord. 2002-1, passed 2-19-02; Am. Ord. 2017-1, passed 1-17-17; Am. Ord. 2017-21, passed 12-19-17; Am. Ord. 2024-5, passed 2-20-24)
Statutory reference:
Disorderly conduct and related offenses, see Tex. Penal Code, §§ 42.01 et seq.