In the wake of several violent dog attacks across the Houston area, questions are resurfacing about leash laws, ownership responsibility, and how local ordinances attempt to prevent tragedies.
Despite these alarming incidents, Texas does not have a statewide leash law. Instead, cities and counties are left to create and enforce their own animal control ordinances. In Houston, the city’s municipal code makes it clear: dog owners are not allowed to let their pets “run at large.”
Recommended Videos
Section 6-4 of the Houston Code of Ordinances states that allowing any domestic animal to roam freely is considered a nuisance and is against the law. The only exception is if the dog is inside a designated off-leash area, such as a dog park, where it must still remain under the owner’s immediate supervision and control.
These regulations aim to reduce danger to both the public and the animals themselves. But as recent cases show, enforcement remains a challenge. In Liberty County, a local realtor told KPRC 2 the stray dog problem is becoming a serious safety concern and is even hurting business.
City officials are also seeing the toll dog attacks take on workers. A sanitation worker in north Houston was mauled while picking up trash. The USPS has also renewed its plea for pet owners to be responsible, reporting more than 5,800 dog attacks on mail carriers across the U.S. last year—56 of them in Houston alone.
When aggressive or unsupervised dogs attack, city officials can impound the animals, as outlined in Section 6-5 of the city code. The Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC) becomes the designated caretaker and is authorized to administer vaccinations and assess each animal’s health and behavior.