Source: https://www.animallaw.info/statute/tx-cruelty-chapter-821-treatment-and-disposition-animals
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TX - Cruelty - Chapter 821. Treatment and Disposition of Animals. | Animal Legal & Historical Center
Full Statute Name: Vernon's Texas Statutes and Codes Annotated. Health and Safety Code. Title 10. Health and Safety of Animals. Chapter 821. Treatment and Disposition of Animals.
Primary Citation: V. T. C. A., Health & Safety Code § 821.001 - 026; § 821.051 - 057; § 821.076 - 081 Country of Origin: United States Last Checked: February, 2019 Alternate Citation: TX HEALTH & S §§ 821.001 - 026; § 821.051 - 057; § 821.076 - 081
SUBCHAPTER A - Treatment of Animals
§ 821.001. Definition .
§ 821.002. Treatment of Impounded Animals
§ 821.003. Treatment of Live Birds
§ 821.004. Knowledge or Acts of Corporate Agent or Employee
§ 821.021. Definition
§ 821.0211. Additional Definition
[Sections 821.005 to 821.020 reserved for expansion]
SUBCHAPTER B - Disposition of Cruelly Treated Animals
§ 821.022. Seizure of Cruelly Treated Animal
§ 821.023. Hearing; Order of Disposition or Return of Animal
§ 821.024. Sale or Disposition of Cruelly Treated Animal
§ 821.025. Appeal
§ 821.026. Conflict of Laws
§ 821.051. Definitions
§ 821.052. Methods of Euthanasia
§ 821.053. Requirements for Use of Sodium Pentobarbital
§ 821.054. Requirements for Use of Commercially Compressed Carbon Monoxide
§ 821.055. Training for Euthanasia Technicians
§ 821.056. Offense and Penalty
§ 821.057. Injunction
§ 821.080. Disposition of Penalty
§ 821.081. Hand-held Leashes
§ 821.001. Definition
In this subchapter, “animal” includes every living nonhuman creature.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1593, eff. April 2, 2015.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., ch. 1278 (H.B. 963), § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2011; Acts 2017, 85th Leg., ch. 739 (S.B. 1232), § 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2017.
In this subchapter, “magistrate” means any officer as defined in Article 2.09, Code of Criminal Procedure, except that the term does not include justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of criminal appeals, or courts of appeals, judges or associate judges of statutory probate courts, or judges or associate judges of district courts that give preference to family law matters or family district courts under Subchapter D, Chapter 24, Government Code.
Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1043, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., ch. 334, § 10, eff. Sept. 1, 2009.
(a) If a peace officer or an officer who has responsibility for animal control in a county or municipality has reason to believe that an animal has been or is being cruelly treated, the officer may apply to a justice court or magistrate in the county or to a municipal court in the municipality in which the animal is located for a warrant to seize the animal.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 387, § 1, eff. June 7, 1991; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1043, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
(a) A finding in a court of competent jurisdiction that the owner of an animal is guilty of an offense under Section 42.09 or 42.092, Penal Code, involving the animal is prima facie evidence at a hearing authorized by Section 821.022 that the animal has been cruelly treated.
(b) Repealed by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., ch. 576 (S.B. 762), § 2 and Acts 2017, 85th Leg., ch. 739 (S.B. 1232), § 8.
(2) order the animal given to a municipal or county animal shelter or a nonprofit animal welfare organization; or
(e) After a court finds that an animal's owner has cruelly treated the animal, the court shall order the owner to pay all court costs, including:
(B) expert witnesses; and
(C) conducting any public sale ordered by the court; and
(B) humanely destroying the animal if destruction is ordered by the court.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 157, § 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, §§ 14.43, 14.44, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1043, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2007, 80th Leg., ch. 886, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 2007; Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., ch. 1278 (H.B. 963), § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2011; Acts 2017, 85th Leg., ch. 576 (S.B. 762), § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2017; Acts 2017, 85th Leg., ch. 739 (S.B. 1232), §§ 7, 8, eff. Sept. 1, 2017.
(c) If the officer is unable to sell the animal at auction, the officer may cause the animal to be humanely destroyed or may give the animal to a municipal or county animal shelter or a nonprofit animal welfare organization .
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 387, § 2, eff. June 7, 1991; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1043, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., ch. 1278 (H.B. 963), § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2011.
(a) An owner divested of ownership of an animal under Section 821.023 may appeal the order to a county court or county court at law in the county in which the justice or municipal court is located.
(b) As a condition of perfecting an appeal, not later than the 10th calendar day after the date the order is issued, the owner must file a notice of appeal and a cash bond or surety bond in an amount set by the court under Section 821.023(e-2) .
(c) Not later than the fifth calendar day after the date the notice of appeal and bond is filed, the court from which the appeal is taken shall deliver a copy of the clerk's record to the clerk of the county court or county court at law to which the appeal is made.
(d) Not later than the 10th calendar day after the date the county court or county court at law, as appropriate, receives a copy of the clerk's record , the court shall consider the matter de novo and dispose of the appeal. A party to the appeal is entitled to a jury trial on request.
(e) The decision of the county court or county court at law under this section is final and may not be further appealed.
(f) 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.
(g) Notwithstanding any other law, a county court or a county court at law has jurisdiction to hear an appeal filed under this section.
(h) While an appeal under this section is pending, the animal may not be:
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1043, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2009, 81st Leg., ch. 1351, § 11(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2009; Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., ch. 1278 (H.B. 963), § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 2011.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., ch. 1278 (H.B. 963), § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 2011.
(1) “Animal” has the meaning assigned by Section 821. 001.
(2) “Animal shelter” means a facility that collects, impounds, or keeps stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals.
(3) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1639(118).
(5) “Executive commissioner” means the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., ch. 23 (S.B. 360), § 1, eff. May 10, 2013; Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1639(118), eff. April 2, 2015.
(a) A person may euthanize a dog or cat in the custody of an animal shelter only by administering sodium pentobarbital.
(b) A person may euthanize all other animals in the custody of an animal shelter, including birds and reptiles, only in accordance with the applicable methods, recommendations, and procedures set forth in the edition of the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals that is approved by the executive commissioner .
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., ch. 23 (S.B. 360), § 2, eff. May 10, 2013; Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1594, eff. April 2, 2015.
(a) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish the requirements and procedures for administering sodium pentobarbital to euthanize an animal in the custody of an animal shelter.
(b) A person may administer sodium pentobarbital to euthanize an animal in the custody of an animal shelter only in accordance with the requirements and procedures established by department rule.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005. Amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1595, eff. April 2, 2015.
(a) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish:
(1) standards for a carbon monoxide chamber used to euthanize an animal to which Section 821.052(b) applies; and
(2) requirements and procedures for administering commercially compressed carbon monoxide to euthanize an animal to which Section 821.052(b) applies.
(b) A person administering commercially compressed carbon monoxide to euthanize an animal to which Section 821.052(b) applies:
(1) may use only a carbon monoxide chamber that meets the standards established by department rule; and
(2) may administer the commercially compressed carbon monoxide only in accordance with the requirements and procedures established by department rule.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005. Amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., ch. 23 (S.B. 360), § 3, eff. May 10, 2013.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person violates this subchapter or a rule adopted under this subchapter.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1596, eff. April 2, 2015.
A court of competent jurisdiction, on the petition of any person, may prohibit by injunction the substantial violation of this subchapter or a rule adopted under this subchapter.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 30, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 219), § 3.1597, eff. April 2, 2015.
Notwithstanding any other law, the clerk of a court that collects a penalty under this subchapter shall remit the penalty collected for deposit in the general fund of the county.
This subchapter does not prohibit a person from walking a dog with a hand-held leash.