2023 Texas Statutes › Occupations Code › Title 4 - Professions Related to Animals › Chapter 802 - Dog or Cat Breeders › Subchapter E. Standards of Care and Confinement › Section 802.201. Adoption of Standards

Sec. 802.201.  ADOPTION OF STANDARDS. (a)  The commission shall adopt rules establishing minimum standards for the humane handling, care, housing, and transportation of dogs and cats by a dog or cat breeder to ensure the overall health, safety, and well-being of each animal in the breeder's possession.
(b)  The standards adopted under this section must:
(1)  at a minimum, meet federal regulations;
(2)  require that, unless otherwise certified by a veterinarian in the manner prescribed by the department, a licensed breeder, if applicable, provide each dog 12 weeks of age and older with at least one hour of daily exercise in an area that:
(A)  has a surface that has adequate drainage and that will not adversely affect the dog's health or well-being, and that may be composed of natural turf or soil;
(B)  provides adequate protection against harsh weather, including exposure to the sun; and
(C)  has at least three times more square feet than the dog's primary enclosure;
(3)  require that an adequate period consistent with breed standards elapse between the breeding cycles of each adult intact female animal;
(4)  require that a dog or cat breeder provide basic grooming to each animal, including bathing and nail trimming, to the extent required to maintain the animal in a state of good health;
(5)  require that all primary enclosures:
(A)  be composed of materials that are safe for the animal based on the animal's breed, size, and age;
(B)  have adequate space to allow the animal to comfortably stand, sit, turn around, and lie down in a natural position;
(C)  have adequate drainage; and
(D)  if any portion of the floor surface is composed of wire or a slatted material, be free from any protruding, sharp surfaces and be designed so the animal's paws are unable to extend through, or become caught in, the floor;
(6)  prohibit the placement of a primary enclosure of an animal on top of the primary enclosure of another animal, unless an impervious barrier designed to prevent the transfer of any liquid or animal waste from one enclosure to the other is placed between the enclosures;
(7)  prohibit the stacking of the primary enclosures of dogs above three vertical levels;
(8)  require at least one regular veterinary examination a year for a breeding animal;
(9)  require that a dog or cat breeder maintain at each of the breeder's facilities a written health care management protocol that addresses routine and preventive care;
(10)  ensure that necessary routine and preventive care is provided to each animal and that each animal receives appropriate care and treatment for any disease or illness, to the extent required to maintain the animal in a state of good health;
(11)  prohibit a person from euthanizing an adult animal or performing a surgical birth of an animal unless the person is a veterinarian;
(12)  require appropriate training for any person whose duties and responsibilities include the handling of or caring for an animal in a dog or cat breeder's facility; and
(13)  prohibit a dog or cat breeder from selling, trading, or giving away an animal before the animal is eight weeks of age.
(c)  The commission by rule may modify existing standards as necessary to protect or improve the health and well-being of animals or to protect the health and safety of the public.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1284 (H.B. 1451), Sec. 2, eff. June 17, 2011.