Harris County Texas Dog Bite Laws

42 091 attack on assistance animal.

Harris county texas dog bite laws. Instead in 1974 the texas supreme court ruled in marshall v. These regulations are adopted to protect the health safety and general welfare of people in harris county by preventing the spread of rabies and other zoonotic diseases and by reducing the risk of injury to people from animals kept in harris county texas. Find your local harris county animal control agency here. The one bite rule.

Texas family code 85 022 requirements of order applying to person who committed. Ranne that the state would follow the rule stated in section 509 of the restatement of torts. 42 09 cruelty to livestock. Dog bite lawyer in harris county texas.

An attack can lead to expensive medical bills missed days of work psychological effects and more. It is important to understand that animal bites may need immediate medical care but rabies prevention treatment is rarely an emergency. If you have a complaint about a barking dog or a dangerous dog or have any questions about lost pets stray cats pet adoptions leash laws etc give the county a call. Unlike most states texas does not have a dog bite statute instead texas courts adhere to the common law one bite rule.

Rabies prevention treatment can be discussed when the bite is reported. In a comparative negligence state the damages awarded by the jury are reduced by the degree of the plaintiff s negligence. Texas is known to be one of the leading states in dog bites. The victim s negligence must be only 50 or less.

If you ve recently been bitten by a dog it s recommended that you contact matthew horak at horak law. Harris county animal regulations. Therefore if the victim s own conduct was 10 responsible for the incident for example the victim s compensation will be reduced by 10. Texas permits a dog owner to mount a defense based on the comparative negligence of the dog bite victim.

42 092 cruelty to non livestock. Health safety code 821 077 unlawful restraint of dog. Section 13 unlawful restraint. This means that texas is a negligence or one bite rule state for purposes of personal injury cases stemming from dog bites.

Reasonable and uniform regulations for animal control in harris county texas. The animal should be confined for a veterinary exam or testing if possible. If the dog has never bitten anyone before and the owner had no reason to believe that the dog was dangerous then it will be up to the victim to prove negligence in order to recover. Reports of animal bites should be done within 24 hours.

In addition these regulations aim to protect the health safety and general welfare of animals in harris county by promoting lifesaving efforts for harris. The county will not take care of the raccoon in your yard the squirrels in your attic your rat infestation or anything like that. If not you can report all animal bites by calling 713 229 7300 if you live within the city limits of houston or 281 999 3191 if you live in harris county. Section 16 003 two year statute of limitations dog bite liability.

It is a free county service for domestic animal issues. They handle problems with domestic animals namely dogs and cats. Harris county animal services does not handle wildlife issues. The defense of comparative or contributory negligence.