What authority does a county have over the unlawful restraint of dogs?
A peace officer or animal control officer with probable cause to believe that a dog owner is unlawfully restraining a dog shall issue a written statement to the owner of the violation of Health and Safety Code, Chapter 821, Subchapter E. The officer must sign the statement and include the date and time the statement is provided to the owner. An owner who fails to comply with Subchapter E within 24 hours after receiving the written statement commits an offense punishable as a Class C misdemeanor. For more information, see our Animal Control Handbook.