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Public Health - Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center (BARCC)

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1. My dog is 4 months old and not vaccinated, isn't my dog still to young for the rabies vaccine?

All cats and dogs 3 months of age or older need to be vaccinated against the rabies virus by a licensed Texas veterinarian every year. (Ordinance10-121)

2. I lost my pets rabies certificate, but he still has his tags on, is this good enough proof of vaccinations?

Rabies tags are not proof of vaccination. The owner of the animal must show the rabies vaccine certificate to an officer when asked to show proof of vaccination. (Ordinance 10-124)

3. Is it a violation if my pet is not wearing the rabies tags?

Yes! All cats and dogs vaccinated against rabies will be issued a rabies tag and city license tag. All animals must display these tags on their collar or harness at all times. (Ordinance 10-130)

4. I walk my dog in my yard without a leash or fencing around my yard, she never leaves my property, is this a violation?

No animal shall be off a leash unless behind a fenced property. All animals that are not confined and have access to the public are considered to be running at large. (Ordinance 10-91)

5. I have a neighbor that never cleans the yard or provides fresh water for their pets, and the pets they have always seem to be sick, is this a violation?

All animals are to be provided with good wholesome food, water, and shelter at all times. Owners shall provide medical attention when needed for a sick or injured animal. All areas where animals are kept need to be maintained clean so the animal does not come into contact with fecal matter or debris. (Ordinance 10-61 Section A)

6. I am leaving (out of town), and am leaving my pets at home alone with plenty of food; is this okay to do?

No animal shall be left unattended for a 24-hour period without having someone come check the food, water, and well being of the animal. This is considered abandonment and could lead to confiscation of the animal. (Ord. 10-61 Sub-Sec C)

7. How long can I wait to report a dog bite?

All animal bites should be reported to the Animal Control Department as soon as possible. (Ord. 10-161)

8. My dog bite someone and Animal Control confiscated him. When can I pick up my dog?

Animal that inflicted a bite on a human will have to enter a 10 day or 240 hour quarantine period. If the owner of the animal wants to claim the animal they may do so after a licensed veterinarian releases the animal from its quarantine. (Ordinance 10-163)

9. I want to sell some dogs at the flea market, and at my company's parking lot, is this a violation?

A person commits an offense if the person sells, trades, barters, leases, rents, gives away, or displays for a commercial purpose a live animal on a roadside, public right-of-way, or commercial parking lot, or at any outdoor special sale, swap meet, flea market, parking lot sale, or similar event. All violators will be issued a citation. (Ordinance 10-267)

10. My dog is very vicious, and will attack unprovoked, is this a violation to own a vicious dog?

It shall be illegal to posses or have within city limits a vicious animal. The animal will be confiscated and deemed a public nuisance. Vicious animal means any animal that commits an unprovoked attack upon a person on public or private property or that attacks, threatens to attack or terrorizes a person on public property or in a public place. (Ordinance 10-4)

11. Can I own livestock inside city limits?

It shall be unlawful to keep, posses or maintain any horse, mule, donkey or other animal of the equine family; any calf, steer, bull or any animal of the bovine family; any sheep or other animal or the ovine family; or any goat or other animal of the caprine family, on land in the city unless the animal is contains in a minimum area of 20,000 square feet for one and 20,000 square feet for any additional, and is 150 feet distance from any residence or building used for human habitation other than the owner or within 150 feet of any restaurant, cafe, or other public eating place or any church, school, hospital, convalescent home, or nursing home. If any such animal is kept or confined in any building or structure, such as a stable, barn, shed, pen or fence, such distance of 150 feet shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest point of such residence or building used for human habitation, restaurant, cafe, other public eating place, church, school, hospital, convalescent home, or nursing home.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, possess or maintain within the city any rabbit, guinea pig, pigeon, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, peafowl, or any other fowl in any pen, enclosure, or other structure within 50 feet of any residence or building used for human habitation, other than that of the keeper or owner of such animal, or within 50 feet of any church, school, hospital, convalescent home, or nursing home. Such distance of 50 feet shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest point of any pen, enclosure, or other structure in which such fowl or animal is kept to the nearest point of such residence, church, school, convalescent home, or nursing home. (Ord.10-63 A & B)

12. Can I own a small pig inside city limits?

It shall be unlawful to keep or permit to be kept any swine or to allow swine to remain in any pen, lot, stable, yard, shed, sty, or any other place within the city. This section shall not prohibit the lawful operation of export-import livestock shipping receiving facilities nor prohibit the exhibition of swine for a period not to exceed 21 days in connection with agricultural exhibitions or fairs. (Ordinance 10-64)

13. My neighbor always has his cows running loose, is this a violation?

The running at large within the city of cattle, horses, mules, jacks, jennets, sheep, hogs, goats, or other bovine, equine, ovine, porcine, or caprine animals is prohibited and declared to be a nuisance. Anyone owning, controlling, or having responsibility for the control of any of such animal that runs at large within the city shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided by this Code. (Ordinance 10-65)

14. When is my livestock consider a nuisance to the public?

The keeping of any animal within the city or in territory outside the city limits adjacent thereto and within 5,000 feet thereof in such manner or under such conditions as to cause a hazard or danger to the public health or which produce noxious odors or disturbing noises or discomfort or annoyance to persons of ordinary sensibilities in the immediate vicinity thereof is declared to be a nuisance and is prohibited. (Ordinance10-62)

15. What is a microchip implant?

A microchip implant is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is about the same size as a grain of rice. The microchip itself does not have a battery - it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area. The chip transmits the identification number on the scanner. The identification number is then linked to the owner’s information.

16. Why is it necessary to get my pet microchipped?

The best reason to have your pet’s microchipped is to improve the chances to be reunited with your pet, if it becomes lost or stolen.

17. What are the statistics of microchipped returned pets?

More than 2,765,526 pets are microchipped and the numbers are increasing each day! Microchips are responsible for reuniting more than 258,032 lost pets with their owners.*

In 2014 at the Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center, 49 pets with microchips were safely reunited with their owner.**

*Statistics are from homeagainid.com and avidmicrochip.com.

**Statistics are from Chameleon software used by Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center.

18. How old does my pet have to be in order to be microchipped?

As per Brownsville City Ordinance, all dogs and cats over the age of 4 months must be implanted with an identifying microchip. (Ordinance 2015-971-G Sec. 10-1133a)

19. How is a microchip implanted into my pet?

It is injected under the skin of the animal using a hypodermic needle. It is no more painful than a typical injection such as vaccination.

20. How does Microchipping Work?

1. Scan the pet to verify whether he or she has a microchip that has been previously implanted.

2. Scan the microchip to determine that it is functional, and that the ID code matches the accompanying barcode labels.

3. Implant the microchip, then rescan the pet to verify that the microchip can be localized.

4. If your pet ever gets lost or stolen, shelters and veterinarians can scan the pet for a microchip and retrieve any owner information from the database.

5. Once owner’s information is retrieved the pet is returned safely home.

21. I have heard that microchips can migrate within a pet, is this true?

A microchip may travel under the skin of a pet with little body fat and end up in another location of the body. As a result, pets are scanned all over their body to ensure that the microchip is located.

22. What if I do not have my pet microchipped, can I take it to the shelter and have it done?

Absolutely! Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center will gladly add an active microchip that will be registered to you for a small fee of $5.00.

23. My pet suffers from a rare condition and is unable to receive a microchip, will I be in violation and penalized?

Microchip requirements of the City of Brownsville Ordinance shall not apply to any dog or cat with a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily injury if implanted with a microchip identification due to the health conditions of the animal. The owner must obtain written confirmation of that fact from a Texas licensed veterinarian. If the dog or cat can be safely implanted with an identifying microchip at a later date, that date must be stated in the written confirmation. (Ord. 2015-971-G, Sec. 10-1133 B-1)

24. I am going to visit Brownsville for a short time and will be taking my pet. If my pet gets impounded while in Brownsville, would I have to microchip my pet in order for the shelter to release it?

Microchip requirements of the City of Brownsville Ordinance shall not apply to a pet that is owned by an individual that does not reside in the City of Brownsville. (Ord. 2015-971 G Sec. 10-1133 B-2)

25. What are the penalties for not providing my pet with a microchip?

Any person violating any section of the ordinance is subject to punishment as set forth in Chapter 1, General provisions, Sec. 1-13 General Penalty, of the code of Ordinance of the City of Brownsville. Such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof in which the violation is continued or permitted. (Sec. 54-182 Violations and Penalties)

26. Do I have to get the microchip from the shelter if my pet was impounded or can I choose a Veterinarian to apply the microchip?

You can choose your own veterinarian. When an impounded dog or cat without a microchip identification, in addition to satisfying impound fees, the owner shall also have the dog or cat implanted with a microchip by a veterinarian (or other person legally qualified to implant microchips in cats and dogs) selected by the owner. The owner shall pay the cost of the City transporting the animal to the veterinarian for the implantation and, when the veterinarian certifies in writing that the microchip has been implanted and all charges of the impound facility have been paid, the animal shall be released to the owner. (Ord. 2015-971-G Sec. 10-113 D)