Lubbock CODE OF ORDINANCES - Chapter 4 - Animals

ARTICLE II.  RABIES CONTROL; LICENSING; CLINICS

Section 4-10. State regulations adopted.

The City of Lubbock hereby adopts by reference the Rabies Control Act of 1981 (Texas Health and Safety Code, chapter 826), as amended, and the standards established by the Texas Board of Health as minimum standards for rabies control and quarantine provisions within the City of Lubbock.  In addition thereto, all of the rabies control provisions of this chapter, which are adopted pursuant to Sections 826.015 and 826.033 of the Health and Safety Code, shall have application in the City of Lubbock.

Section 4-11. License required.

It is a violation of this chapter if any person owning, keeping, harboring or having custody of a dog or cat over the age of four (4) months within the City of Lubbock does not license such animal as provided herein.  Police dogs or assistance animals shall be exempt from license fee.  This section does not apply to animals temporarily within the city for a period of time not to exceed thirty (30) days.

Section 4-12. Issuance by veterinarians.

The animal control supervisor is hereby authorized to appoint duly licensed veterinarians as his deputies for the limited purpose of issuing dog and cat licenses.  Licenses shall be on numbered forms and tags furnished by the animal control supervisor and shall be issued subject to the provisions of this chapter and any other rules, regulations or ordinances relating to the issuance of such licenses.

Section 4-13. Vaccination and license.

A veterinarian may not issue a license for an animal that has not been vaccinated for rabies and all veterinarians shall report the license numbers issued upon vaccination of an animal to the animal control supervisor within thirty (30) days.

Section 4-14. Accounting by veterinarians.

Each veterinarian appointed under section 4-12 shall account to the animal control supervisor monthly for all licenses and tags issued and shall remit all license fees collected at such time.

Section 4-15. Collar with license to be worn by dogs and cats.

All dogs and cats four (4) months of age or older must wear a collar or harness securely attached to its body which shall have attached thereto a current license tag.  Veterinarians are encouraged to attach the tag to the animal's collar when the tag is purchased.

Section 4-16. Failure to obtain or attach a license.

Any owner who fails to obtain a current license tag for his animal or who fails to attach said tag to the animal's collar or harness shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with section 4-2 of this chapter and the animal may be impounded.

Section 4-17. Improper use; refund of fee.

No person may use a license on an animal other than the animal for which the license was issued and no refunds shall be made on any license fee because of death of the animal or because the owner is leaving the City of Lubbock.

Section 4-18. Duplicate license.

A duplicate license may be obtained upon payment of the fee established by this chapter.

Section 4-19. Expiration, renewal; issuance of license.

(a) Licenses shall expire one year from the date of vaccination, unless revoked or renewed earlier.

(b) Upon immunization of an animal against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, payment of the license fee, and submission of a written application stating the name, address and telephone number of the owner and a description of the animal, the animal control supervisor or an authorized veterinarian may issue the owner a license certificate and a metallic tag for such animal.  The tag shall have stamped thereon the year for which it is used and a number corresponding to the number of the license certificate.

Section 4-20. Rabies clinics.

(a) Rabies clinics shall be conducted at community or civic locations within the city.

(b) Rabies clinics shall be conducted by the veterinarians practicing in the particular area of the city where the clinic is to be conducted.  If two (2) or more veterinarians are in the general locale, they should cooperate in conducting the clinic.  If no veterinarian is available in the general locale, then all veterinarians in the community should cooperate in conducting the clinic.

(c) Rabies clinics shall be offered only when a veterinarian is not located in the general area or if all veterinarians in that area are notified and given an opportunity to participate.

(d) Only rabies vaccinations shall be offered at such clinics.

(e) In the event that no veterinarian desires to participate in a clinic in an area of the city where the animal control supervisor deems it to be in the public interest to conduct such a clinic, then the city may sponsor such a clinic.

(f) The annual license fee set forth herein shall be reduced to one dollar ($1.00) if such animal is vaccinated for rabies at a rabies immunization clinic or drive sponsored or co-sponsored by the city.

(Ord. No. 9485, 1, 11-14-91)