Owning an animal in Seagoville involves more than providing food, water and a place to live.
The city’s animal-control ordinance regulates how dogs and cats must be identified and contained, how many animals may be kept on a property, where chickens and livestock may be housed, which reptiles are prohibited and what owners must do to prevent noise, sanitation and public-safety problems.
Some provisions are familiar, such as leash and rabies-vaccination requirements. Others—including mandatory microchipping, restrictions on unsterilized pets and detailed backyard-chicken rules—may surprise residents.
This article summarizes several of the rules most likely to affect Seagoville households. Residents with unusual animals, breeding plans or questions about property qualifications should confirm the requirements with the city before acquiring or housing an animal.
Dogs Cannot Roam Freely
Animals may not run loose within the city or enter someone else’s property without permission.
A dog taken away from its owner’s property must remain under the control of the owner, a family member or another responsible person using a leash or chain strong enough to control the animal.
At home, dogs must be kept inside, behind a substantial fence capable of preventing escape or secured in a manner that keeps them entirely on the owner’s property.
The rule applies even when a dog is considered friendly. An owner cannot rely on the animal’s temperament as a substitute for physical control.
The City Limits the Number of Dogs and Cats
Seagoville limits the number of dogs and cats that may be kept based on the amount of accessible roaming space available on the property.
The ordinance prohibits keeping more than four dogs or cats over three months old for each 3,000 square feet of accessible roaming space.
Properly zoned veterinary hospitals, clinics, kennels and scientific-research facilities are exempt from this household limitation.
Residents considering another pet should calculate the usable animal space on their property rather than assuming that every household is automatically permitted four dogs and four cats.
Dogs and Cats Must Be Microchipped
Every dog and cat must receive a registered microchip before reaching six months of age.
An exception is available when a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that microchipping would be medically unsuitable. In that situation, the animal must receive an identifying tattoo from a licensed veterinarian, and the information must be reported to animal services.
Owners must keep the microchip registration current with both the registration company and animal services. Changes involving an address, telephone number or ownership must generally be updated within 30 days.
The city ordinance establishes a one-time $25 fee to register the microchip with animal services.
Rabies Vaccinations Are Required
Dogs and cats must be vaccinated and revaccinated against rabies as required by Texas law.
Owners may be asked to present a valid vaccination certificate when completing the city’s animal-identification requirements.
A dog, cat or domestic ferret that bites, scratches or attacks a person may be placed in secure confinement or veterinary quarantine for 10 days so it can be observed for signs of rabies.
Suspected cases of rabies or another animal disease communicable to humans must be reported immediately.
Spaying or Neutering Is Generally Required
One of the ordinance’s less widely understood provisions states that owners commit an offense when a dog or cat is not spayed or neutered.
The code provides several defenses, including animals younger than six months, animals that cannot safely undergo the procedure for medical reasons, qualifying competition animals, service animals and animals covered by a valid intact-animal permit.
Someone intending to breed a dog or cat must obtain a separate intact-animal permit for each unsterilized breeding animal.
The annual permit fee is $250. The animal must meet vaccination and microchip requirements, and the owner must meet the city’s responsible-breeding qualifications.
The permit generally allows no more than one litter per female dog or cat during a 12-month period and no more than one litter per household during the same period.
Puppies and kittens covered by the permit may not be transferred before they are at least eight weeks old and vaccinated against common diseases.
How Many Chickens Can You Keep?
Residents with less than one acre may keep as many as six hens, but they may not keep a rooster.
The hens must be housed in a structure or enclosure located at least 25 feet from the nearest private residence or public building.
The enclosure must provide at least one square foot of covered roosting space per hen and direct access to an outdoor area containing at least 10 square feet of ground per hen.
Chicken enclosures must be ventilated, protected from predators and constructed to prevent standing water. Owners must remove droppings, feathers, uneaten food and other waste weekly—or more frequently when necessary to prevent odors.
Fresh water and enough nutritious food to maintain the birds’ health must be available.
The rules change on larger properties. The ordinance says a rooster may be kept on land greater than one acre when at least six hens are also present.
It further limits qualifying properties to one rooster for every six hens and no more than 20 chickens per acre. Chickens kept under the larger-property provision must remain more than 100 feet from the nearest private residence or public building.
Horses, Goats, Sheep and Other Livestock
A property must have at least one fenced acre of accessible roaming space before residents may keep livestock such as horses, cattle, mules, donkeys, goats or sheep.
The ordinance generally permits one livestock unit per acre. A unit may consist of a mother and offspring younger than six months.
Livestock must remain more than 100 feet from the nearest private residence or public building.
Students participating in qualifying FFA or 4-H projects may receive a temporary exception after inspection and written approval by the city manager or a designee. Such approval may be granted for no more than 90 days during a calendar year and may be withdrawn if the animal creates a nuisance.
Pigs and Hogs Are Generally Prohibited
The city generally prohibits keeping pigs or hogs on property within Seagoville.
The ordinance contains a narrow exception for certain school-sponsored agricultural or animal-husbandry projects conducted on Dallas Independent School District property larger than 50 acres.
The school-project exception does not create a general right for residents to keep a miniature pig, potbellied pig or other animal classified as a pig or hog at a private residence.
What About Snakes and Reptiles?
Seagoville’s ordinance distinguishes ordinary domestic animals from prohibited or wild animals.
The definition of a domestic animal includes nonvenomous, nonconstricting reptiles and amphibians commonly kept as human companions. That language does not mean every nonvenomous snake or reptile is automatically permitted.
The prohibited and wild-animal definitions include venomous snakes and lizards, boas, pythons, crocodiles, alligators and reptiles that typically grow longer than eight feet. Iguanas are also identified in the code’s wild-animal definition.
The animal-services director has authority to decide whether a particular animal is domestic, wild or prohibited.
Because the classifications are detailed and occasionally overlap, residents should obtain an official determination before purchasing, adopting or bringing an unusual snake, reptile or exotic animal into the city.
Keeping or harboring a wild animal within Seagoville is generally prohibited except for limited governmental, zoological, educational or wildlife-rehabilitation purposes with the necessary approvals.
Barking and Other Animal Noise
Residents may not keep an animal that creates an unreasonable disturbance for neighbors through barking, howling, bawling or other unusual noise.
The ordinance states that a violation occurs when the owner has been notified by neighbors or a city representative and fails to correct the disturbance and prevent it from recurring within 24 hours.
The rule is not limited to dogs. It applies to any animal creating an unreasonable disturbance.
Owners Must Pick Up Animal Waste
Anyone controlling an animal must immediately remove its feces when the animal defecates on public property or private property belonging to someone else.
Animal pens, cages, yards and enclosures must also be kept sanitary. Owners may not allow waste to accumulate until the property becomes foul, offensive, unhealthy or unpleasant for nearby residents.
This responsibility applies to backyards and animal enclosures as well as sidewalks, parks, streets and neighboring property.
Rules for Tethering Dogs
A tethered dog must wear a properly fitted leather or nylon collar or harness. The tether must connect to the collar or harness rather than directly around the animal’s neck.
The restraint must be at least five times the dog’s length from nose to tail. It cannot be so heavy that it causes injury or visible discomfort.
The dog must not be able to leave the property, become entangled or lose access to food, water and appropriate shelter.
A dog may generally be tethered for no more than three hours during a 24-hour period, unless additional time is temporarily necessary to complete a task requiring the animal to be restrained.
Food, Water, Shelter and Veterinary Care
Owners must provide adequate wholesome food, clean water, proper shelter, weather protection and veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering.
Animals may not be confined in vehicles, trailers or other enclosures when heat, lack of water or other conditions could endanger their health.
The ordinance also prohibits abandoning animals, forcing animals to fight, cruel confinement and keeping an animal in conditions where it must stand or lie in feces, standing water or other unsanitary material.
Animals transported in vehicles must be restrained or confined so they cannot fall from the vehicle, escape or injure passersby.
Dangerous Dogs Carry Additional Requirements
A dog may be classified as dangerous after an unprovoked attack causing bodily injury or after unprovoked behavior that reasonably causes someone to believe the dog will attack and cause injury.
Within 30 days of learning that a dog is dangerous, the owner must register it, keep it on a leash under immediate control or inside a secure enclosure and obtain at least $100,000 in liability coverage or demonstrate equivalent financial responsibility.
A dangerous dog must also be microchipped. An unsterilized dangerous dog must be spayed or neutered, and warning signs stating “Beware of Dangerous Dog” must be posted at entrances to its enclosure.
The enclosure must be locked, prevent the dog from escaping, keep the public—including children—from entering and be clearly marked.
Failure to meet the requirements can result in seizure and impoundment. The ordinance also prohibits bringing into Seagoville a dog that another jurisdiction has already determined to be dangerous, subject to a limited defense contained in the code.
Animals Cannot Be Used as Prizes
Businesses, organizations and individuals may not sell, raffle, auction or give away a live animal as a prize.
Animals also cannot be used as an incentive to enter a business or amusement establishment or as an inducement to participate in a charitable fundraising event.
Violations Can Have Serious Consequences
Animal-control violations can result in more than a citation.
In addition to monetary penalties, a court may order an owner to attend a responsible-pet-ownership program, revoke permits, order an animal impounded, require sterilization or temporarily suspend a person’s right to own animals in Seagoville.
The city may also seek forfeiture of an animal when circumstances warrant that action.
Residents should not wait for a complaint, escaped animal or emergency before reviewing the rules. Understanding the ordinance can protect animals, prevent neighborhood disputes and reduce the possibility of fines, impoundment or court proceedings.
