You Can Be Fined For Failing To Report A Dog Bite In Texas

There are many important reasons to report a dog bite – but did you know that it is also illegal in Texas not to report a dog attack or animal bite? In fact, failing to report a dog bite can result in fines (as determined by your local judge).

Why is it illegal to keep dog bite information from the police? Texas has put this law in place in order to prevent and control the spread of rabies. Aside from rabies, however, it is still very important for you to report a dog bite to Animal Care Services as soon as possible. For legal reasons, you should have a record of the incident. For safety reasons, you want officials to know about a dangerous or aggressive dog so that others are not harmed in the future.

As Animal Control officer Lisa Norwood explained that reporting dog bites is about protecting the community and getting the animal under control before it bites someone else. And though instances of rabies in humans are rare, it is still important to be vigilant.