Bitten by a dog in Dallas: the report you must make, the owner's duties, and finding a dog bite lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

A person bitten by an animal in Dallas must report it by calling 311, and Dallas Animal Services investigates.12 Texas's dog law covers seizures and crimes, not when an owner must pay, so your money claim comes from other Texas law.3 You generally have two years to sue.4

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Road map of Dallas showing Westmoreland Road, the home of Dallas Animal Services at 1818 N. Westmoreland
In Dallas, you must report a dog bite by calling 311. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What do I do first after a dog bite in Dallas?

  1. Wash the bite right away with soap and water, as Dallas County advises.5
  2. See a doctor and ask about rabies shots. The county says to talk to your provider about your risk, and it does not provide the shots itself.6
  3. Report it. A person bitten or scratched by an animal must call 311 in Dallas.1 Doctors and medical facilities must report dog bites as well.7
  4. Get the owner's name, address and proof of the dog's shots, and note the time and place.
  5. Take photos of the wound on the first day, then each week while it heals.
  6. Keep every bill and a list of days you could not work.

Does a dog need to be quarantined after a bite in Dallas?

For a dog or cat that looks healthy, Dallas County says a bite may only require a report to Animal Control and an observation of the animal for 10 days.8 A stray or a sick animal is a bigger worry, so tell your doctor exactly what you saw. To report a possible rabies exposure, call Dallas County Health and Human Services at (214) 819-2004.9

Who handles a dog bite report in Dallas?

Inside the city limits it is Dallas Animal Services, at 1818 N. Westmoreland Road, (214) 670-6800.10 It looks into reports from 311.2 In an unincorporated part of the county, call the county Animal Control Unit at (214) 819-2115.11

Bites are common here. Dallas Animal Services counted 1,689 bites in fiscal year 2024-25, and 774 of them were loose bites.1213 So if the dog got out of a yard, you are far from alone, and a gap in a fence or an open gate is worth photographing from the public sidewalk.

What are the leash and bite laws in Dallas?

Dallas adds its own rules. City code makes it an offense if a dog owner fails to secure a dog and the dog makes an unprovoked bite causing bodily injury to someone, away from the owner's property.14 In public parks, a dog must be led on a leash, with exceptions for off-leash sites.15

A crime or ticket and a money claim are different things. A city citation does not by itself mean the owner must pay you, and the end of a city case is not the end of your claim. Texas's dog statute, Chapter 822, covers seizing dogs and criminal charges, but it does not say when an owner must pay.3 A lawyer can tell you which theory fits your bite.

What is a dangerous dog in Dallas?

Dallas calls a dog dangerous if it makes an unprovoked attack that causes bodily injury to a person outside a secure enclosure.16 You can start the process yourself. Call 214-670-8313 to have an affidavit sent to you.17

If the dog is declared dangerousWhat the owner must do
ControlKeep it on a leash in a person's immediate control, or in a secure enclosure18
Money for injuriesShow financial responsibility of at least $100,000 in Dallas19
State ruleTexas also requires owners of dangerous dogs to carry at least $100,000 or show they can pay20

The state has harsher tools too. An owner can be charged with a crime if a negligently unsecured dog seriously hurts someone away from the owner's land.21 Anyone can ask a Texas court, by sworn complaint, to have a dog seized after it causes death or serious injury.22

Who pays for a dog bite in Dallas?

Often a homeowner's or renter's policy. Ask the owner for the name of the insurer early, and do not give a recorded statement until you know how the wound will heal. A bite that needed a trip to Parkland, Baylor University Medical Center or Methodist Dallas, the area's Level I trauma centers, can leave scars that need follow-up care.232425

If a city-run program or a city employee played a part, the six-month written notice to the City of Dallas applies, sent to the Office of Risk Management.2627

How long do I have for a dog bite claim in Dallas?

Generally two years from when your claim arises.4 A child's deadline may be extended, but do not rely on that without asking a lawyer.28 Children are often bitten on the face, so talk to a doctor about a scar that may change as a child grows.

When should I call a dog bite lawyer in Dallas?

  • You needed stitches or surgery, or the wound left a scar.
  • You have an infection or nerve damage.
  • The owner will not share insurance information.
  • The dog was already known to be dangerous.
  • It happened at work, because workers' comp rules may also apply.29

Questions

Do I have to report a dog bite in Dallas?

Yes. A person bitten or scratched by an animal must call 311.1

Can I sue if a dog bit me in Dallas?

Often, under Texas law outside the dog statute, generally within two years.34

How do I get a dog declared dangerous in Dallas?

Call 214-670-8313 to have an affidavit sent to you.17

Does the dog get put down after a bite in Dallas?

Not automatically. For a healthy dog, the county says observation for 10 days may be all that is needed.8

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Sources

  1. Dallas Animal Services, Dangerous Dogs, checked 2026-11-08. “A person bitten or scratched by an animal MUST report the incident by calling 311.”
  2. Dallas Animal Services, Dog Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “Dallas Animal Services will investigate the incident.”
  3. Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 822, subch. A, checked 2026-11-08. “SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS; DOGS THAT ATTACK PERSONS OR ARE A DANGER TO PERSONS”
  4. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a), checked 2026-11-08. “personal injury, forcible entry and detainer, and forcible detainer not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues.”
  5. Dallas County Health and Human Services, Rabies and Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “Wash animal bites immediately with soap and water.”
  6. Dallas County Health and Human Services, Rabies and Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “DCHHS does not currently provide PEP for the rabies virus.”
  7. Dallas Animal Services, Dog Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “Doctors and medical facilities must also report dog bites to DAS.”
  8. Dallas County Health and Human Services, Rabies and Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “bites from dogs or cats may only require a report to Animal Control and an observation of the animal for 10 days”
  9. Dallas County Health and Human Services, Rabies and Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “call DCHHS at (214) 819-2004”
  10. Dallas Animal Services, Dog Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “1818 N. Westmoreland Road Dallas, Texas 75212 Phone: (214) 670-6800”
  11. Dallas County, Contact Us, checked 2026-11-08. “Animal Control Unit (Unincorporated Areas of Dallas County) - (214) 819-2115”
  12. Dallas Animal Services, Field Fact Sheet, December 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “Total Bites 1,689 358 430 106 134 28 26%”
  13. Dallas Animal Services, Field Fact Sheet, December 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “Total Loose Bites 774 182 186 50 52 2 4%”
  14. Dallas Animal Services, Dog Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “a dog owner commits an offense if they fail to secure their dog and the dog makes an unprovoked bite that causes bodily injury to another person”
  15. Dallas City Code § 32-6, checked 2026-11-08. “unless the dog is led by some person and retained in custody by a leash”
  16. Dallas Animal Services, Dangerous and Aggressive Dogs, checked 2026-11-08. “makes an unprovoked attack that causes bodily injury to a human”
  17. Dallas Animal Services, Dangerous Dogs, checked 2026-11-08. “call 214-670-8313 to have an affidavit mailed or faxed to you”
  18. Dallas City Code § 7-5.5, checked 2026-11-08. “restrain the dangerous dog at all times on a leash in the immediate control of a person or in a secure enclosure”
  19. Dallas City Code § 7-5.5, checked 2026-11-08. “acceptable proof of financial responsibility in the amount of at least $100,000”
  20. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 822.042(a)(3), checked 2026-11-08. “obtain liability insurance coverage or show financial responsibility in an amount of at least $100,000 to cover damages resulting from an attack by the dangerous dog causing bodily injury to a person”
  21. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 822.005(a)(1), checked 2026-11-08. “with criminal negligence, as defined by Section 6.03, Penal Code, fails to secure the dog and the dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person that occurs at a location other than the owner's real property or in or on the owner's motor vehicle or boat and that causes serious bodily injury, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, or death to the other person;”
  22. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 822.002(a), checked 2026-11-08. “on the sworn complaint of any person, including the county attorney, the city attorney, or a peace officer, that the dog has caused the death of or serious bodily injury to a person by attacking, biting, or mauling the person;”
  23. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “PARKLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 7/1/2028 E DALLAS 75235”
  24. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER 4/1/2028 E DALLAS 75246”
  25. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “METHODIST DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER 12/1/2027 E DALLAS 75203”
  26. Dallas City Charter, Chapter XXIII, Section 1, checked 2026-11-08. “within six months after the injury was received”
  27. City of Dallas, Notice of Claim Form, checked 2026-11-08. “OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT 1500 MARILLA 6A SOUTH DALLAS, TEXAS 75201 214-671-9458”
  28. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
  29. Tex. Lab. Code § 417.001(a), checked 2026-11-08. “An employee or legal beneficiary may seek damages from a third party who is or becomes liable to pay damages for an injury or death that is compensable under this subtitle and may also pursue a claim for workers' compensation benefits under this subtitle.”

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