Bitten by a dog in El Paso: reporting to 311, leash rules and finding a dog bite lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

In El Paso, all animal bites must be reported, so call 311.1 An owner may be ordered to quarantine the dog at an animal hospital for at least 10 days.2 The Texas dog statute does not say when an owner must pay an injured person, so a claim comes from other Texas law.3 A bite lawsuit generally must be filed within 2 years.4

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Road map of El Paso, where the city requires a pet off its owner's premises to be on a leash or in a carrier
Every animal bite in El Paso must be reported. Call 311. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What should I do right after a dog bite in El Paso?

  1. Wash the wound and get medical care, even for a small puncture. For the hospital, University Medical Center's main number is (915) 544-1200.5
  2. Find out whose dog it is. Get the owner's name, address and phone, and ask about rabies shots.
  3. Call 311 to make a bite report. The city says all animal bites must be reported.1 For an emergency, call 911.
  4. Take photos of the wound the same day and as it heals. Save your bills and a list of work you missed.
  5. Ask for the report number, and write down the name of the officer who came.

Who takes a dog bite report in El Paso?

City Animal Protection Officers respond to calls about loose animals and animal bites.6 They work for El Paso Animal Services at 5001 Fred Wilson Ave., (915) 212-PAWS.7 The 311 line is how the city asks you to start.

We could not find a county page that explains who takes a bite report outside the city limits. If you were bitten in another part of El Paso County, ask the Sheriff's Office or your town's animal control who takes it, and keep a record of who you spoke with.

What happens to the dog after it bites someone in El Paso?

What can happenWhat the city says
QuarantineAn owner may be ordered to quarantine the pet at an animal hospital for at least 10 days after biting a person2
Home observationDepending on vaccination and the circumstances, home observation may replace hospital quarantine8
CitationsThe owner can be cited, depending on vaccination, registration, microchip and whether the pet was loose9
Court actionAfter a death or serious injury, anyone can ask a Texas court, by sworn complaint, to have the dog seized10

The quarantine is about rabies, not about blame. Knowing the dog's shots are current can save you a hard medical decision, so ask the officer what the records showed.

What is the leash law in El Paso?

Off the owner's premises, a pet must be under direct control, such as on a leash or in a carrier, and it cannot run loose.11 A dog kept outside must be in a securely fenced yard or enclosed pen that prevents escape.12

These rules can help your claim, but they do not decide it. A loose dog, an open gate or a gap in a fence is good evidence that the owner was careless. Take photos of the fence or gate from the sidewalk, and write down whether anyone was holding a leash.

Since January 2026, the city can also label a dog Aggressive or Vicious. Owners then have 30 days to take steps such as a leash or secure enclosure and a warning sign.13 A dog that has already been labeled this way is an important fact, so ask 311 or Animal Services about the dog's history.

Does the owner have to pay for a dog bite in El Paso?

Often the owner or the owner's insurer, but Texas handles this differently from many states. Chapter 822 of the Health and Safety Code covers seizing dogs and criminal charges, and it does not say when an owner must pay an injured person.3 A money claim has to come from other Texas law, so what the owner knew about the dog and how the dog was kept can matter a lot.

The city itself warns owners that they are responsible for what their pets do, and that they may face civil action if the person bitten pursues it.14

  • A dog can be labeled dangerous under state law only if it is at large, unprovoked and causes bodily injury.15
  • An owner of an officially dangerous dog must carry at least $100,000 in coverage or show they can pay that much.16
  • An owner can face criminal charges if a negligently unsecured dog seriously hurts someone away from the owner's land, car or boat.17
  • An owner who knows a dog is officially dangerous can be charged if it attacks outside a secure enclosure and causes serious injury or death.18

Your own conduct may also come up. Under Texas's shared fault rule, your award drops by your share of the blame, and above 50% you get nothing.19

How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in El Paso?

Generally 2 years from when the claim arises.4 For a child, the clock usually waits until age 18.20 Do not wait that long to gather proof, because reports and photos of the yard are easiest to get in the first days.

The sworn 90-day notice to the Mayor only comes into it if the City of El Paso itself may be responsible, such as a dog in the city's care.2122 That is unusual, but ask if your case might fit.

What should I ask a dog bite lawyer in El Paso?

  • What Texas legal theory fits my bite, since Chapter 822 does not cover money claims?
  • How will you find out the dog's history with Animal Services?
  • Does the owner have homeowner's or renter's insurance?
  • What is the plan if scarring treatment comes later?

Questions

Do I have to report a dog bite in El Paso?

Yes. The city says all animal bites must be reported, and you can call 311.1

How long does a dog stay in quarantine after a bite in El Paso?

An owner may be ordered to quarantine the pet for at least 10 days after a bite to a person.2

Can I sue the owner if the dog was off leash?

You may be able to. A pet off the owner's premises must be under direct control.11 A claim comes from other Texas law, not Chapter 822.3

Does a dog have to be labeled dangerous first?

No label is needed for you to report the bite.1 A label can matter for insurance and charges.16

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El Paso

Dog bite

Texas

Sources

  1. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “All animal bites must be reported. If you or someone else has been bitten, contact 311 to make a report.”
  2. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “quarantine your pet at an animal hospital for a minimum of 10 days if your pet bites a human”
  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. University Medical Center of El Paso, checked 2026-11-08. “Main Number: (915) 544-1200”
  6. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “They respond to calls about loose animals, animal bites, neglect, and cruelty”
  7. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “5001 Fred Wilson Ave. El Paso, TX | (915) 212-PAWS”
  8. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “home observation may be an option instead of a veterinary hospital quarantine”
  9. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “You could be cited for a number of violations”
  10. 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;”
  11. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “While off premises, your pet must be under direct control, such as on a leash or in a carrier”
  12. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “must be in a securely fenced yard or enclosed pen that prevents escape”
  13. El Paso Animal Services news release, January 16, 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “Both Aggressive and Vicious Dog designations require owners to take corrective actions within 30 days”
  14. El Paso Animal Services, Animal Protection, checked 2026-11-08. “you may also face civil charges if the victim decides to pursue legal action”
  15. El Paso Animal Services news release, January 16, 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “a dog may be designated as a Dangerous Dog only if it is at large, acts unprovoked, and causes bodily injury to a person”
  16. 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”
  17. 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;”
  18. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 822.005(a)(2), checked 2026-11-08. “knows the dog is a dangerous dog by learning in a manner described by Section 822.042(g) that the person is the owner of a dangerous dog, and the dangerous dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person that occurs at a location other than a secure enclosure”
  19. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  20. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
  21. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall within 90 days or within 6 months for good cause shown from the date the damage occurred or the injury was received, give notice in writing to the mayor”
  22. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be sworn to by the person claiming damages or by someone authorized by him to do so on his behalf”

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