Bitten by a dog in Houston: who to call, what BARC does and finding a dog bite lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

Every animal bite in Houston must be reported, so call 311, or BARC at 713-229-7300.12 Outside the city in Harris County, animal control is 281-999-3191.3 Texas's dog statute does not say when an owner must pay, so a money claim comes from other Texas law.4 You generally have 2 years to sue.5

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Road map of Houston, where city code makes it unlawful to let a dog be at large without direct physical control
Every animal bite in Houston must be reported. Call 311. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What should you do right after a dog bite in Houston?

  1. Wash the wound with soap and water, and get care if the bite is severe. Harris County also says to get a tetanus shot if you have not had one in 10 years.6
  2. Find out what you can about the dog and its owner. Names, a phone number and the dog's look all help.
  3. Report it. In the city, dial 311 or call BARC at 713-229-7300.12
  4. Photograph the wound today and again as it heals. Save every bill.
  5. Ask about rabies shots. A doctor makes that call based on what happened and whether the dog can be watched.

Who takes a dog bite report in Houston, and what will they ask?

It depends on which side of the city line you were on. Houston's animal code applies within the city limits.7 BARC is the city's animal agency, and its shelter is at 3200 Carr Street.8 In unincorporated Harris County, the county's animal control line is 281-999-3191.3 Smaller cities in the county have their own numbers, so ask if you are not sure.

Have this ready when you call 311: the date and time of the bite, a clear description of the animal, and the address where it happened.9 Give the owner's details if you have them. If you do not, report it anyway.

What happens to the dog after a bite in Houston?

Texas does not let this slide. A dog that bites a person must be quarantined or euthanized, whatever its vaccination status.10 The 10-day observation period begins at the time of the bite.11 That is why a fast report matters for your own medical care. If the dog can be found and watched, your doctor has better information.

A quarantine is about rabies. It is not a finding that the owner did anything wrong, and it does not start or end a claim for your injuries.

Do dogs have to be on a leash in Houston?

Houston's rule is about control. City code makes it unlawful to let a dog be at large without direct physical control by the owner or the person in charge.12 It is a defense if the dog was in a designated off-leash site.13

So tell the 311 operator exactly how it happened. Was there a leash? Was a gate open? Was the dog loose in the street? A photo of a gap in a fence, taken from the public sidewalk, can be worth more than a long explanation later.

How does a dog get declared dangerous in Houston?

LabelWhat it meansSource
Dangerous dogState law term for an unprovoked attack causing injury outside a secure enclosure. BARC opens a case after a sworn statement.BARC14
Aggressive dogCity term that includes an unprovoked attack on the owner's property that seriously hurts an invited personCity code, as posted by BARC15

To begin a dangerous dog case, you give BARC a sworn statement.14 BARC asks for as much as you can provide, including photos of your injuries and medical reports.16 Keeping those organized now helps both this process and any claim.

A dog's status matters later. Owners of dogs officially deemed dangerous must carry at least $100,000 in coverage or show they can pay that amount.17 An owner who knows the dog was found dangerous can be charged if it attacks outside a secure enclosure and causes serious injury or death.18 Anyone can ask a Texas court, by sworn complaint, to have a dog seized after it causes death or serious injury.19

When does an owner have to pay for a dog bite in Houston?

Texas is different from many states. Chapter 822 covers seizing dogs and criminal charges, and it does not say when an owner must pay you.4 A claim has to rest on other Texas law, so what the owner knew and did will usually matter. Earlier bites, past complaints to BARC or a broken at-large rule can all be part of that story.

An owner with criminal negligence who fails to secure a dog can also face charges if it seriously hurts or kills someone away from the owner's land, car or boat.20 Any criminal case runs separately from your claim.

Many bite claims are paid by a homeowner's or renter's policy, so ask for the insurer's name. Do not sign a release before you know how the wound will heal, and whether it will scar.

How long do I have after a dog bite in Houston?

Generally 2 years from when your claim arises.5 Children may get extra time on that deadline, which helps because so many bite victims are kids.21 If you are more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing, and an owner may argue that you provoked the dog.22

If a city or county animal officer or a government-run shelter was involved, tell a lawyer early. Houston's own notice is 90 days and Harris County's is 180.2324 For an ordinary neighbor's dog, those government notices do not apply.

Questions

Do I have to report a dog bite in Houston?

Yes. BARC says every animal bite must be reported, and to call 311.1

How long does a dog stay in quarantine in Texas after a bite?

The observation period is 10 days from the time of the bite.11

How long do I have to sue for a dog bite in Houston?

Generally 2 years.5

Does Texas have a dog bite law that makes owners pay?

Chapter 822 does not say when an owner must pay. A claim comes from other Texas law.4

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Sources

  1. BARC, Report an Animal Bite, checked 2026-11-08. “To report an animal bite of any kind, please call 311.”
  2. Houston Fire Department FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “Call BARC at 713.229.7300 or dial 311 to report the bite.”
  3. Harris County Veterinary Public Health, Local Animal Control Agencies, checked 2026-11-08. “Harris Co (281) 999-3191 Animal Control”
  4. 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”
  5. 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.”
  6. Harris County Veterinary Public Health, Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “Get a tetanus shot if you have not had one in the last 10 years”
  7. BARC, Chapter 6 FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “applies to animals or property found or located within the corporate limits of the city”
  8. BARC, Report an Animal Bite, checked 2026-11-08. “3200 Carr Street, Houston, TX 77026”
  9. BARC, Report an Animal Bite, checked 2026-11-08. “Date and time of the bite Clear description of the animal Address where the bite occurred”
  10. Texas DSHS, Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “Regardless of vaccination status, the dog, cat, or ferret must be quarantined or euthanized”
  11. Texas DSHS, Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “the 10-day observation period begins at the time the bite”
  12. Houston Code of Ordinances, Sec. 6-101, checked 2026-11-08. “It is unlawful for any person owning or having in his possession any dog to allow the dog to be at large without the owner or person in charge having direct physical control over the dog.”
  13. Houston Code of Ordinances, Sec. 6-101, checked 2026-11-08. “in an off-leash site established under section 32-11 of this Code”
  14. BARC, Declaring a Dog as Dangerous, checked 2026-11-08. “a person must make a complaint to BARC, in the form of a sworn statement”
  15. BARC, Dangerous, Aggressive and Public Nuisance Dogs, checked 2026-11-08. “Bites, assaults, or otherwise attacks a person without provocation on the property of the owner and causes serious bodily injury to the person”
  16. BARC, Declaring a Dog as Dangerous, checked 2026-11-08. “photographs of bodily injuries caused by the animal, medical reports related to the injuries”
  17. 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”
  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. 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;”
  20. 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;”
  21. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
  22. 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”
  23. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “duly verified, within 90 days after the same has been sustained”
  24. Harris County, Claim Filing Procedures, checked 2026-11-08. “Written notice of your claim must be mailed or delivered in person within 180 days of the occurrence to: Harris County Commissioners Court 1001 Preston, Room 610 Houston, Texas 77002”

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