Rabies Laws in Houston, Texas (2026)
Verification incomplete: this city guide is excluded from search indexing. Some local fees, contacts, and legal details still need confirmation. Check the official sources before relying on them.
Houston combines Texas's already-strict 24-hour bite-reporting rule with one of the most active urban bat and raccoon reservoirs in the South. BARC is the city's consolidated animal-care authority, and Harris County Public Health runs the rabies-case workup.
- County
- Harris County
- Population
- ~2,300,000
- Animal control
- (713) 229-7300
- Report a bite within
- 24 hours
What Houston Requires
Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 6, Article III requires rabies vaccination of all dogs and cats over 4 months of age and registration of pets with BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care). The ordinance enforces Texas's 24-hour bite-reporting law at the city level.
Ordinance citation
Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 6, Article III (Rabies Control & Animal Care)
Read the sourceHouston Licensing & Vaccination
Required species & age
Dogs, Cats — first rabies vaccination by 4 months of age.
Houston requires both dogs and cats over 4 months to be vaccinated — broader than Texas state law, which mandates dogs, cats, and ferrets.
Annual licensing fee
- Dog — spayed/neutered
- $20 per year (spayed or neutered)
- Dog — intact
- $60 per year (unaltered)
- Cat
- $20 per year when altered; $60 per year when unaltered.
- Senior discount
- $2 per year for an altered pet when the owner qualifies as a senior citizen.
Registration is required at the first rabies vaccination and renewed annually.
Reporting a Bite in Houston
Animal bites must be reported within 24 hours.
After hours
Texas Health & Safety Code §826.041 mandates reporting within 24 hours. BARC is the primary intake for Houston; Harris County Public Health Veterinary Services handles the case workup.
10-Day Quarantine & Observation
In Texas, biting dogs, cats, and ferrets must be observed for 10 days following the bite. Currently-vaccinated owned pets are usually approved for home observation; stray or unvaccinated biting animals are held at BARC for the 10-day observation period.
Facility
BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions
3300 Carr Street, Houston, TX 77026
(713) 229-7300
PEP-Equipped Hospitals in Houston
Major facilities known to handle rabies PEP. Always call ahead to confirm rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) availability.
Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center Emergency Department
Texas Medical Center — Level 1 trauma center.
Houston Methodist Hospital Emergency Department
Texas Medical Center — call ahead to confirm vaccine and HRIG availability.
Ben Taub Hospital Emergency Department
Harris Health System — handles PEP regardless of insurance.
Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Emergency Department
Harris Health System – Northeast Houston.
Key Contacts
BARC – Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care
Harris County Public Health – Veterinary Public Health
Texas DSHS Zoonosis Control
Houston 311
Houston FAQs
My dog bit a delivery worker in Houston — what's the legal deadline?+
You must report the bite within 24 hours under Texas Health & Safety Code §826.041, enforced locally by BARC. Call (713) 229-7300. If your dog is currently vaccinated, BARC will typically approve at-home observation. Bring or upload the rabies certificate when filing.
A raccoon was acting strange in my Houston backyard — should I call animal control?+
Yes. Do not approach or touch the raccoon. Call BARC at (713) 229-7300. Harris County has a persistent skunk-variant rabies focus on the western and northern edges of the county, and raccoon-variant cases are tracked. BARC will dispatch animal-control officers to assess and may submit the animal for testing.
Where can I get free or low-cost rabies vaccination in Houston?+
BARC runs periodic low-cost pet vaccination clinics with rabies vaccines bundled with city license registration. Houston SPCA and the Houston Humane Society also offer routine low-cost vaccination clinics. Schedules are posted on each organization's website.
Do indoor cats in Houston really need rabies shots?+
Yes. Houston ordinance requires rabies vaccination of cats over 4 months — indoor or outdoor — and bats regularly enter Houston homes through attic vents and chimneys. Cats often catch and bring bats indoors without owners realizing it.
What's the difference between BARC and Harris County's animal control?+
BARC handles incidents inside Houston city limits. Harris County's veterinary public health team covers unincorporated Harris County and coordinates rabies-case workups across the entire county. For a bite inside Houston, call BARC first; for a bite outside city limits (e.g., Cypress, Spring), call Harris County at (281) 999-3191.
Full Texas rabies law
Houston sits inside Texas, which sets the underlying vaccination, quarantine, and reporting framework. Initial vaccine at 12 weeks; booster at 1 year; thereafter follow 1- or 3-year product label.
Read the complete Texas guideReferences
- BARC — City of Houston pet registration fees — City of Houston
- Houston Code of Ordinances – Chapter 6 (Animals & Fowl) — City of Houston
- Texas DSHS – Zoonosis Control — Texas Department of State Health Services
- Harris County Public Health – Veterinary Services — Harris County Public Health
Last updated: May 11, 2026
Disclaimer
This page is an educational summary, not legal or medical advice. Rabies laws and animal-control procedures change. Verify current requirements with Houston's animal services, your local health department, or a licensed veterinarian. For an active exposure, seek medical care immediately — do not wait.