When an Animal Bites a Human

Chapter 826 of Health and Safety Code on Texas.gov

Rules for Chapter 826

1. In the State of Texas all dog and cat bites must be investigated by the Local Rabies Control Authority. Animal Services has been given that authority inside the City Limits of Abilene. If a dog or cat bites a person and the bite has broken the skin that animal must be quarantined for 10 days.
2. The owner can quarantine the animal at a veterinarian clinic in which they already have an established relationship with or the owner must quarantine the animal at Animal Services and pay all fees pertaining to the impoundment, housing, monitoring, and any vaccination fee. These fees are due even if the owner of the animal does not reclaim the animal after the quarantine period is over.
3. Animal Services does not euthanize dogs or cats that bite that have an owner; the owner has every right to come and reclaim their animal after the quarantine period is over.
4. The quarantine period does not exclude the biting animal from having the rabies virus. The quarantine period is to monitor to see if there are any signs or symptoms exhibited from the biting animal that may indicate that the rabies virus was present in the saliva of the animal when it bit the human.