§ 5-4. Cruelty to animals.

(a)

Cruelty to nonlivestock and livestock animals, excluding uncaptured wild living creatures, is a violation of the Texas Penal Code and depending on the circumstances, is a class A misdemeanor, state jail felony, or a felony of the third degree.

(b)

Cockfighting is a violation of the Texas Penal Code and depending on the circumstances is a state jail felony, class A or class B misdemeanor.

(c)

It shall be a violation of this Code for a person to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly beat, cruelly treat, overload or otherwise abuse any uncaptured wild living creature anywhere in the city. A violation of this subsection is punishable as described in section 5-21.

(d)

Animal care officials shall liberally utilize the authority granted by V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 821.022 to seize and impound any animal that has been or is being cruelly treated. If the investigating animal care officer or cruelty investigator has reason to believe that an animal has been or is being cruelly treated, pending a hearing before any justice of the peace of Bexar County, Texas or any municipal court judge on the issues of cruelty and disposition of the animal, the seizure of the subject animal prior to receiving a warrant is hereby authorized if such a delay endangers the life of the animal, or if it would unreasonably prolong the suffering of the animal needing immediate attention.

(e)

It shall be a violation for any person to engage in dubbing.

(Ord. No. 2010-06-17-0555, § 1, 6-17-10; Ord. No. 2017-10-05-0755 , § 1, 10-5-17)