Justice & Safety

To contact the Animal Cruelty Section, please call 713-274-5703

Animal Cruelty

Prosecutors investigating Animal Cruelty handle cases involving both abuse and neglect-type offenses of livestock and non-livestock animals, including torture, cruelly causing death or serious bodily injury, bestiality, interference with a police service animal and failure to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter.

The most common way that animal cruelty investigations are initiated is through tips to law enforcement or to an animal welfare organization. Law enforcement, with the assistance of the animal welfare organization, will investigate and present the results of the investigation to HCDAO.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Harris County District Attorney’s Office does not accept tips regarding potential animal cruelty without the case first being referred to law enforcement. If you wish to report a suspected case of animal cruelty, please contact: Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce at 832-927-PAWS or online. Houston SPCA Cruelty Hotline – 713-869-7722.

  • Animals are considered property in the State of Texas, and just like a law enforcement officer could not walk into your home and take your television without following proper legal procedures, a law enforcement officer cannot take someone’s animal without following the proper legal procedures. The District Attorney’s Office works with law enforcement to ensure that proper procedures are followed while also prioritizing the safety of the animal.

  • In the State of Texas, it is not illegal to have outdoor dogs. As long as the person is providing adequate food, water, care and shelter as required by state law and local ordinance, there is likely nothing illegal about the situation described.

  • The Animal Cruelty Section of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office does file charges for dog attack cases when supported by available evidence. This does not, however, mean that every time a dog bites a human the dog’s owner can be charged criminally. Texas law requires that the injuries caused by the bite be very severe, and several other specific criteria must be met. Most dog bites will not meet the legal criteria for criminal charges, but charging decisions are made on a case-by-case basis as evidence warrants.