If an animal is posing an immediate threat to someone’s safety, call 911

Any animal that scratches or bites a human or another animal must be reported to Animal Care Services. To report an animal bite please call  361-826-4630 or the Customer Call Center at 3-1-1.

The resident should seek medical treatment and report the incident immediately. Assistance from bite victims often is needed to locate the biting animal in cases of stray animals.

When a bite occurs, State law requires that the animal will be quarantined for 10 days (240 hours). This requirement is to ensure that the public and animal population is protected from rabies.  An animal that has died is sent to a lab for testing. Animal Care Services will gather information regarding the incident and the rabies vaccination status of the animal that bit a person or another animal.

Animal Care Services is committed to public safety and we investigate reported bites and follow specific protocols to ensure this protection.