Texas Hunting Forum: Lost Brittany Male - Western Hills (Fort Worth)

Here's the City of Fort Worth ordinance:

Sec. 6-50. Mandatory spay/neuter of unrestrained dogs and cats.

(a) Mandatory spay/neuter following impoundment. Effective January 1, 1997, the owner of a dog or cat which has been impounded for being at large shall have the animal spayed/neutered within thirty (30) days following the animal's release from impoundment.

(e) Affirmative defense. In a prosecution for a violation of subsection (d) it is an affirmative defense that:

(1) At the time of the animal's impoundment;

a. The animal was registered with a national registry or was a sporting dog, livestock dog, or working dog; and

b. The person was a member of a national breed club, local breed club, local all-breed club, or sporting or hunting club; and the person had not sold twelve (12) or more intact dogs or cats in the preceding year.

(2) At the time of the animal's impoundment it was wearing a current city license tag, valid for that animal, and had not previously been impounded for being at large;
(3) The animal was at large at the time of its impoundment due to a vis major; or

(4) The animal was at large at the time of its impoundment due to fire or due to the criminal or negligent acts of a third party who was not residing at the animal owner's residence. At trial, evidence of a fire or the criminal or negligent acts of a third party may be presented in one (1) or more of the following manners:

a. A certified copy of a city police or fire report verifying the incident;
b. The affidavit of city police or fire personnel with direct knowledge of the incident; or
c. The testimony of city police or fire personnel with direct knowledge of the incident.

The animal care and control manager is authorized to exempt an animal's owner from the requirements of subsection (a) if the owner proves to the satisfaction of the animal care and control manager that the animal met one (1) of the conditions specified in subsection (e) below. If you do not meet the affirmative defenses above and the animal is not sterilized within 30 days of you reclaiming it, the City will issue a citation for non-compliance with ordinance Section 6-50- Mandatory spay/neuter of unrestrained dogs and cats. You can then contest the citation in municipal court or pay the window fine for the violation.

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