Animal Control

The Bonham Animal Control, a section of the Bonham Police Department, works to safeguard our citizens with issues related to domestic animals, wildlife, and livestock. Our services include rabies prevention, animal bite investigation, education on responsible pet ownership, animal adoption, and picking up strays and unwanted animals.

City Animal Tags

City Ordinance Chapter 2, Section 2.02.005, requires that all dogs within the City Limits of Bonham be licensed on an annual basis at which time the dog owner must provide proof of current Rabies Vaccination at the time of licensing. (Note: Proof of Current Vaccination is the paper certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. Metal rabies tags are not sufficient proof of vaccination.)

While not required by City Ordinance it is highly recommended that cat owners have their cat(s) tagged. The City Animal Tag will assist in identifying a lost or stray cat so the cat can be returned to its owner.

City Animal Tags must be renewed each year from the time of initial issuance.

The licensing fee for dogs/cats is as follows:

$5 - Spayed/Neutered Dog or Cat
$10 - Unspayed/Non-Neutered Dog or Cat

Lost, Stray, & Found Animals

Report Lost Animals

To report a lost animal, call the Bonham Animal Control at 903-640-8245 or 903-583-2141, at which time the Dispatcher will obtain your contact information as well as information on the lost animal, and provide that information to the Animal Control Officer. The Animal Control Officer will check the Animal Shelter to see if the animal is there and if not, the Animal Control Officer will attempt to locate the animal as he is making his rounds through the City.

Report Found & / or Stray Animals

To report a found or stray animal, call Bonham Animal Control at 903-640-8245 or 903-583-2141, at which time the Dispatcher will obtain your contact information as well as information on the found or stray animal. The Animal Control Officer will then come by your residence to pick up the reported animal. If the reported stray animal is running loose in your neighborhood advise the Dispatcher of the last known direction of travel for the animal in order to assist the Animal Control Officer in locating the animal.

Find Bonham Animal Shelter on Facebook

View the Stray/Lost Animals Currently at the Bonham Animal Shelter

Reclaim Lost Animals From the Shelter

In order to reclaim a lost/stray dog or cat, the pet owner must do the following:

Have proof of current rabies vaccination for the animal, issued by a licensed veterinarian. Metal rabies tags are not sufficient proof of vaccination - you must have the written paper certificate that is issued by the veterinarian.
If the animal is not current on rabies vaccination, you must go to the veterinarian of your choice and pre-pay for a rabies vaccination. You must then submit proof that you have prepaid for a rabies vaccination for that animal. Then you must present proof of the actual vaccination within 24 hours of the animal's release from the Shelter, or citations will be issued.
If the dog resides within the City Limits, proof of current registration must be provided: otherwise, the owner will be required to register the animal and pay the applicable registration fee.
All applicable fees are due prior to the release of the animal. We do not accept credit cards - you must have cash or a check made payable to the City of Bonham (no third-party checks accepted).

Tethering & Confinement

All animals must be confined at all times. This means that any animal must be tethered as prescribed by Sec. 821.077 and Sec. 821.078, Health and Safety Code, or in a fenced yard, or in an enclosed pen or structure, or by a handheld leash if in the control and custody of the owner or keeper.

The confining structure must be constructed with materials that will not allow the dog to escape, but still provide access to its dog house, a building or shelter.

The dog house, building or shelter must provide protection from the elements, allow adequate room for movement and must be structurally sound.

Dead Animal Pick-up Requests

If a pet owner has a dog, cat, or small animal that dies, the pet owner can contact Bonham Animal Control at 903-640-8245 to have the animal picked up and disposed of. The Animal Control Officer will not pick up a deceased animal that has crawled under the house and/or is inside of a house. It will be the responsibility of the homeowner to have the deceased animal accessible from the open yard.

If livestock should die on a person's property, it will be the responsibility of the animal's owner to have the deceased animal picked up and disposed of properly.

Maximum Number of Pets Per Household

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or cause to be kept over four dogs and/or cats per household on, at, or within the City Limits, with the only exception being a female dog or cat which has given birth. Under such circumstances, the animal owner will have 120 days from the animal's date of birth to reduce the required number of animals to the required number of four.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or cause to be kept over two ferrets per household within the City Limits.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or cause to be kept over two rabbits per household within the City Limits.

The keeping of any livestock or fowl, including but not limited to hogs, pigs, swine, horses, mules, jacks, jennets, ponies, cows, goats, sheep, chickens, hens, roosters, turkeys, or similar farm-type animals, is hereby declared to be a nuisance within the corporate limits of the city and is hereby prohibited unless the following requirements are met:

There shall be a minimum enclosed or fenced space of one-half acre (21,780 square feet) for each of the above-listed or similar livestock animals except fowl kept within the city limits. Such one-half acre per animal shall be in addition to the area on which a residence or business structure is located. Barns or sheds used for the protection of the livestock against the elements may be located within the required area of the one-half acre per animal. The lot boundary (fence) within which horses, mules, jacks, jennets, ponies, hogs, pigs, swine, cows, goats, sheep or other animals or livestock of like kind are kept under provisions of this division may not be located nearer than one hundred feet from the nearest occupied residence, whether or not such residence is presently constructed or occupied or whether or not such residence is constructed or occupied after the passage of this division.
There shall be a minimum enclosed or fenced space of twelve square feet for each chicken, hen, rooster, turkey, or similar type fowl kept within the city limits. Such twelve-square-foot space per fowl shall be in addition to the area on which a residence or business structure is located. Chicken houses, coops, or other enclosures for the protection of the fowl against the elements may be located within the required twelve square feet per animal. The fowl lot boundary (fence) within which fowl are maintained under provisions of this division may not be located nearer than one hundred feet from the nearest occupied residence, whether or not such residence is presently constructed or occupied or whether or not such residence is constructed or occupied after the passage of this division.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association of persons to maintain, own or control any premises within the city limits where more than four cattle of the bovine species are kept in one enclosure unless such person, firm, corporation or association of persons has a permit issued by the City Council.

Animal Control Fee Schedule

Fee Description	Fee Amount	Additional Information
Dog / Cat Registration Fee (Spayed / Neutered)	$5 per animal	N/A
Dog / Cat Registration Fee (Non-Spayed / Non-Neutered)	$10 per animal	N/A
Care / Housing Fee	$10 per day	Pertains to Impounded Animals
Dangerous Dog Registration Fee	$100	Not to exceed $100 per animal and not to exceed $500 for each person registering animals
Dangerous Wild Animal Registration Fee	$100	Not to exceed $100 per animal and not to exceed $500 for each person registering animals
Resident Animal Surrender Fee	$10 per animal	Pertains to Bonham residents living inside the corporate city limits
Non-Resident Animal Surrender Fee	$25 per animal	Pertains to non-Bonham residents living outside of the corporate city limits
Rabies Quarantine Fee	$300 for 10 day quarantine period	The City of Bonham quarantines animals at the Bonham Animal Shelter for animals from within the Bonham city limits only.
Adoption Fee - Dog	$30 per animal	Does not include rabies vaccination fee and/or the City Animal Tag Registration Fee.
Adoption Fee-Cat	$30 per animal	Does not include rabies vaccination fee and/or the City Animal Tag Registration Fee.
Microchipping	$10 per animal	N/A

Volunteers & Donations

The Animal Shelter welcomes volunteers who would like to assist in the day-to-day care of the animals. Please contact Bonham Animal Control if you would like to volunteer.

The Animal Shelter also accepts donations of gently used or new collars, leashes, toys, chew toys, treats, pet food, pet bowls, animal shampoo, dog dip, bleach, laundry soap, brushes, combs, flea shampoo and spray, spray bottles, towels, and blankets.

City Animal Ordinances

Texas Health and Safety Code - Chapter 822 "Regulation of Animals" (PDF)

City of Bonham - Code of Ordinances