How to Contact Animal Control in Fort Worth, TX

Mark Anderson | July 3, 2026 | Dog Bite

If you encounter a stray or aggressive animal in Fort Worth, TX, you may need to contact animal control. Reach Fort Worth Animal Care & Control at 817-392-1234. Fort Worth Animal Care & Control is responsible for animal control services, pet adoptions, owner reclaims, and animal rescues.

Fort Worth also has strict leash laws requiring dogs to be on leashes, so if you encounter a dog off leash, it could give you a reason to call animal control. Additionally, if you are the victim of a dog bite, you may be able to recover compensation from the dog’s owner for your injuries.

Contacting Tarrant County Animal Control

If you are outside the city limits of Fort Worth, you may need to contact Tarrant County animal control, and in that case, it is best to contact the Tarrant County Sheriff’s dispatch at 817-844-1213.

Keep in mind that if you live within the city limits of Fort Worth or another city, most municipalities have their own animal control services. Contacting Tarrant County Sheriff’s dispatch is for those who live in rural areas of the county outside city limits.

What Types of Animals Does Fort Worth Animal Control Handle?

Fort Worth Animal Care & Control focuses primarily on dogs and cats, and they no longer trap or remove most wild animals, including:

Squirrels
Snakes
Rats
Rabbits
Opossums

However, the agency will investigate cases involving high-risk rabies animals. This includes:

Bats
Foxes
Coyotes
Raccoons
Skunks

If you have an issue with wildlife and need an animal removed, you should contact a local rescue agency or pest removal company because these private organizations are better equipped at handling and housing wildlife. The focus of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control continues to be cats and dogs.

Basics of Fort Worth’s Leash Laws

Both dogs and cats are subject to certain animal control laws in Fort Worth. Cats must remain on their owner’s property at all times. A cat who wanders outside the boundaries of the owner’s property may be classified as a stray, and animal control may pick up the cat.

Dogs must always be on a leash when being walked or whenever they are off their owner’s property. Again, dogs that are not properly restrained may be reported to animal control and picked up.

Overview of Texas Dog Bite Laws

Animal control helps protect citizens from stray and aggressive dogs, and public safety is a big reason for the Fort Worth leash laws. If you are bitten by a dog in Texas, you may be able to recover damages from the dog’s owner. Generally, Texas follows what is known as the “one bite” rule. This means that dog owners are strictly liable for bite injuries if their dog has bitten before or has a history of aggression.

Even if the dog has never bitten anyone, owners can still be held liable for injuries if their negligence is what ultimately led to the bite. For instance, imagine a dog owner violates the Fort Worth leash laws and allows their dog to run free at a local park. If the dog bites someone, the owner could be held liable for any injuries caused by the bite.

What Types of Damages Are Victims of Dog Bites Entitled to Recover?

Victims of dog bites in Fort Worth may be entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages from the dog’s owner.

This means that they can recover compensation for:

Medical bills
Lost wages
Out-of-pocket expenses
Pain and suffering
Mental anguish and emotional distress
PTSD
Depression and anxiety
Permanent scarring
Disfigurement

Holding the dog’s owner responsible for your injuries typically requires you to build a strong personal injury case. Evidence that the dog had previously been reported to animal control or had a history of aggressive behavior may help support your claim.

Contact the Fort Worth Dog Bite Attorneys at Anderson Injury Lawyers for Help Today

Reporting a dangerous or aggressive animal can help protect your community and may also preserve important evidence if a dog bite occurs. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog in Fort Worth, understanding your legal rights is an important step toward recovering physically and financially.

At Anderson Injury Lawyers, we help dog bite victims pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses caused by another person’s negligence. Our experienced Fort Worth dog bite lawyers can investigate your case, explain your legal options, and advocate for the compensation you deserve.

Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office
1310 W El Paso St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 294-1900

Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.74621197527774, -97.33552733508391

Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office (Secondary)
6618 Fossil Bluff Dr # 108, Fort Worth, TX 76137
(817) 631-4113

Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.86241013538118, -97.30973893918065

Anderson Injury Lawyers – Dallas Office
408 W Eighth St Suite 202, Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 327-8000

Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.748815542196404, -96.82524302658787

Anderson Injury Lawyers – Austin Office

811 Nueces Street 6301, Austin TX, 78701
(512) 399-5000
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 30.307794623518102, -97.73755898409242

About the Author

Mark A. Anderson is the founder of Anderson Injury Lawyers and a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer—an honor held by only a small percentage of Texas attorneys. He earned his law degree from Baylor University School of Law and has spent more than 20 years helping injury victims across Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. Mark handles cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, product liability, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, and more. Click here to view some of the successful case results Mark has achieved for his clients.

Location: Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin, Texas

Justia / LinkedIn / Yelp / Facebook / Instagram / X / TikTok / Youtube