Off-leash dog recreation areas.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 32-11
in effectSec. 32-11. - Off-leash dog recreation areas.
(a) The director is authorized to designate parks or portions of parks as off-leash dog recreation areas in which persons may allow unleashed dogs to be at large. The director may promulgate rules and regulations as provided in section 32-5 of this Code for the operation of off-leash dog recreation areas, provided that any such regulations shall be reviewed and countersigned by the director of the department of administration and regulatory affairs with respect to animal regulation and care issues, including but not limited to:
(1) Security measures to assure that the unleashed dogs remain contained within the dog recreation area;
(2) Control of noise and other potential nuisances that might affect nearby land uses;
(3) Parasite control;
(4) Feces control within the dog recreation area and feces runoff from the dog recreation area; and
(5) Provisions for the exclusion of dogs that do not participate in compliance with the applicable regulations or that demonstrate aggressive behavior towards other dogs or persons.
(b) Dogs within off-leash dog recreation areas shall not be subject to impoundment for being or running at large as otherwise provided in chapter 6 of this Code provided that such dogs, while in the designated off-leash dog recreational areas, must remain under the immediate personal supervision and command of their owner or handler. It is a defense to prosecution under any provision of chapter 6 of this Code relating to being or running at large of a dog that the dog and its owner or handler were in a designated off-leash dog recreation area of a park.
(Ord. No. 2016-65, § 2(Exh. A), 1-20-2016)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH32PARE_ARTIINGE_S32-11OASDOREARFetched: 10/26/2026