Animal Control

Pet Adoptions

To adopt a pet dog or cat you must:

1. Agree to abide by all City of Gonzales and State of Texas ordinances and laws pertaining to pet ownership.
2. Be able to provide food, shelter and medical care for your pet.
3. Have a permanent residential address.
4. Have pets vaccinated upon receipt from the shelter.
5. Keep pet vaccinations up to date.
6. Agree to allow the Animal Control Officer access to check up on adopted pets anytime.

1. Be at least 17 years of age.
2. Sign a Release of Liability against the City of Gonzales and the Animal Control Officer.
3. Be physically able to handle the animals at the shelter, or animals that you may be asked to pick up by the Animal Control Officer.
4. Be able to lift 50 lbs.
5. Be willing to perform clean-up duties at the Animal Shelter.
6. Be willing to work weekend hours
7. Be willing to comply with all rules and regulations set forth in the city ordinances and operating procedures of the shelter.
8. Be willing to help out at the annual Adoption Fair and quarterly Rabies Clinics.
9. Be able to use numerous chemicals for disinfecting and cleaning the shelter.
10. Be dependable and show up for work at the times committed.
11. Be able to deal with the public.

The following fees are required to adopt a pet or retrieve a pet from the shelter:

• Charge for picking up owned animals - $10.00 for the first time, $20.00 for the second time, $40.00 for the third time, and $80.00 for the fourth time.

Boarding fees are $3.00 per day the first time an animal is picked up, and double the fee each additional time the animal is picked up. Note: each time an owned animal is picked up for any reason, boarding fees will be assessed to the owner for each day the animal is at the shelter. The pick-up day is charged even if the animal is retrieved the same day.

• Rabies Vaccination fees - If the pet owner cannot produce a valid current rabies vaccination certificate on the animal picked up, the animal will be taken to a local veterinarian of the owner's choice and vaccinated for rabies by the Animal Control Officer prior to allowing the pet to be taken home. The rabies vaccination will be paid for by the pet owner.
• Rabies Quarantine fees - If ownership of a biting animal is known, the owner has a choice of having the animal put into quarantine by one of our local veterinarians and paying their daily fees for boarding, or if there is quarantine space available at the shelter, the owner may choose to have the animal quarantined at the shelter. Shelter quarantine fees are as follows:
  1. $10.00 for picking up the animal for quarantine stay.
  2. $3.00 per day for the entire period of time the animal is quarantined and/or remains at the shelter.
  3. Furnishing any special food required is paid by the pet owner.
  4. Any veterinarian bills acquired during the quarantine stay are paid for by the pet owner.
  5. All veterinarian bills for having the animal examined the first and last days of the quarantine stay.
  6. The total cost to the veterinarian for having the head removed and sent for rabies testing in the event this is necessary.

The City of Gonzales will provide the following services for animal removal:

Domestic Animals - dogs, cats, puppies, kittens

1. If the animal is a stray, Animal Control will pick it up.
2. If the animal is owned, it is up to the owner to find it a good home if it is no longer wanted.
3. If the animal is dead and located on a city street or a lot within city limits, Animal Control will pick it up.

Non-domestic Animals - horses, cows, bulls, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, etc. are the responsibility of the owner of the animal. This includes: food, shelter, medical attention as required, and keeping animals of this kind tied, penned, or caged as applicable. Note: chickens are to be penned up and not allowed to roam freely. Citations will be issued for loose running chickens within city limits. Cleanliness and odor control of pens, lots, cages, or areas where these animals are kept is the responsibility of the owners.

Note: dead animals located on US 183 or the 90A By-Pass are picked up by the Texas Highway Department.