Animal Control
Bexar County TX Animal Control provides public-health and safety services involving loose domestic animals in the unincorporated areas of Bexar County. This article explains which animal problems the county handles, how to report stray dogs and animal bites, what happens after a bite report, where impounded animals are housed, how owner surrenders work, and when a different government agency is responsible for animal cruelty, livestock, or wildlife concerns. It also explains the distinction between Animal Control and the county animal facility so residents can contact the correct office and avoid bringing animals to the wrong location.
Animal Control Service Area
Bexar County Animal Control was created in late 2013 with a primary focus on public health and safety. Its field services are directed toward constituents in the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, particularly situations involving loose animals that may threaten health or human life.
The unincorporated-area distinction is important when deciding where to report a loose animal. The county specifically directs residents of unincorporated Bexar County to Animal Control dispatch for stray dogs. The county's Animal Control information does not state that this department serves every incorporated city within Bexar County, so residents should not assume that county dispatch is automatically responsible for an animal incident simply because the location has a Bexar County mailing address.
Animal Control also works with Bexar County Animal Care, which operates the facility used to house animals picked up by county Animal Control officers. These are related county functions, but they are not interchangeable. Animal Control handles field-response issues such as qualifying stray animals and animal-bite reports, while the animal facility houses qualifying stray, abandoned, and abused dogs and performs shelter-related functions.
Animals the County Picks Up
Bexar County Animal Control limits the types of stray domestic animals it will pick up. According to the county, pickups are also dependent on available space at county Animal Care facilities. The listed categories are:
Stray dogs.
Cats in certain cases.
This means residents should not assume that Animal Control will automatically collect every loose domestic animal reported to the county. The county specifically conditions service on the type of animal and, where applicable, available shelter space.
Loose livestock and wildlife are handled differently. Those situations should not be reported as ordinary stray-dog calls because the responsible agencies and response procedures are different.
Reporting a Stray Dog
Residents of unincorporated Bexar County should report stray dogs to Animal Control dispatch at 210-335-9000. The county operates a facility with 60 kennels for stray, abandoned, and abused dogs from unincorporated Bexar County.
If an Animal Control officer picks up a qualifying stray animal, it is taken to the Bexar County Animal Facility in Kirby. Residents who believe their own animal may have been picked up can contact the facility at 210-209-5687. This is different from calling dispatch to request a field response. Using the purpose-specific number can help residents direct their inquiry to the appropriate county operation.
Animal Control Versus Animal Care
The county's Bexar County Animal Care facility is the county shelter that houses animals for Bexar County Animal Control. The facility has 60 kennels and houses stray, abandoned, and abused dogs from unincorporated areas of the county.
A common mistake is treating the Animal Control office as an animal shelter. The county specifically states that the Animal Control Office is not located at a shelter and instructs residents not to bring animals into the office building. Animals should not simply be dropped off at an office without prior arrangements.
This distinction is particularly important for owner surrenders. The county does not operate an unrestricted walk-in surrender process, and shelter capacity directly affects whether an animal can be accepted.
Animal Bite Reporting
Animal bites require a different response from routine stray-animal concerns. During the county's stated normal bite-reporting business hours, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., residents may contact Bexar County Animal Control at 210-335-9000. Bite reports may also be emailed to bitereport@bexar.org.
For animal bites occurring after normal business hours, the county directs residents to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office at 210-335-6000. The Animal Control contact information also instructs callers reporting an after-hours bite to select option 1.
The county's general Animal Control contact panel separately lists operating hours of Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and states that the office is closed on county holidays. Because the bite-reporting section identifies a 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekday reporting period while the contact panel lists different general office hours, residents dealing with a bite should follow the bite-specific instructions rather than assuming ordinary office hours apply to every situation.
After a Bite or Scratch
The county's rabies and quarantine guidance provides specific instructions for people who have been bitten, scratched, or had their skin broken through animal contact. The county directs the person to wash the affected area immediately with soap and water, contact 911 or the Sheriff's Office to report the incident, and contact Animal Control.
A person who decides not to seek medical treatment for a bite can complete an Animal Control Bite Statement online through the county's process. Reporting the incident is significant because the county conducts an investigation after a bite report to determine whether the animal may have rabies and whether post-exposure prophylaxis may need to be discussed.
What Happens After Reporting
Once an animal bite is reported, an investigation is conducted. If the animal cannot be found, is a stray, or cannot be identified, Animal Control recommends speaking with a doctor about Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, commonly referred to as PEP.
If the animal can be found and positively identified as the animal involved in the bite or scratch, the county states that the animal will be quarantined for the remainder of the 10-day period following the date of exposure. The quarantine location is not automatically the same in every case. An Animal Control Officer determines the location based on the circumstances and applicable state law.
The county also provides a rabies and PEP contact through its rabies information page: Sheila Folschinsky at 210-207-2095 for questions about rabies or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis.
Recognizing Rabies Concerns
Rabies is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals and can be transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. The county explains that transmission commonly occurs through a bite, scratch, or another break in the skin involving infected saliva.
Signs identified by the county include significant behavioral changes, unexplained paralysis, loss of appetite, pawing at the mouth, difficulty swallowing, seizures, eating non-food objects, an appearance of choking, chewing at the bite site, and unusual sensitivity to touch or sound.
Bexar County identifies five wildlife species as having a higher likelihood of transmitting rabies:
Bats.
Skunks.
Raccoons.
Coyotes.
Foxes.
The county advises people who encounter these animals to leave them alone and avoid touching them.
Owner Surrender Rules
Owner surrender is not the same as requesting pickup of a stray animal. Bexar County states that shelter space is very limited and that the county must be selective about animals it accepts from owners. Owners are advised to attempt other adoption arrangements before contacting the county facility because it may already be at maximum capacity.
The owner-surrender fee is $150 per animal. Acceptance is dependent on available space, and owners must contact Animal Control officers in advance to make arrangements. The county does not accept over-the-counter surrenders, so arriving at an Animal Control office or animal facility with an unwanted animal without prior arrangements does not follow the stated procedure.
Once a surrendered animal has been dropped off with the Bexar County Animal Facility under an approved arrangement, the facility determines the animal's final disposition.
Before Calling About Surrender
Owners should be prepared for the possibility that the county cannot accept the animal because of space limitations. The county's process requires advance coordination rather than a walk-in surrender. The key requirements identified by Bexar County are:
Contact Animal Control officers before attempting to surrender the animal.
Do not bring the animal to the Animal Control office as a walk-in surrender.
Understand that acceptance depends on available space.
Be prepared for the $150 per-animal surrender fee if the surrender is accepted.
Understand that the county animal facility determines final disposition after surrender.
Animal Cruelty Reports
Animal cruelty is not handled as a routine Animal Control complaint. Bexar County assigns animal-cruelty investigations to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office has authority to open a criminal investigation and obtain a warrant when necessary.
People who suspect animal cruelty should contact the Sheriff's Office at 210-335-6000 and select option 1. This distinction matters because sending a cruelty allegation through the ordinary stray-animal process may direct the report to the wrong county function.
For other Animal Control concerns that are not bite reports, the county provides the email address bexarcountyanimalcare@bexar.org.
Loose Livestock and Wildlife
Bexar County Animal Control does not treat loose livestock or wildlife as ordinary stray domestic-animal pickups. Residents should use the agency identified for the particular type of animal instead.
Loose Livestock Reports
The county directs loose-livestock reports to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office at 210-335-6000, option 1. Residents should not bring livestock to the Animal Control office or assume that the county animal shelter's domestic-animal process applies.
Wildlife Questions
For wildlife issues, Bexar County directs residents to Texas Parks and Wildlife at 210-688-6444 or the Bexar County Game Warden's Regional Office at 210-348-7375. The county specifically states that Texas Parks and Wildlife will not pick up these animals and instead provides advice on handling the situation.
The county's examples of wildlife include bats, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, and snakes. Residents should therefore avoid calling the domestic stray-animal pickup service with the expectation that Animal Control will collect these animals through the same process used for qualifying stray dogs.
Dangerous and Aggressive Dogs
Bexar County maintains a separate Dangerous and Aggressive Dogs page within its Animal Control information. The page publishes current locations associated with dangerous or aggressive dogs. This is separate from the ordinary stray-dog pickup information and from the animal-bite investigation process.
The distinction can matter when residents are trying to determine which county information applies to their situation. A loose stray dog, a reported animal bite, and a dog appearing on the county's dangerous or aggressive dog information are related animal-control subjects, but they are not presented as one identical process by the county.
Impounded and Missing Animals
Residents who believe an animal has been picked up should focus their inquiry on the Bexar County Animal Facility rather than assuming the Animal Control administrative office is holding the animal. The county states that animals picked up by its officers are taken to the facility in Kirby for holding.
The county's Animal Care page also tells residents of unincorporated Bexar County who suspect their animal was picked up to contact Animal Control dispatch. Because county materials provide both dispatch and facility contact information for these situations, residents should clearly explain that they are looking for a possibly impounded personal pet rather than reporting a new stray animal.
Providing a clear description of the reason for the call can help distinguish a lost-animal inquiry from a new request for officer response. The county does not provide a separate public search procedure in the supplied Animal Control information, so residents should use the stated county contact process rather than relying on an unrelated system.
Shelter Adoption Services
Although Animal Control's primary purpose is public health and safety, Bexar County Animal Care also operates adoption services for animals at the county shelter. This is a separate shelter function and should not be confused with requesting Animal Control service.
The county allows prospective adopters to browse available pets and complete an online application. Applicants should answer every question; when a question does not apply, the county instructs applicants to enter “N/A.” The county states that it will contact applicants within 24 to 48 hours and uses the application answers to evaluate compatibility between the applicant and the animal.
To be considered, an adopter must be at least 18 years old, have valid identification, and have the knowledge and consent of all adults living in the household. Bexar County Animal Care also reserves the right to refuse an applicant.
The listed adoption fees are $60 for cats and $125 for dogs. The county states that the adoption fee includes spay or neuter services, microchipping, heartworm testing and treatment if necessary, age-appropriate vaccinations, and treatment for internal and external parasites.
Common Reporting Mistakes
Several county procedures depend on identifying the type of animal problem before contacting an agency. Treating every animal issue as a general Animal Control pickup can lead residents to the wrong office or process.
Calling about incorporated areas without confirming jurisdiction: The county describes its Animal Control field service as serving unincorporated Bexar County.
Bringing animals to the Animal Control office: The county states that the Animal Control Office is not a shelter and instructs people not to bring animals into the office building.
Attempting a walk-in owner surrender: Owner surrenders require advance arrangements and depend on shelter space.
Reporting cruelty as a stray-animal request: Animal cruelty is handled by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.
Calling Animal Control for loose livestock: Loose livestock should also be reported to the Sheriff's Office.
Expecting wildlife pickup: The county directs wildlife questions to Texas Parks and Wildlife or the regional Game Warden office and states that Texas Parks and Wildlife does not provide pickup through the described process.
Waiting until ordinary office hours after a serious bite: The county provides an after-hours bite-reporting process through the Sheriff's Office.
Finding the Correct County Office
Residents who need to verify a county department or locate county contact information can also use the official Bexar County staff directory. The directory allows users to search for a person by name or title or browse county departments by category.
For animal-related matters, however, the county's dedicated Animal Control and Animal Care pages provide the more specific instructions for stray dogs, bites, owner surrenders, cruelty reports, wildlife, livestock, and animals being held at the county facility. Using the issue-specific county information helps prevent confusion between field dispatch, shelter operations, and law-enforcement responsibilities.
Relevant County Offices
Bexar County Animal Control Office
1948 Probandt St.
210-335-9000
Bexar County Animal Care
5510 Duffek Drive, Kirby, TX 78219
210-335-9000
Animal Control FAQs
How long can rabies take to show up in an animal?
Bexar County states that an animal infected with rabies will typically begin showing signs about three to eight weeks after infection. Once a dog or cat starts showing signs of rabies, the animal will typically die within 10 days. Because an infected animal may not immediately look sick, residents should not use appearance alone to judge whether an animal involved in an exposure could present a rabies risk. The county's rabies and quarantine guidance explains the symptoms and procedures used after possible exposure.
Where can I check dangerous or aggressive dog locations?
Bexar County maintains an official Dangerous & Aggressive Dogs page with current locations. The addresses listed in the supplied county information are 10210 Melissa Rnch Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78232; 25119 Lynda Sue Dr, San Antonio, TX 78257; and 26031 Starling Hill, San Antonio, TX 78260. Because the county labels these as current locations, residents checking a particular neighborhood should use the official page rather than relying on an older copied list.
How can I find the right county employee or department?
If the animal-related issue does not clearly match the information on the county's dedicated pages, the Bexar County Staff Directory can help locate the appropriate government office or employee. The directory allows users to search for a person by name or title, switch between categories and people, or browse departments with the category selector. This can be useful when a resident needs a specific county service rather than a general animal-related page.