• License fees are not required for government owned working dogs or dogs properly trained to guide or otherwise assist a physically handicapped person.
• No person may use any pet license for any dog other than the pet for which it was issued.

            Animal Limits.
A maximum number of eight (8) cats or five (5) dogs or an aggregate number of eight (8) may be permitted at a residence within the City limits. ) The total number of domestic fowl and livestock allowed at a residence is five (5) which may include: up to three (3) domestic fowl; and up to two (2) animals from the following classes of livestock-equines,bovines,sheep,goats and llamas.

Strays.
The City Code defines an owner of an animal as a person or the legal guardian of the person who feeds or harbors the subject animal for more than 72 hours without the presence of the subject animal being recorded in the records of the Animal Care Services Department as a stray animal.

Animal Bites.
All animal bites and scratches which have broken the skin must be reported to the Animal Care Services Division within 24 hours by calling 737-1600 OR 287-2778 anytime day or night. Biting animals are required by State, County and City law to be quarantined for rabies observation for 10 days from the date of the bite, regardless of the vaccination status of the animal.

Prohibited Species.
It is unlawful to keep wild animals and many other species within the City of San Antonio. Such animals include monkeys and other non-human primates, wolf hybrids, coyotes, foxes, exotic cats, bears, skunks, raccoons, miniature Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, poisonous reptiles, crocodiles and related species.

Abandoned Animals. 
It is unlawful to abandon an animal within the City Limits. An abandoned animal is any animal abandoned while in the person’s custody without making reasonable arrangements for assumption of custody by another person.

Dangerous Animals. 
Upon receipt of an affidavit of complaint signed by one or more individuals, made under oath before a notary public, the Animal Care Services staff will investigate the complaint of a dangerous animal. The owner has the right to provide an affidavit in defense of the animal. If the investigator determines that impoundment of the animal is a reasonable precaution until the matter is resolved, the Animal Care Veterinarian may order immediate seizure.

Upon a timely submitted written notice to the owner of the animal being investigated, a dangerous animal determination hearing will be scheduled by the department Director. A dangerous animal determination board will review the facts of the affidavits and subsequent investigation and hear evidence offered by the owner of the animal. A written determination will be given to the animal owner within five days. If the animal is declared dangerous, the owner has five days to appeal the board's decision to the Municipal Court for an administrative hearing.

A dangerous animal must be annually licensed as a dangerous animal by the Animal Care Services Department; wear a collar approved by the Animal Care Veterinary Services Manager at all times; be kept in a proper enclosure; have a file at the department with a certificate of public liability insurance for $100,000 which will be kept continuously in effect; be muzzled and leashed when out of the enclosure; be identified with a microchip; and be spayed/neutered.

Vicious Animals. 
Similar to a Dangerous animal investigation, upon receipt of an affidavit of complaint signed by one or more individuals, made under oath before a notary public, the Animal Care Services staff will investigate the complaint of a vicious animal. The owner has the right to provide an affidavit in defense of the animal. If the investigator determines that impoundment of the animal is a reasonable precaution until the matter is resolved, the Animal Care Veterinarian may order immediate seizure.

Upon a timely submitted written notice to the owner of the animal being investigated, a vicious animal determination hearing will be scheduled by the department Director. A vicious animal determination board will review the facts of the affidavits and subsequent investigation and hear evidence offered by the owner of the animal. A written determination will be given to the animal owner within five days. If the animal is declared vicious, the owner has five days to appeal the board's decision to the Municipal Court for an administrative hearing.

A vicious animal must be annually licensed as a vicious animal by the Animal Care Services Department; wear a collar approved by the department at all times which is visible at 50 feet; be kept in a proper enclosure; be muzzled and leashed when out of the enclosure; be identified with a microchip; and be spayed/neutered. The owner of the designated vicious animal shall also post a sign on his premises warning there is a vicious animal on the property.

Sale of animals. 
No live animals shall be sold, traded, bartered, leased, rented, given away, or displayed for a commercial purpose on any roadside, public right-of-way, commercial parking lot or at any flea market or festival.

Sale of baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl and rabbits. It is illegal for any person to sell or offer for sale, barter, lease, rent or give away on the condition that some other item is purchased, bartered, leased, or rented, any baby chicks, ducklings, other fowl less than three (3) weeks old, or rabbits less than eight (8) weeks old; except at facilities or hatcheries or in stores engaged in the business of selling the same to be raised for commercial purposes. It is also unlawful to color, dye, stain, or otherwise change the natural color of any baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl or rabbits or to possess for the purpose of sale any baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl or rabbits which have been so colored.

Animal Permits/Licenses.
Approved by City leaders in late 2007, the revised Chapter 5 Ordinance institutes a permitting and licensing process for variety of animal related concerns beyond general pet licensing. Effective March 1^st, 2008, there will be new permits governing areas like animal related businesses as well as residential pet concerns like litter permits, excess animals, livestock and cat colonies. Permits related to intact or unsterilized animals will not go into affect until January 1^st, 2009. Permit applications and instructions can be found on the ACS website. All fees are payable to the City of San Antonio.

Intact dog permit (Effective 1/1/09)

Any owner or keeper of a dog that is not spayed or neutered must obtain an intact dog permit, unless the dog qualifies for a certified medical exception from a licensed veterinarian or is less than six (6) months old. This does not apply to 1) A dog or cat owner who is a nonresident of this City and is keeping the subject pet in the City for fewer than sixty (60) days; or 2) Dog or cat owners who have been a resident of this City for fewer than thirty (30) days.

Litter permit.

Any person whose female dog or cat has a litter must obtain a litter permit prior to or within ten (10) business days of the litter’s birth. The issuance of a permit authorizes the whelping of no more than one (1) litter per female dog or cat in any twelve (12) month period. If a person fails to obtain a permit after notice, then the Department shall be authorized to impound the female dog or cat and the animal litter. The litter permit number shall be prominently displayed in all advertisements, notices, or displays of the litter for sale or trade or offers to give away any members of the litter. No person may offer any puppy or kitten under the age of eight (8) weeks for sale, trade or other compensation or for free giveaway (except a puppy or kitten, or litter or litters taken to the Department, or any tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of providing humane sanctuary or shelter for abandoned or unwanted animals, or any recognized rescue organization which is currently registered with the Department). This permit does not apply to caretakers of feral cat colonies and rescuers affiliated with recognized rescue organizations registered with the Department.

Excess animal permit.

Excess animal permits can be purchased for dogs and/or cats, fowl and livestock. A maximum number of eight (8) cats or five (5) dogs, or an aggregate number of eight (8) is permitted at a residence within the City limits.  In order to have more dogs and/or cats than allowed at a residence, an owner must apply for an excess animal permit which shall be valid for three (3) years.

The criteria used to evaluate the granting of an excess dog or cat permit are as follows: All dogs and cats for which a permit is required must be sterilized, unless the dog (s) or cat (s) qualifies for a certified medical exception by a licensed veterinarian or is under six (6) months old. All dogs and cats must be currently vaccinated for rabies and currently licensed by the City. The dogs and/or cats must not be housed exclusively outside. All dogs and cats must be microchipped and a photograph of each animal must be attached to an animal profile sheet that will be kept on record as verification of the animals allowed in the permit. If the owner of the dogs and/or cats is not the owner of the property, the permission of the property owner must be obtained before a permit application will be processed. A check will be made to determine if there are any previous valid complaints which could be grounds for the denial of a permit request. The requestor must have adequate property or facilities to ensure the dogs and/or cats do not disturb any neighbors.  Once a permit is granted, the permittee must obey all rules pertaining to pet ownership within the City and the State.  Any valid violation, including exceeding the number of dogs and cats allowed on the original permit is grounds for revocation of the permit by the Department. If a permit is revoked, the permittee will have thirty (30) days to come into compliance with existing numbers limits.

The criteria used to evaluate the granting of an excess livestock permit are as follows: All livestock must be enclosed in a pen the nearest point being at least one hundred (100) feet from any dwelling or business building owned or occupied by any person other than the owner.  All domestic fowl must be kept in an enclosure.  An owner must have adequate facilities to house the livestock and domestic fowl and ensure adequate sanitation. The livestock and domestic fowl must also be kept housed or confined in a manner that does not allow them to create a nuisance. In addition, sanitation must be addressed in a manner that prevents the attraction of pests.

Any valid violation, including exceeding the number of animals allowed on the original permit is grounds for revocation of the permit by the Department. If a permit is revoked, the permittee will have thirty (30) days to come into compliance with existing numbers limits.

Livestock permits.

Residents keeping livestock in the City must apply in writing and obtain a permit from Animal Care Services. The permit is only valid for the location for which it was issued. A person who keeps livestock as defined in city ordinance shall pay a permit fee per year for each animal. It shall be unlawful to keep or maintain swine within the City other than for the purposes and at the following locations:

• exhibition at stock shows, fairs and circuses;
• at vocational schools with properly constructed facilities;
• slaughtering establishments;
• when offered for sale at union stockyards or adjacent auction barns;
• under limited approved and permitted conditions at the home of FFA or 4-H enrollees under the direct supervision of the county agricultural agent.