The Animal Cruelty Unit is a specialized division of the District Attorney’s Office dedicated to protecting animals from neglect and mistreatment. The unit’s mission is four fold; educate the community on how they can identify an animal cruelty offense, prosecute those individuals who commit these heinous offenses, prevent animal cruelty from taking place by educating the community, specifically school aged children about animal cruelty and punishing those individuals that commit these offenses to the fullest extent of the law. This unit is dedicated to being the voice for the voiceless and ensuring that justice is done while keeping the citizens of Dallas County safe.
There is extensive, well documented research that confirms the strong correlation between violence to animals and violence to people which is why it so important to have a unit that specializes in the prosecution of these offense.
City animal control facilities and law enforcement agencies reported 5, 750 animal abuse calls in 2014. Through collaboration with the community and targeted prosecution, the Animal Cruelty Unit aims to reduce the number of offenders that neglect, torture or kill animals.
Texas Animal Cruelty Laws
With regards to domesticated animals or livestock, Texas law prohibits the follow: torturing an animal; failing to provide necessary food, care, or shelter; abandoning an animal; transporting or confining an animal in a cruel manner; killing, seriously injuring, or poisoning an animal; causing an animal to fight with another animal; using a live animal as a lure in a dog race; tipping a horse; injuring an animal belonging to another person. Additionally, Texas law prohibits dogfighting and cockfighting, and activities such as being a spectator, or participation in the earnings or operations of a dogfighting or cockfighting facility.
What is the punishment for breaking the law?
Depending on the type of abuse, the punishment ranges from up to 1 year in jail and up to $4,000 fine, all the way up to ten years in the penitentiary and up to a $10,000 fine.
The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting these types of cases committed in Dallas County. The DA’s office must delegate and rely on the appropriate law enforcement agencies to investigate potential cases so that we can effectively and efficiently handle the case once an abuser is formally charged. Therefore, if you are reporting an instance of suspected animal cruelty, please contact the appropriate law enforcement agency listed below.
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| Addison | 972-450-2845 or 7156 |
| Balch Springs | 972-913-3006 |
| Carrollton | 972-466-3420 |
| Cedar Hill | 972-291-5100 x2143 |
| Cockrell Hill | 214-330-6333 |
| Coppell | 972-304-3515 |
| Dallas | 311 or 214-670-6800 |
| DeSoto | 972-274-2489 |
| Duncanville | 972-231-6111 |
| Farmers Branch | 972-919-8770 |
| Garland | 972-205-3570 or 3545 |
| Grand Prairie | 972-237-8575 |
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| Glen Heights | 972-223-2107 x261 |
| Highland Park | 214-521-5000 |
| Hutchins | 972-225-2225 |
| Irving | 972-721-2256 |
| Lancaster | 972-218-1210 |
| Mesquite | 972-216-6283 |
| Richardson | 972-744-4480 |
| Rowlett | 972-412-6219 |
| Seagoville | 972-287-6838 |
| Sunnyvale | 972-203-4119 |
| University Park | 214-987-5371 |
| Wilmer | 972-441-3574 |
