TX: Texas
Summary: Texas has a detailed retirement and transfer law (Gov't Code ch. 614, subch. L, SB 2100, 2019). It sets a priority order (a handler medically retired from a line of duty injury first) and allows free transfer. But § 614.215 explicitly says the agency is not liable for the transferred animal's vet expenses, a gap the bill could target directly. Penalties are strong: killing a police service animal is a second degree felony (Penal Code § 38.151). HB 2823 (2025), retired-K9 medical grants, died in committee. There's no EMS law and no K9 vest program.
Body armor
- No statute was found. SB 1858 (89th Leg., 2025) expanded the rifle resistant body armor grant program to more agencies, including ISDs, but it covers officers and doesn't mention K9s. K9 vests come from nonprofits (e.g., Vested Interest in K9s).
Medical & insurance
- No K9 EMS statute was found. Health and Safety Code ch. 773 has no K9 provision. Occupations Code § 801.004 exempts unpaid emergency care from vet licensing.
Retirement & service limits
- Tex. Gov't Code §§ 614.211 to .217, Retirement of law enforcement animal (SB 2100, 86th Leg., Acts 2019 ch. 36, eff. May 14, 2019):
- § 614.212: an agency may contract to transfer a dog, horse or other animal that is suitable and surplus because it's at the end of its working life, or because its handler died or medically retired from a line of duty injury.
- § 614.213: transfer priority: (A) a former handler medically retired from a line of duty injury; (B) the family of a handler killed in the line of duty; (C) another former handler; (D) another officer, jailer or telecommunicator; (E) anyone else.
- § 614.214: transfer may be free; the transferee must give food, shelter and regular vet care.
- § 614.215: the agency is not liable for the transferred animal's vet expenses, including pre existing conditions.
- § 614.216: transfer isn't required, and it doesn't affect an agency's authority to care for retired animals.
- There's no age or service cap.
Post retirement care
- None enacted. See HB 2823.
Penalties for harming police animals
- Penal Code § 38.151, Interference with police service animals.
- Reckless interference: Class C misdemeanor (taunting or striking), Class B (throwing an object) or Class A (obstructing control or entering its area).
- Injuring the animal: state jail felony.
- Killing it, or causing serious injury or permanent impairment: second degree felony.
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Pending or failed bills
- HB 2823 (89th Leg., 2025), Rep. A.J. Louderback (R-Victoria). Comptroller run grants for "qualified medical expenses" of adopted retired law enforcement dogs. Filed Feb. 13, 2025 and referred to House Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs on Mar. 19, 2025. Died in committee.
- The next regular session is January 2027.
Sources
- Gov't Code ch. 614: https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/GV/htm/GV.614.htm (also https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.614.htm)
- SB 2100 (86R) enrolled: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/html/SB02100F.HTM
- HB 2823 (89R): https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?Bill=HB2823&LegSess=89R ; https://app.legiplex.com/tx/legislature/2025/89-r/bills/hb%202823
- Penal Code § 38.151: https://law.justia.com/codes/texas/penal-code/title-8/chapter-38/section-38-151/
- SB 1858 (89R): https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01858E.HTM
- K9 Medic map: https://www.k9medic.com/k9-laws/