Spay/Neuter Funding through the Animal-Friendly License Plate Program

We are pleased to announce that SB 1568, authored by Senator Zaffirini and Representative Curry, passed during this legislative session and will take effect on September 1, 2025. SB 1568 will allow for the creation of a specialty license plate featuring the words “Spay, Neuter, Adopt,” in addition to the current “Animal-Friendly” license plate. The Animal-Friendly plate has not been updated since its original passage, so we’re excited to offer a much-needed alternative. The original plate will remain available for purchase. 

“Spay, Neuter, Adopt” is a powerful message promoting responsible pet ownership and care across Texas, with a broad reach on the state’s highways. More importantly, $22 of the license plate cost will go into a dedicated state fund that supports low-cost spay and neuter services throughout Texas. With increased funding, this vital program will be able to expand access, especially for dogs and cats in rural and underserved communities. 

We’re incredibly proud of this win and excited about the opportunity to make an even greater impact on pets in need. Stay tuned for more details on the license plate and how to apply for the spay/neuter funding! 

View the SB 1568 Fact Sheet

(Paul and Maria Mecca, Ashley Morgan, and Senator Royce West, author in the Senate)

Strengthening the Texas Animal Cruelty Law

THLN is pleased to have helped HB 285, also known as “Pancho’s Law,” pass during this legislative session. The bill was authored by Representatives Ordaz, Leach, Meyer, Moody, and Cook. HB 285 takes effect on September 1, 2025, and marking a significant step forward in providing greater protection to Texas pets and their owners. 

This bill updates Texas’ animal cruelty statute by clarifying that acts of cruelty committed with criminal negligence can now be prosecuted, closing a gap that previously allowed some offenders to avoid accountability. In other words, this law adds criminal negligence to the existing animal cruelty statute, ensuring greater accountability from pet service businesses. 

Under the previous law, individuals such as dog trainers, boarders, and groomers were often not prosecuted despite clear instances of harm, leaving pet owners who fell victim to their negligence unable to get justice. The updated law ensures that more cases of cruelty involving those entrusted with the care of our pets can now be appropriately addressed through the courts. 

We’re especially pleased that the bill includes protections for veterinary professionals acting within the scope of their duties, striking a balance between accountability and fairness. 

Ashley Morgan, THLN Board Member, testified at both the House and Senate hearings. Ashley, along with Randy Turner, provided the expert testimony needed for the bill to advance during the session. 

(Christina Arias of Kingdom Rescue, Ethel Strother, Texas Animal Control Association, Representative Sergio Munoz, Becca Arrizmendi of Yaqui Animal Rescue, and Francesca Chillino, THLN, after the house hearing on HB 2731) 

Counties Now Able to Ban Transient Sales of Dogs and Cats

THLN was instrumental in passing HB 2731, a bill introduced by Representative Muñoz, which allows certain counties to ban the transient sale of non-livestock animals, such as those found in parking lots and on the side of the road. The roadside sale of cats and dogs often leads to impulse purchases, with many buyers unaware that the animals are frequently sick, poorly bred, or sourced from unregulated sellers. These animals often end up being surrendered to already overburdened municipal shelters, exacerbating our state’s pet overpopulation crisis.  

By stopping these sales in border counties, including Webb, El Paso, Cameron, and Hidalgo, this bill helps protect animals from exploitation and encourages more thoughtful, responsible pet adoptions and purchases. 

Unfortunately, a provision allowing counties with 500,000 or more residents to opt in was removed. THLN also supported HB 2012 by Representatives Bell (of Magnolia) and Holt, which prohibits the roadside and parking lot sales of live animals in Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties. 

“Move Over or Slow Down” Law Available for Animal Control Vehicles

SB 305, by Senator Perry, was successfully passed this session and will take effect on September 1, 2025. The companion to this bill was HB 2041 by Representative King. This legislation marks a significant victory for animal control officers across Texas, highlighting the critical role they play in our communities. 

The bill adds animal control vehicles to the list of protected vehicles under Texas’ “Move Over or Slow Down” law, which requires drivers to take precautions and move to another lane—or slow down—when passing certain stationary vehicles on the road. Animal control officers often work in hazardous roadside conditions to remove animals or animal carcasses from highways, putting themselves at risk every day. 

In October 2022, Senior Animal Control Officer Crystal Goforth and her partner, Jon Corder, were responding to an animal-related call on a highway in Levelland when their truck was struck by a pickup. Both tragically died as a result of the crash. 

With the passage of this bill, animal control and field officers now have an added layer of safety, helping ensure they can continue their vital work without unnecessary danger from passing traffic. We’re proud to have been part of this effort and are grateful to see these dedicated professionals receive the protection they deserve.

(Representative Jared Patterson and the advocates who support HB 3458)

The Ethical Pet Sales Bill

This session, THLN worked tirelessly to pass HB 3458, authored by Representatives Patterson, Meyer, Ordaz, Turner, and Button, and co-authored by ten others. Its companion bill, SB 1652, was authored by Senators Zaffirini, Blanco, Hagenbuch, J. Hinojosa, Kolkhorst, and Parker. 

The Ethical Pet Sales Bill would have ended the sale of dogs and cats in retail pet stores in Texas. This vital legislation aimed to shut down the puppy mill pipeline into our state and protect consumers from predatory sales tactics and the heartbreak of purchasing sick, poorly bred animals. It would have marked a monumental step forward for both animal welfare and consumer protection in Texas. 

Despite strong advocacy and public support, the bill ultimately did not succeed. It failed to receive a vote on the House floor before a critical deadline and did not get a vote in the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce. 

Though this outcome is disheartening, we are deeply grateful for the support and advocacy that brought the bill so close, and we remain hopeful for a better future for animals and their families in Texas. 

Read more about this legislation

(Representative Janie Lopez and the advocates who support HB 3364)

Veterinary Telemedicine in Texas

Another important bill, HB 3364 by Representative Janie Lopez, unfortunately, did not pass this session. Its companion bill, SB 1442, was authored by Senator Nathan Johnson. This legislation would have provided a critical lifeline to pets and their owners across Texas by making veterinary telemedicine accessible without requiring an in-person exam first. 

This change would have been especially important for pet owners in rural areas; individuals with mobility challenges or unreliable transportation; those caring for fearful or aggressive animals; families facing financial barriers; and communities with understaffed clinics. 

We were deeply disappointed to learn that the bill did not make it out of the Calendars Committee in the House and was not voted out of committee in the Senate. Although it came close to passage as an amendment to SB 2155, it ultimately did not pass. 

While this is not the outcome we had hoped for, we are proud of how far this bill has progressed and see it as a meaningful step forward in the fight for better access to veterinary care and resources for all Texas pets. 

Read more about this legislation

Zero Regulations for Horse Drawn Carriages in Texas

In this session, THLN helped stop HB 5356 by Representative Lujan. HB 5356 would have eliminated existing city ordinances that ban horse-drawn carriages and prohibit cities from passing any future restrictions on horse-drawn carriages.  It other words it would have stripped away local control by overriding the authority of local legislators who know what is best for their community and local animal control officers who have to deal with accidents and injuries to horses. Cities like San Antonio and others have already passed bans reflecting the will of their communities.  

The legislation was pushed by The Cavalry Group, an Oklahoma entity that is dedicated to wiping out animal protections throughout the country. Texans deserve legislation driven by local needs, not national agendas.  

THLN does not support legislation that endangers animals. Horse-drawn carriage bans were implemented, in part, to protect the animals involved, especially given the extreme heat of Texas summers. With rising heat indexes and growing concern over heat-related deaths and accidents, removing these protections would have put both horses and Texas drivers at serious risk.  

We remain committed to our mission of protecting all animals, including horses, and will continue to advocate for humane and compassionate local policies.

Saving the Texas Dog or Cat Breeding Act

THLN played a significant role in defeating HB 1817 by Representative Harrison, which would have repealed the Texas Dog or Cat Breeder Act (Chapter 802 of the Texas Occupations Code). This Act is a critical piece of legislation that regulates large-scale dog and cat breeding facilities in Texas. Originally passed in 2011, the law was proudly strengthened in 2023. It now requires breeders with five or more breeding females to be licensed, expanding oversight to a larger portion of the industry that had previously been able to operate without regulation. It also eliminated the outdated requirement to prove that a breeder sold 20 or more animals per year—a loophole that allowed many breeders to escape accountability, especially those relying on untraceable, cash-only transactions.

Repealing this vital Act would have turned back the clock on years of progress in protecting dogs and cats across our state.

THLN will be back in 2027!

Learn the history of the Texas Dog or Cat Breeder Act

(Witnesses supporting SB 1285 at Committee Hearing including Austin Bat Refuge, Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation, THLN and Bat World Sanctuary)

The Protection of Bats

SB 1285 by Senator Eckhardt, relating to the protection of bats, did not pass during this legislative session. Bats play a vital role in our ecosystems—helping control insect populations, pollinate plants, and contribute to a healthy environment. This bill would have strengthened protections for bats by requiring humane, nonlethal exclusion methods for removing them from buildings and by prohibiting such actions during the critical maternity season, from May 1 to August 31, when young bats are unable to survive on their own. 

These commonsense measures were proposed to reflect our growing understanding of the importance of coexisting with wildlife and minimizing harm whenever possible.  

While we’re disappointed this effort fell short, we remain committed to advocating for Texas wildlife. 

(Representative Rafael Anchia along with Amber Greene, Smith County Animal Control, Jessica Trevizo, Dallas County DA’s Office, and Courtney Burns and Randi Dee with the SPCA of Texas, Inc. Animal Cruelty Unit)

Strengthening the Cockfighting & Dogfighting Bills

THLN has been at the forefront of outlawing bloodsports in Texas like dog fighting and cock fighting since 1992. Cock fighting creates a culture of lawlessness and often co-occurs with other felonious activity, such as narcotics and weapons tracking, organized crime, and child abuse and children are frequently brought to fights where they are exposed to violence and crime. THLN worked on HB 1795, by Representatives Anchía and Shofner, and its companion, SB 2426, by Senator Hall. This bill would have increased criminal penalties for dogfighting and cockfighting offenses in Texas.  

These violent acts go far beyond animal cruelty. They are often linked to other serious criminal activity, including illegal drugs, weapons, and cartel operations. By increasing penalties for participating in these events, this bill would have sent a clear message that Texas will not tolerate such brutality, keeping animals and communities safe.  

Unfortunately, this bill failed to make it out of the Calendars Committee, but our commitment remains strong should this bill be brought forth in future legislative sessions.  

ACOs as First Responders

HB 3049, by Representatives Kerwin and Curry, is a bill that would have recognized Texas animal control officers as first responders. This designation would have been a major step forward in acknowledging the challenging and often dangerous work these professionals do every day. Animal control officers are often the first professionals on the scene during an emergency as it's not uncommon for police or EMS to have to wait until animal control officers can secure a potentially aggressive dog before they’re able to safely enter a residence. Their job places them in high-risk situations regularly, yet they currently lack many of the tools and support systems available to other first responders.  

HB 3049 would have provided animal control officers with red and blue emergency lights to improve response times, access to better training and equipment, and improved mental health care. Increased access to mental health services is a vital need in a profession in which individuals are at heightened risk of enduring emotional stress and trauma.   

Unfortunately, the bill was never set for a hearing, but we remain hopeful it will have success in future sessions.