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Emergency Law Inventory | Full Law Text

Law Number

Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 92.002

Summary Title

Good Samaritan Law: Providing Care to Animals

Summary

An individual who, in good faith and without compensation, provides medical care to an animal either in an emergency or because the animal is abandoned, will not be held legally responsible for acting or for failing to act. They can be held legally responsible if acting with extreme carelessness. The individual must also make reasonable attempts to contact an animal control agency, the animal’s owner, or must consult with a veterinarian. Generally, Good Samaritan laws only offer protection for those individuals who provide care during spontaneous emergencies unrelated to volunteer deployment.

Full Title

Limitation of Liability

Full Text

(a) In this section, “emergency” includes: (1) a natural disaster, including an earthquake, fire, flood, or storm; (2) a hazardous chemical or substance incident; and (3) a vehicular collision with an animal or other transportation accident in which an animal is injured or is otherwise in need of assistance to protect the animal’s health or life. (b) A person who in good faith and without compensation renders or obtains medical care or treatment for a nonlivestock animal that is injured or in distress because of an emergency, abandoned, running at large, or stray is not liable for civil damages for an injury to the animal resulting from an act or omission in rendering or obtaining the medical care or treatment, unless the person commits gross negligence, if: (1) the person first takes reasonable steps to locate the animal’s owner by: (A) attempting to contact the animal’s owner using the contact information located on the animal’s identification tag, collar, or chip, if any, or taking other reasonable action to contact the owner; or (B) notifying an animal control agency with authority over the area where the person resides, or an animal control agency with authority over the area where the person took custody of the animal if that area lies outside of the municipality or county where the person resides, that the animal is in the person’s custody and providing the animal control agency with the person’s contact information; or (2) a veterinarian determines that the animal: (A) needs immediate medical treatment to alleviate pain or save the animal’s life; or (B) exhibits visible signs of recent abuse as described by Section 42.092(b), Penal Code.

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