Legal Services

	"There's a bull that was spotted grazing in the ditch of a county road. We've contacted the nearby ranchers, but they all say it isn't theirs. How do we notify the public to make sure this bull goes back to where it belongs?"

How does the county sheriff notify the public of the impoundment of estrays when the owner of the animal can't be identified?

Under Agriculture Code §142.009, if the county sheriff cannot determine the owner of an estray, the sheriff shall post a notice of impoundment on the public notice board at the courthouse. The sheriff shall also advertise the impoundment in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or on the county's internet website for at least 15 days after the date of the impoundment. For more information, see our Stock Laws publication.