Sec. 142.003.  DISCOVERY OF ESTRAY;  NOTICE.  (a)  If an estray, without being herded with other livestock, roams about the property of a person without that person's permission or roams about public property, the owner of the private property or the custodian of the public property, as applicable, shall, as soon as reasonably possible, report the presence of the estray to the sheriff of the county in which the estray is discovered.
(b)  After receiving a report under Subsection (a) of this section that an estray has been discovered on private property, the sheriff or the sheriff's designee shall notify the owner, if known, that the estray's location has been reported.
(c)  After receiving a report under Subsection (a) that an estray has been discovered on public property, the sheriff or the sheriff's designee shall notify the owner, if known, that the estray's location has been reported, except that if the sheriff or the sheriff's designee determines that the estray is dangerous to the public, the sheriff or the sheriff's designee may immediately impound the estray without notifying the owner.
(d)  If the owner does not immediately remove the estray:
(1)  the sheriff or the sheriff's designee may proceed with the impoundment process prescribed by Section 142.009; or
(2)  if a perilous condition exists, the sheriff or the sheriff's designee may proceed with disposition of the estray under Section 142.015.
Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 51, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.
Amended by: 
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 15 (S.B. 174), Sec. 2, eff. May 10, 2013.