Dog servicesin Commerce, TX

Commerce, TX runs its own animal shelter, and it is the place to call about a lost or stray dog. The Commerce Animal Shelter is at 1203 Oneal Street and answers at (903) 886-1160. It is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed from noon to 1 p.m. and all weekend, and animal drop-offs are by appointment only. The shelter handles stray complaints, impoundments and barking-dog complaints.

Every dog in the city needs a city license and tag, issued by the chief of police or a designee. To apply, you need a veterinarian's certificate showing a rabies vaccination within one year. The city's rabies rules require the vaccine by four months of age and again at least once every 12 months, and new residents have 30 days to comply. A dog found without a current vaccination tag may be impounded.

At home, a Commerce dog must be kept inside a fence or wall on your property. Away from it, the dog must be with a responsible person and held on a leash, rope or tether. In summer, National Weather Service heat advisories for Commerce warn never to leave pets in an enclosed vehicle, even for a short time, because the temperature inside can quickly become life-threatening.