Tennessee does not have a state-wide law that limits the number of dogs you can own, so you will have to inquire about your particular municipality’s code. Some cities limit the number of dogs you can have based on the size of your land, but all pets must be rabies-vaccinated.

With 93% of

Tennessee

considered to be rural, having a dog (or a bunch) can have more advantages than just companionship. From sniffing out wildlife to herding cattle, you may think you need as many dogs as you can fit in your home—but just how many dogs are too many in Tennessee?

Jerry

is the

insurance

comparison

super app

here to fetch all the information you need regarding dog ownership laws. We’ll go over how many you can own, leash legality, and any outlawed breeds.

Does Tennessee have laws limiting how many dogs you can own?

There are no state-wide laws capping the number of dogs you can own, but different areas of the state have different rules. No matter where you live in Tennessee, though, all dogs over four months old must be legally licensed by showing proof of their vaccination and paying a fee of $8 for one year, or $24 for three years.

Some cities use your parcel of land to dictate how many dogs you can own—the more land, the more dogs allowed. Below is a breakdown of how the city of

Kingston

determines how many dogs its residents can own:

Parcel size	Dogs allowed
One-quarter acre or less	3
One-quarter to one-half acree	4
One-half to three-quarter acre	5
Three-quarter to one acre	6
One to two acres	8
Two to three acres	10

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If you wish to own more dogs than your parcel of land permits, all hope is not lost. Owners can submit an application to harbor more dogs to the Animal Control Office.

Since there is no state law, be sure to research the city your dog(s) will be licensed in. Due diligence can be the difference between a happy house full of dogs and getting fined.

Are there any dog breeds outlawed in Tennessee?

Tennessee does not have a state-wide ban on any specific dog breed. However, state law does mandate all dogs be kept under reasonable control and be prevented from running at large in public in order to establish liability in dog bite cases.

Several cities do have ordinances banning pit bulls from not only being in public but being within their borders altogether. Some of these cities are:

Dyer

Henderson

Middleton

Somerville

Hardeman County

In some cases, pit bulls are only banned within city limits if they are declared “dangerous” or “vicious.” You can get the entire rundown and check your city’s bans

here

A dog is considered dangerous if they bite a person or domestic animal in public when unprovoked, or have two separate instances of approaching a person or domestic animal in an aggressive manner.

On the other hand, a dog is considered vicious if they attack a person or domestic animal without provocation and it results in death or serious injury.

MORE: 8 steps to a perfect road trip with your dog

What are the leash laws in Tennessee?

You don’t have to be a dog whisperer to know that all it takes is a sprinting squirrel whizzing by to put your dog in a frenzy. That’s why Tennessee law established regulations ordering the control of all dogs in public through the use of leashes, with the only exceptions being if the dog is engaged in hunting or herding.

Designed to protect the general public, the leash laws also help keep the dog safe, as there is no telling what can happen when a dog gets loose. If you do not abide by these laws and you allow your dog to run at large, legal ramifications could follow.

Even worse, if your dog attacks a person or another dog while off-leash, the penalties can increase further.

Penalties for breaking dog laws in Tennessee

Just like the breaking of any law, the magnitude of the penalty will be determined by the severity of the violation. Dog owners have a duty to keep their dogs under control at all times, and anyone that breaches this can face charges ranging from fines all the way to prison time.

Dogs that attack another person and cause serious injury can result in a felony charge for the owner, regardless of if the dog is banned, dangerous, vicious, or not. The worse the injury sustained to the other person, the higher class of felony will be charged. If a dog were to kill another person, the owner could face a Class C felony and serve jail time.

There are some exceptions to these rules, however. If any of these instances apply to your case, you could have the charges dropped:

The dog is a police or military dog doing as they were commanded.

The person injured or killed was a trespasser.

The dog was protecting their owner or another innocent party from the person that wound up injured.

The injury occurred as a result of the person provoking the dog.

Similar to their owner, the dog can also face stern punishments for their actions. If the court rules it necessary, they can have the dog put down to prevent any further mishaps.

MORE:

Car loan in Tennessee

Where to find affordable insurance in Tennessee

Whether you want a pack of dogs to help you in the fields, or just one to be your loyal companion, you’ll want to protect them and your house with reliable and affordable

homeowners insurance

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