Pet Owners & The Law
Cleveland Animal Control Division enforces Tennessee State laws and city ordinances pertaining to all animal violations. If you own a dog or cat or any other animal in Bradley County/Cleveland City, you must comply with state laws and city codes.
Here are just a few:
TENNESSEE STATE LAW
1. 44-8-408 Dogs not allowed at large. It shall be unlawful for any person to allow a dog to go upon the premises of another, or upon a roadway.
2. 44-8-410 Females to be confined while proud. Every owner of a female is required to confine the animal for twenty-four days during the time she is proud.
3. 44-8-411 No liability for killing proud females at large. Any person crippling, killing, or in any way destroying a proud female that is running at large shall not be held liable for the damages due to such killing or destruction.
4. 68-8-103 Vaccination of animals – Certificate and tags – Frequency. It is unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor any dog or cat six (6) months of age or older that has not been vaccinated against rabies as required by law.
5. 68-8-106 Rabies tag must be worn at all times.
6. 68-8-113 Harboring or owning an unvaccinated dog is a misdemeanor.
7. 39-14-202 Cruelty to animals. A person commits an offense if they, intentionally or knowingly fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care, shelter, or if an animal is unreasonably abandoned.
CITY CODE SECTION ONLY
8. 10-101 Running at large prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person owning or being in charge of cows, sheep horses, mules, goats, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, or other domestic fowl, cattle, or livestock, knowingly or negligently to permit any of them to run at large in any street, alley, or unenclosed lot within the corporate limits.
9. 10-102 Swine Prohibited. Swine are prohibited within the corporate limits.
10. 10-105 Keeping in such manner as to become a nuisance prohibited. No animal or fowl shall be kept in such a place or condition as to become a nuisance because of noise, odor, contagious disease, or other reason.
11. 10-205 Noisy dogs prohibited. No person shall own, keep, or harbor any dog which, by loud and frequent barking, whining, or howling, disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood.