Cruelty to animals is illegal in Tennessee, as it is across the country. Several of the state’s animal protection laws deal with mistreatment of service animals, horses, and other livestock. Below, we’ve summarized the most important laws that pet owners and animal lovers should know about.
Tennessee’s Laws on Animal Cruelty and Abuse
Several forms of animal abuse are criminal offenses in Tennessee, including:
- torturing, beating, maiming, or badly overworking an animal
- neglecting an animal in a way that causes it physical pain or suffering
- abandoning an animal in one’s custody (abandonment includes deserting an animal or failing to make arrangements for its care for more than one day)
- unreasonably failing to provide necessary and clean food, water, and shelter for an animal in one’s custody, or
- transporting or confining an animal in a cruel way.
If a person intentionally kills, maims, tortures, or otherwise causes serious physical injury, death, or risk of death to a companion animal, the law considers the crime to be aggravated cruelty to animals (a felony).
(Tenn. Code §§ 39-14-202, 39-14-212 (2025).)
What Are the Penalties for Animal Cruelty in Tennessee?
A first offense for animal cruelty is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Animal cruelty is a Class E felony and carries up to six years' prison time if the guilty person has had previous convictions for the same crime or if the cruelty is aggravated. Failure to give food and water to a pet can also be a felony if the neglect created a serious risk to the animal’s life.
People who are convicted of abusing pets in Tennessee must surrender their pets. They may also be listed in the state's animal abuse registry with their name, photo, and offense published on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s website, which is available to the public.
If someone convicted of aggravated animal cruelty lives with children or elderly individuals, the court may notify the appropriate protective agencies, which may investigate to ensure that the household members are safe.
(Tenn. Code §§ 39-14-202, 39-14-212, 40-39-103 (2025).)
Tennessee’s Laws on Mistreatment of Dogs
Several laws specifically address the mistreatment or abuse of dogs in Tennessee.
Cruelty or abuse. In addition to the acts listed above, it’s considered animal cruelty to tie up or restrain a dog (inside or outside) in a way that causes injury. A first offense is a misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses are felonies.
Aggravated cruelty. Abusing, beating, starving, maiming, torturing, neglecting, or otherwise harming a dog in a way that causes it serious physical injury, risk of death, or death is considered aggravated cruelty, a Class E felony.
Dog fighting. Tennessee also makes it a Class E felony to own, possess, keep, use, or train a dog for fighting for sport or gain. (This doesn’t apply to dogs trained to hunt.) Attending a dog fight is a Class A misdemeanor.
Unlawful removal of transmitting collars or microchips from dogs. It’s a Class B misdemeanor to do either of these acts without the owner's consent. If the dog is lost or killed as a result, the person faces a class A misdemeanor and must pay restitution to the owner.
(Tenn. Code §§ 39-14-202, 39-14-203, 39-14-212, 39-14-213 (2025).)
Does Tennessee Have Any Exceptions to Animal Cruelty?
Tennessee exempts several kinds of legal activity from its animal cruelty laws, including:
- genuine scientific research
- hunting, trapping, and fishing
- killing rabid, diseased, or dangerous animals
- killing wild or abandoned animals on residential or farm property, and
- commonly accepted agricultural or veterinary practice.
(Tenn. Code §§ 39-14-202(f), 39-14-212(c) (2025).)
When Is Animal Control Allowed to Take Your Pet in Tennessee?
Tennessee animal control officers and humane society agents are authorized to stop any acts of animal cruelty that they witness and seize the animal.
For any animal placed under the humane society’s care, the owner must pay for the animal’s care. If a criminal case is pending, the government or humane society can ask a judge to order the owner to pay for the animal’s care.
Upon a conviction for animal cruelty, aggravated cruelty, or dog fighting, the court must order the defendant to surrender the animal. A judge may also prohibit the defendant from having custody of other animals. For an aggravated cruelty or dog fighting conviction, the court must prohibit the defendant from having custody of any companion animal for at least two years and can impose a lifetime prohibition.
(Tenn. Code §§ 39-14-202, 39-14-203, 39-14-210, 39-14-212 (2025).)
Can You Shoot or Kill a Dog That’s Trespassing on Your Property?
It’s considered theft in Tennessee to kill someone else’s dog (or another animal) on purpose and without the owner’s consent, unless the dog was creating an immediate danger of death or serious injury to a person or another animal. The level of punishment depends on the value of the dog, which may include training costs for service animals.
(Tenn. Code § 39-14-205 (2025).)
Can You Rescue Pets From Hot Cars in Tennessee?
Tennessee is one of a handful of states that allow Good Samaritans to break into locked cars to rescue animals in distress. In order to be protected from civil lawsuits for their actions, rescuers must:
- sincerely and reasonably believe that the animals are in immediate danger of harm and that there’s no other way to save them
- call 911 or contact law enforcement or the fire department before taking any action
- use no more force than what’s necessary to get the animal out of the car
- leave a note on the windshield with an explanation and contact information, and
- stay with the animal in a safe place nearby until an officer or emergency responder arrives.
(Tenn. Code § 29-34-209 (2025).)
How to Report Animal Abuse in Tennessee
If you see or hear an animal that appears to be abused, mistreated, or neglected, contact your local animal control agency, law enforcement, or the humane society. In Tennessee, humane society agents are allowed to arrest people who’ve violated the state’s animal protection laws and to seize the mistreated animals. Even if the owner’s behavior isn’t against the law or an ordinance, the humane society may be able to do something to correct the problem. If you’re concerned about conditions at a puppy mill or pet shop, contact the nearest office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Speaking With a Lawyer
If you’ve been accused of animal cruelty—or you’re worried about possible charges—it’s a good idea to speak with a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney experienced in this area should be able to explain:
- details on relevant state laws
- how local authorities tend to interpret those laws
- ordinances in your local community that may apply to your situation
- how you might recover your pet if authorities have already taken it, and
- any defense you might have to criminal charges.