Franklin, TN Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

The Franklin Municipal Code (Title 10, Animal Control) does not include any breed-specific ban. Pit bulls (American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and mixes), Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Mastiffs, Chow Chows, and Akitas are all legal to own in Franklin without breed-specific permits, insurance, muzzling, or enclosure requirements. Williamson County also does not maintain a BSL ordinance, and the city is not listed on the BSL Census Tennessee tracker. Instead, dangerous-dog issues are addressed by conduct: Title 10 of the Municipal Code regulates dogs that pose a threat to public safety, and Tennessee state law provides two backstops: (1) TCA 44-8-413 imposes strict civil liability on the owner of any dog (regardless of breed) that injures a person while running at large or that the owner knew or should have known had a propensity to attack; and (2) TCA 39-17-1363 makes it a criminal offense (Class B misdemeanor; Class A misdemeanor or felony in aggravated circumstances) to own or have custody of a 'potentially vicious dog' (one that has caused unprovoked injury) or a 'vicious dog' (one that has killed or seriously injured a person or pet, or has been adjudicated potentially vicious and reoffends). Importantly, Tennessee is one of 21 states without statewide BSL preemption: home-rule cities and counties under Title 6 may enact breed bans, and roughly 35-40 Tennessee municipalities have done so (including South Pittsburg, Rogersville, Selmer, Manchester, Lafayette, Paris, Mt. Juliet, Watertown, and others), but Franklin and Williamson County have chosen not to. Private landlords, condominium associations, HOAs, and insurance carriers in Franklin may still independently restrict specific breeds in leases, declarations of covenants, or insurance policies - those private restrictions are enforceable regardless of the absence of city BSL.