Clarksville, TN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 3-102 makes it unlawful for anyone owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of an animal to cause, permit or allow it to stray or run at large on a public street, sidewalk, park or another person's property if it is not under sufficient restraint to be controlled. Section 3-103 goes further: every owner or custodian must keep an animal exclusively on the owner's own premises, unless it is off the premises under the control of a competent person and restrained by a chain, leash or other means of visible control.

Section 3-101 defines "owner" broadly as anyone possessing, keeping, harboring or caring for a covered animal for three or more days, and defines "animal" to include dogs, cats, warm blooded mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, so the restraint duty is not limited to dogs. "Running at large" is defined as any animal not confined to its owner's property. Enforcement runs through Section 3-110: a city law enforcement officer or a Department of Building and Codes official may issue a citation delivered in person or by registered mail, directing the owner to appear in city court not less than 72 hours after in-person delivery or 10 days after mailing. 00 for each violation, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense.