Knoxville, TN Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Section 5-27(a) sets the cap at four dogs and/or cats over the age of six months per household, exempting an animal shelter, a governmental zoo, an incorporated humane society, an institution of higher learning, and a permitted circus or animal exhibition. A resident who wants more than four adult dogs or cats can apply for a pet retail establishment permit if zoning and health laws allow it; the animal control board sets minimum standards of care that the administrator or shelter staff enforce by inspection.

00 annual permit fee and January 30 renewal deadline in writing, and requires a pre-issuance inspection against the board's minimum standards. Revocation, addressed in subsection (c), can follow repeated non-compliance, a missed court appearance under Section 5-3(c), a failed annual or random inspection, loss of a state license, harassment of shelter staff, or violations tied to animal fighting (Sec. 5-9), vicious-animal rules (Sec. 5-11), the dangerous-dog reporting duty (Sec. 5-135), or state cruelty statutes (Tenn. Code §§ 39-14-202, -205, -212, -214, -217). A revoked permit restricts the holder back down to four animals, permits do not transfer with a change of ownership or address, and a revoked or suspended operator cannot buy, sell, transport or deliver animals during that period.

Permitted pet retail establishments also owe the animal control board an annual public report naming their breeders and suppliers, and no pet retail establishment may sell a dog or cat under eight weeks old or unweaned.