Animal Ordinances in Franklin, TN

If you live in Franklin or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Franklin has 5 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Pet Limits

Franklin prohibits keeping any animal or fowl in a place or condition that becomes a nuisance from noise, odor, or contagious disease, city-wide.

Key details: Pet-count limit: None set numerically. Prohibited: Nuisance from noise, odor, disease. Inspections: Health officer may enter premises. Each day of nuisance: Separate offense.

A nuisance-keeping violation is a misdemeanor fined under Appendix A, with each day of the condition treated as a separate offense; animal control may also seize and impound animals kept in violation.

Pet Store Rules

Franklin, Tennessee bars pet stores from selling dogs and cats obtained from commercial breeders or brokers. Franklin Municipal Code § 10-302 limits stock to animals sourced from a licensed animal care facility or a nonprofit animal rescue organization, bans sale of any dog or cat younger than eight weeks, and requires the source organization's name posted on every cage. Violators face a $50 daily civil penalty per animal.

Key details: Governing section: Franklin Municipal Code § 10-302. Effective: Dec. 11, 2018 (Ord. 2018-35). Minimum sale age: 8 weeks. Allowed sources: Animal care facility or 501(c)(3) rescue only. Record retention: 1 year from acquisition.

Franklin Municipal Code § 10-303 makes any violation of the pet-store chapter a civil offense punishable by a $50.00 penalty per day, per violation, and treats each animal offered for sale in violation of the chapter as a separate offense, so a store stocking several noncompliant animals accrues multiple daily fines simultaneously until it corrects its sourcing, labeling, or recordkeeping.

Compared to other cities, Franklin takes a harder line on pet store rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Chickens & Livestock

Franklin bars keeping chickens or other listed fowl and livestock within 1,000 feet of a home, business, or public street unless the health officer issues a permit.

Key details: Buffer distance: 1,000 ft from home/business/street. Permit issuer: Health officer only. Animals covered: Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, livestock. Permit standard: No injury to public health.

Keeping fowl or livestock within 1,000 feet of a residence without a health officer's permit is a misdemeanor under Sec. 10-114, fined per Appendix A, with each day treated as a separate violation.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Franklin actively enforces its chickens & livestock requirements.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Franklin, Tennessee requires indoor animal service uses, including veterinary clinics, to sit at least 200 feet from a residential property line, cut to 100 feet if the building is soundproofed.

Key details: Indoor buffer: 200 ft from residential lot line. Reduced buffer: 100 ft if soundproofed. Outdoor companion-animal buffer: 500 ft from residential lot line. Outdoor farm-animal buffer: 100 ft from residential lot line. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Building & Neighborhood Services.

Violating the ordinance is a misdemeanor under Zoning Ordinance § 22.5, fined under Title 12's general penalty clause, with each day of continued violation a separate offense; the City Attorney or an affected neighbor may also seek an injunction under § 22.6.

Dog Leash Laws

Franklin, Tennessee, has no leash ordinance of its own: it adopts Williamson County's dog and cat regulations by reference, making the county resolution's restraint rules the binding law inside city limits.

Key details: Governing rule: Williamson County dog/cat resolution. Adopted by: Ordinance No. 2011-16. Applies: Inside Franklin city limits. Full text kept at: City recorder's office.

No separate Franklin penalty exists for dog/cat restraint violations; enforcement and fines follow the incorporated Williamson County resolution and the city's general Code penalty clause.

The Bottom Line

Franklin is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Franklin, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Franklin's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.