Animal Ordinances in Knoxville, TN (2026)
11 verified animal ordinances for Knoxville, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Knoxville bans cattle, horses, sheep and goats in residential areas without an animal-shelter permit, and bars swine or poultry citywide except under narrow exceptions with strict distance rules from neighboring buildings.
Knoxville Livestock In Residential Areas
Significant RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-101(a) (Ord. No. O-484-93, § 1, 8-31-93; Ord. No. O-171-2023, § 1, 12-12-23)
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or allow to be kept cattle, horses, sheep or goats of any kind in any residential section within the corporate limits of the city unless applicable zoning laws allow and such person obtains a permit from the animal shelter.(b)Any person desiring to keep such animals on any premises within a residential section of the city shall petition the animal she...
Dog Leash Laws
Knoxville bars any animal, except a community cat, from running loose on city streets, sidewalks, parks or someone else's property. Owners must keep the animal on their own premises unless a competent person has it on a chain, leash or other visible restraint. Animal control and police enforce it citywide.
Knoxville Leash and At-Large Restraint Law
Some RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances §§ 5-7—5-8 (Ord. No. O-484-93, § 1, 8-31-93; Ord. No. O-5-2019, §§ 3—4, 1-15-19)
No person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of any animal (except a community cat) shall cause, permit or allow the animal to stray or in any manner to run at large in or upon any public street, sidewalk or park or upon the property of another, if such animal is not under sufficient restraint as to allow the animal to be controlled. Every person owning or having poss...
Breed Restrictions
Knoxville's dangerous-dog law bases designations solely on a dog's own bite or attack history in municipal court, and expressly refuses to recognize any dangerous-dog label, from Knoxville or elsewhere, grounded only in the dog's breed.
Knoxville Dangerous Dog Breed Rule
Few RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-135 (Ord. No. O-145-06, § 1, 2-7-06; Ord. No. O-171-2023, § 1, 12-12-23)
No such designation as a level one or level two dangerous dog or any similar such designation by another lawful body, humane society or governmental entity shall be recognized by the city if such designation is based solely upon the breed of the dog. Any person relocating a dog to the city is subject to the restrictions set forth in this article. (Ord. No. O-145-06, § 1, 2-7-06; Ord. No. O-1...
Beekeeping
Knoxville lets residents keep backyard beehives, but Article 10, Section 10.3.D of the zoning code registers every new apiary with the state, confines hives to side and rear yards, and forces a 15-foot setback or a flyway barrier so bees clear neighboring yards instead of flying straight into them.
Knoxville Backyard Beekeeping Apiary Rules
Some RestrictionsKnoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 10, § 10.3.D.1-7 (Apiary) (Ord. No. O-61-2020, § 1, 4-21-20; Ord. No. O-95-2022, § 1, 7-26-22; Ord. No. O-25-2024, § 1, 3-5-24)
D. Apiary 1. New apiaries must be registered with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. 2. Hives are allowed only in interior side or rear yards. 3. Hives must be set back 15 feet from all lot lines and public sidewalks. This does not apply if the yard is screened by a solid wall or solid fence. 4. When the apiary is located within a yard not bounded by a solid wall or solid fence, a flyway ...
Exotic Pets
Knoxville prohibits keeping wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomesticated animals within city limits, including state-classified Class I animals, wolf-hybrids, and large constrictor snakes six feet or longer without a shelter permit.
Knoxville Wild and Exotic Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-30(a)
No person shall have, sell, keep or maintain any wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomesticated animal within the corporate limits of the city. "Wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomesticated animal" shall be defined to include all animals classified as class I animals under TCA § 70-4-403, as amended, and shall also include any wolf-hybrid and the following species of nonvenomous snakes, when such sna...
Pet Limits
Knoxville households may not keep more than four dogs and/or cats over six months old. Exceeding that number is legal only with a pet retail establishment permit from the animal shelter, or for exempt facilities like zoos, humane societies and colleges. Permits run $25 a year.
Knoxville Household Pet Limit: Four Dogs, Cats
Some RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-27(a)–(b) (Ord. No. O-484-93, § 1, 8-31-93; Ord. No. O-19-2023, §§ 8—9, 1-24-23; Ord. No. O-171-2023, § 1, 12-12-23)
No person shall keep, lodge or maintain in excess of four (4) dogs and/or cats over the age of six (6) months, except an animal shelter, a zoo of a governmental agency, a humane society incorporated under the laws of this state, an institution of higher learning, or a circus or an animal exhibition officially issued a permit by the animal shelter, and in accordance with health and zoning regula...
Cat Rules
Knoxville requires dogs and cats to be licensed and rabies-vaccinated and bans cats from running at large, but exempts sterilized, ear-tipped, vaccinated 'community cats' from both the licensing and at-large rules.
Knoxville Cat Licensing And At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-7 (Ord. No. O-484-93, § 1, 8-31-93; Ord. No. O-5-2019, § 3, 1-15-19)
No person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of any animal (except a community cat) shall cause, permit or allow the animal to stray or in any manner to run at large in or upon any public street, sidewalk or park or upon the property of another, if such animal is not under sufficient restraint as to allow the animal to be controlled.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Knoxville requires every dog or cat adopted from the city animal shelter to be spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian within six months of adoption, unless a vet certifies it would harm the animal.
Knoxville Shelter-Adoption Spay/Neuter Rule
Some RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-17(e)(1)
All animals adopted from the animal shelter must be spayed or neutered by a veterinarian no later than six (6) months after the day the animal is adopted, unless the veterinarian certifies that to spay or neuter the animal would not be in the best medical interest of the animal.(2)The administrator shall issue a title of ownership to the adopting person which shall vest in the adopter upon the ...
Pet Store Rules
Knoxville doesn't ban pet-store sales, but every pet retail establishment needs an animal-shelter permit, can't sell dogs or cats under eight weeks old, and can't source puppies from poorly-inspected USDA breeders.
Knoxville Pet Retail Sourcing Rules
Some RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-27(h), (j)
No pet retail establishments shall sell dogs or cats under the age of eight (8) weeks and/or unweaned.(i)If a pet retail establishment has a puppy or multiple puppies that test positive for parvovirus, canine coronavirus, distemper, internal or external parasites, Bordetella, Giardia and/or Campylobacter the permittee shall post a public notice in plain sight on the premises warning consumers t...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Knoxville's zoning code sets siting rules for small-animal veterinary clinics, breeders, and kennels: exterior exercise areas must be fenced, sheltered, and kept entirely out of the O Office District.
Knoxville Zoning For Vet Clinics, Kennels
Some RestrictionsKnoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 9, § 9.3.A1 (Animal Care Facility—Small Animal, Animal Breeder, and Kennel)
1.Such facilities may only board animals over the age of six months if the Animal Control Board approves a kennel, boarding facility, pet shop, or pet dealer permit. Boarding facilities must provide certification of compliance with Chapter 18, Noise; Section 18-3, Standards, from the City of Knoxville Code of Ordinances.2.Exterior exercise areas are prohibited in the O District. Animal care fac...
Bird Protection
Knoxville designates its entire corporate limits a wildlife and bird sanctuary. Willfully molesting, trapping, hunting, shooting, killing or maiming any wild bird or animal, or robbing a nest, is unlawful anywhere in the city, with seven parks named as official sanctuaries carrying extra sign and equipment protection.
Knoxville Citywide Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
Heavy RestrictionsKnoxville Code of Ordinances § 5-31 (Ord. No. O-484-93, § 1, 8-31-93)
The entire area embraced within the corporate limits of the city is designated as a wildlife and bird sanctuary. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or wantonly molest, trap, hunt, shoot, kill or maim any wildlife, wild fowl or bird, or to rob the nest or home of either. If starlings or similar birds are found to be congregating in such numbers in a particular locality that, in the...
Looking for Knox County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Knoxville city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Knox County →