Animal Ordinances in Knox County, TN (2026)
6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Knox County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Knox County classifies "domesticated poultry" as livestock alongside horses, cattle, goats and hogs under Code Section 6-31, so backyard chickens are covered by the same fencing and at-large rules as farm animals. Section 6-41 makes it unlawful to let livestock roam onto streets or a neighbor's land and requires the owner to erect and maintain fencing strong enough to prevent escape, with electric fencing accepted if properly maintained.
Livestock and Poultry Fencing Rules in Knox County
Some RestrictionsKnox County Code §§ 6-31, 6-41
Livestock means all animals of the equine, bovine or swine class and includes goats, sheep, mules, horses, hogs or cattle and domesticated poultry. ... Sec. 6-41. - Fencing of livestock. (a)It shall be unlawful for the owner of any livestock to willfully allow such livestock to run at large or stray upon any street, roadway, right-of-way, other public area or the private property of another wit...
Dog Leash Laws
Knox County requires every dog owner to keep the animal "exclusively upon his own premises" or under "direct control" whenever it's off that property, under Code Section 6-32. Direct control means a fence, leash, cord or chain strong enough to restrain the dog, per Section 6-31. On county park property, Section 6-48 tightens that further: dogs and other animals must be on a leash no longer than six feet, held by a competent person.
Dog At-Large and Leash Rules in Knox County
Some RestrictionsKnox County Code §§ 6-31, 6-32, 6-48
Direct control means immediate and continuous physical control of an animal (excluding herding dogs, dogs in the process of hunting, police dogs, dogs participating in organized field competition, and community cats) at all times such as by means of a fence, leash, cord or chain of sufficient strength to restrain the animal. ... (a)No person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or...
Breed Restrictions
Knox County has no breed-specific dog ban. Code Section 6-79 explicitly bars recognizing "any similar such designation by another lawful body, humane society or governmental entity" if it "is based solely upon the breed of the dog." Instead, the county's dangerous-dog scheme in Division 2 of Chapter 6 designates individual dogs as "level one" or "level two" dangerous only after documented bite or attack incidents proven in General Sessions Court.
Dangerous Dog Rules Are Not Breed-Based in Knox County
Significant RestrictionsKnox County Code §§ 6-72, 6-79
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 county if such designation is based solely upon the breed of the dog. Any person relocating a dog to the county is subject to the restrictions set forth in this article. ... (b)The general sessions court shall desi...
Exotic Pets
Knox County bans owning, selling or keeping any "wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomesticated animal" countywide under Code Section 6-35(a), defined to include everything classified as a Class I animal under T.C.A. Section 70-4-403. Only three exceptions apply: state-licensed veterinary establishments, accredited colleges and universities using the animals for education or research, and people holding a valid permit from the state wildlife resources agency.
Wild and Exotic Animal Ban in Knox County
Heavy RestrictionsKnox County Code § 6-35
Sec. 6-35. - Wild or exotic animals. (a)No person shall have, sell, keep or maintain any wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomesticated animal within the county. "Wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomesticated animal" shall be defined to include all animals classified as class I animals under T.C.A. § 70-4-403, as amended.(b)Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, the provisions ...
Pet Limits
Knox County caps how many dogs and cats a household may keep based on lot size under Code Section 6-34: any lot may hold 1 to 5, but 6 to 10 requires at least 1.5 acres, 11 to 20 requires at least 2.5 acres, and 21 or more requires 5 acres or larger. The chart counts only animals older than four months, and a person cited for exceeding it gets 30 days to come into compliance.
Dog and Cat Ownership Limits in Knox County
Some RestrictionsKnox County Code § 6-34
Sec. 6-34. - Number of animals, acreage restrictions. (a)The following chart prescribes the number of dogs and cats per specified acreage restrictions: If You Have* Less than 1.0 Acre / 1.5—2.5 Acres / 2.5—5 Acres / 5+ Acres 1—5 dogs and cats Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed 6—10 dogs and cats Prohibited Allowed Allowed Allowed 11—20 dogs and cats Prohibited Prohibited Allowed Allowed 21+ dogs a...
Cat Rules
Knox County exempts eartipped, sterilized "community cats" fed by neighborhood caregivers from licensing, stray and at-large enforcement under County Code Section 6-31 and Section 6-32(c)-(d). Registered Trap/Neuter/Return caregivers may pull cats from Young-Williams Animal Center without proof of ownership or fees, but owned cats over three months old still need a current rabies vaccination tag under Sections 6-38 and 6-39, enforced by the Sheriff's Office animal control division.
Cat Rules and Feral Colonies in Knox County
Some RestrictionsKnox County Code §§ 6-31, 6-32, 6-38, 6-39
Community cat means any free roaming cat that may be cared for by one or more residents of the immediate area who is/are known or unknown. Community cats that are ear-tipped are sterilized and have received at least one vaccination against rabies. Community cats are exempt from any licensing, stray, abandonment and at-large provisions directed towards owned animals. A community cat may also be ...
Animal Ordinances by City in Knox County
1 cities in Knox County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Knox County ordinances
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