Licensing of equines-powers of director of animal services.
Memphis Code of Ordinances § 6-1-42
in effectSec. 6-1-42. - Licensing of equines-powers of director of animal services.
A. General.
1. As set forth in this chapter every person or business operating a horse-drawn carriage for hire business in the city is required to obtain and maintain a valid certificate of public convenience and necessity ("certificate") and every driver of a horse-drawn carriage for hire is required to obtain and maintain a valid driver's permit.
2. Every certificate holder is also required to obtain and maintain a valid license for every equine to be used in the horse-drawn carriage for hire business as provided in this section ("equine license").
3. The director of animal services shall have authority over the licensing of equines and the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter regarding the care of animals used in the horse-drawn carriage for hire business to promote the health, safety, and well-being of the licensed equines. Compliance with all provisions of this chapter is a continuing condition of every certificate, driver's permit, and equine license.
4. A driver shall allow the inspection of their horse and/or carriage by an Inspector at any time while they are on public streets. This includes a trip in which they have been hired if a safety issue is suspected.
5. Holders and drivers shall be responsible for any violation under this article where it is shown such person had knowledge of the violation, or should have had knowledge of the violation, and made no attempt to prevent it from occurring.
6. Nothing in the chapter shall preclude the director of animal services or their designees from enforcing all local, state, and/or federal animal cruelty laws.
B. Before any animal is brought into service by the certificate holder, the certificate holder shall obtain an equine license from the director of animal services, which may be issued only after the equine has been examined by a Tennessee licensed veterinarian who provides service in Shelby County, Tennessee, and a listed telephone number. The veterinarian shall certify to the director of animal services in writing that the animal meets all qualification criteria set forth herein after in this section, and that certification shall be presented to the director of animal services for approval prior to issuance of an equine license for the equine by the City of Memphis. The veterinarian shall provide the following as proof of certification:
1. A veterinary record of a microchip placed in the neck along the nuchal ligament just under the mane.
2. A copy of the animal's veterinary records with the most recent exam being dated no more than 30 days prior to the animal being brought into service.
3. A copy of a negative Coggin's Test.
C. No licensed equine shall be permitted to pull any carriage unless the animal is in good health and meets at least the following requirements:
1. Must be a gelding or mare.
2. Must be at least three years old and no greater than 20 years old.
3. Must weigh at least 1,200 pounds to pull up to eight people, including the driver, as a single puller, and must weigh at least 1,500 pounds to pull a carriage capable of holding up to 30 people and shall only pull such a carriage in a team of two such animals.
4. Must be of such stamina and in such physical condition, as determined by a veterinarian, to perform the required equine-drawn carriage tasks without any undue stress and effort.
D. The following shall deem a licensed equine unfit for use:
1. Lameness of any kind;
2. Open sores or wounds caused or likely to be irritated by the bearing surfaces of harness, bridle, or girths;
3. Signs of emaciation, dehydration, or exhaustion;
4. Loose shoes or no shoes; or
5. Uncontrollable behavior.
E. An equine required to be licensed pursuant to this section which fails to meet any of the above criteria may be declared unfit for service and may be ordered removed from work by the director of animal services or his or her designee if the director of animal services or his or her designee determines that removal of the equine is necessary for health and safety reasons or as an immediate protection to the equine or the public. An equine for which such an order has been issued shall not be returned to work until such time as the equine is re-examined and a veterinarian licensed by the State of Tennessee certifies in writing that the equine is fit to return to work using the criteria set forth in this chapter.
F. Should a carriage horse be permanently removed from service, it shall be sold or disposed of in a humane manner.
(Code 1985, § 39-141; Ord. No. 4227, § 1, 11-2-1993; Ord. No. 4352, § 11, 8-15-1995; Ord. No. 4941, 5-7-2002)
Source: City of Memphis, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tn/memphis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6BULIRE_CH6-1HOAWCA_S6-1-42LIEQWEDIANSEFetched: 10/28/2026