ANIMALS GENERALLY

Memphis Code of Ordinances tit. 8, ch. 8-8

in effect

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-1 General maintenance requirements for animals and fowl.

Sec. 8-8-1. - General maintenance requirements for animals and fowl. No animal or fowl shall be kept or confined where the water, shelter, ventilation and food are not sufficient and wholesome for the preservation of its health and safe condition. No animal or fowl shall be kept in such place or condition as to become a nuisance either because of odor or contagion of disease. (Code 1967, § 7-20; Code 1985, § 5-2; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-2 Running at large of livestock and fowl prohibited.

Sec. 8-8-2. - Running at large of livestock and fowl prohibited. It is unlawful for any person in charge of any animal, including, but not limited to cattle, swine, sheep, horses, mules, goats or any offensive animal, or any chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or other fowl, to permit it to run at large upon any street, alley or unenclosed lot within the city. (Code 1967, § 7-21; Code 1985, § 5-3; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-3 Impoundment, redemption and disposition.

Sec. 8-8-3. - Impoundment, redemption and disposition. A. Livestock and animals other than fowl. It shall be the duty of the administrator in charge of the city animal shelter, or his or her agent, to cause any animal, other than fowl, running at large in violation of section 8-8-2 to be apprehended and placed into the animal shelter. If, within three business days from the time such animal is impounded, the owner or person in charge of such animal calls for the same, such animal may be released upon payment of a $50.00 redemption fee, per animal, a $25.00 trailering fee, and $10.00 per day boarding fee, other than fowl. If no one comes forward to claim the above-incarcerated animals within the three business-day period, such animals shall be considered abandoned property and will become the property of the city. B. Fowl. It shall be the duty of the administrator in charge of the animal shelter, or his or her agent, to cause fowl running at large in violation of section 8-8-2 to be apprehended and incarcerated in the city animal shelter. C. If within three business days from the day such fowl is incarcerated the owner or person in charge thereof calls for same, such fowl may be released upon the payment of $10.00 for each fowl so impounded plus $7.00 for each day of confinement to defray the cost of the capture of such animal and the protection of the public. D. If no one comes forward to claim the above-incarcerated fowl within the three-business-day period, such shall be considered abandoned property and will become the property of the city. (Code 1967, §§ 7-22, 7-23; Code 1985, § 5-4; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982; Ord. No. 4247, § 11, 4-5-1994; Ord. No. 5214, §§ 1, 4—6, 9-7-2007)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-4 Destruction of abandoned or neglected animals.

Sec. 8-8-4. - Destruction of abandoned or neglected animals. The administrator in charge of the city animal shelter, or his or her agent, may lawfully destroy immediately, or cause to be destroyed immediately, any animal found to be injured or diseased past recovery. (Code 1967, § 7-24; Code 1985, § 5-5; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982; Ord. No. 5214, § 1, 9-7-2007)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-5 Cruelty to animals.

Sec. 8-8-5. - Cruelty to animals. It is unlawful for any person to overdraw, overload, torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate, kill or cause to procure same to be done, any animal, fowl or bird within the meaning of this chapter, or use, buy, sell or exchange any horse or mule when unfit for labor, or abandon any animal upon any public street, alley or any public property. Nothing herein shall prohibit the purchase of animals by laboratories or humane societies incorporated under the laws of the State of Tennessee. (Code 1967, § 7-25; Code 1985, § 5-6; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-6 Trapping animals.

Sec. 8-8-6. - Trapping animals. It is unlawful for any person to set or bait any steel leg-trap or other contrivance which would maim, mutilate or seriously injure any animal. (Code 1967, § 7-26; Code 1985, § 5-7; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-7 Striking or hitting animal with moving vehicle.

Sec. 8-8-7. - Striking or hitting animal with moving vehicle. It is unlawful for any person driving a vehicle to strike or hit any animal upon a public right-of-way or any public property without stopping and assisting the animal, or in the alternative notifying the Memphis Animal Shelter immediately. (Code 1967, § 7-27; Code 1985, § 5-8; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-8 Killing birds—Prohibited generally.

Sec. 8-8-8. - Killing birds—Prohibited generally. The killing or attempting to kill any bird, other than domestic fowl, within the limits of the city, is prohibited, except as hereafter provided. (Code 1967, § 7-28; Code 1985, § 5-9; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-9 Killing birds—Removal of pigeons and birds from private, residential and commercial property.

Sec. 8-8-9. - Killing birds—Removal of pigeons and birds from private, residential and commercial property. A. For control purposes and to alleviate public distress, and to promote public health, owners of private residential property and public commercial property are authorized to destroy or otherwise remove pigeons and/or birds located within the boundaries of their property, and to dispose of them in accordance with sanitation services procedures. In addition, such property owners may contract with pest control companies properly licensed and bonded by the state for the removal and disposition of pigeons or birds from their property. Such pest control companies shall dispose of such pigeons and/or birds in accordance with sanitation services procedures. B. Whenever a homing pigeon bearing a ring or seamless legband with its registered number stamped thereon, or any protected wild bird, is found among pigeons trapped under this section, the same shall immediately be released from custody. C. This section shall not be construed to permit the use of firearms to destroy pigeons and birds, and such use is expressly prohibited. (Code 1967, § 7-29; Code 1985, § 5-10; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-10 Keeping of livestock within 1,000 feet of residence or place of business.

Sec. 8-8-10. - Keeping of livestock within 1,000 feet of residence or place of business. No person shall keep any cattle, cows, sheep, horses, mules, swine or goats within 1,000 feet of any residence or place of business in the city without a permit to do so from the health officer. The health officer shall issue permits only when the keeping of such animals in the yard or buildings, and under the circumstances set forth in the application for the permit, shall not injuriously affect the public's health. This section shall not apply to slaughterhouses or city parks. (Code 1967, § 7-30; Code 1985, § 5-11; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-11 Disposal of animals.

Sec. 8-8-11. - Disposal of animals. No person shall leave or throw into any stream or river, nor offensively expose or bury the body, or any part thereof, of any animal, nor shall the same be kept where it may be dangerous to the life or detrimental to the health of any person. The sanitation services division of the city shall be promptly notified of the existence of any such animal and where it is to be found so that it may be removed and disposed of in a sanitary manner. (Code 1967, § 7-31; Code 1985, § 5-12; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-12 Unlawful to sell fowl as pets or novelties.

Sec. 8-8-12. - Unlawful to sell fowl as pets or novelties. A. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to display, sell, offer for sale, barter or give away chicks or ducklings as pets or novelties. It shall further be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to dye, color or otherwise artificially treat any animal or fowl. B. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the display or sale of natural chicks, ducklings or other fowl by those engaged in the business of selling the same to be raised for food purposes. (Code 1967, § 7-32; Code 1985, § 5-13; Ord. No. 3189, § 1, 3-9-1982)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 8-8-13 Roadside sale of animals prohibited.

Sec. 8-8-13. - Roadside sale of animals prohibited. A. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to attempt to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease, rent, donate or display for a commercial purpose any animal on any roadside, public right-of-way, parkway, median, park, playground, swimming pool, other recreation area, or commercial or retail parking lot that is generally accessible by the public, regardless of whether such access is authorized. B. This section shall not apply to any city animal shelter or nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of providing humane sanctuary or shelter for abandoned or unwanted animals or any dealer licensed to sell at a flea market pursuant to T.C.A. § 44-17-101 et seq. C. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the sale of certain animals by those engaged in the business of selling the same for consumption and who have obtained the appropriate licenses or permits to conduct such activity. D. This section shall not be construed to prohibit a properly licensed for-profit store from selling or donating any animals on the walkway or parking lot immediately adjacent to such store's physical address. E. The sale, exchange, trade, barter, lease, rent, donation or display for a commercial purpose of each animal in violation of this section shall constitute a separate violation and be punishable by fine up to $50.00 in accordance with section 8-20-10. F. Once a citation or ordinance summons has been issued for a violation of this section, the violator must immediately discontinue the activity. (Ord. No. 5300, § 1(5-15), 4-21-2009; Ord. No. 5390, § 2, 1-4-2011)

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=TIT8AN_CH8-8ANGEFetched: 10/28/2026