Cheatham County, TN

Frequently Asked Questions - Animal Control

Adoption and Rescue Policy | County Resolutions

Is there a leash law?

Yes, while each of the local municipalities and the county has this law, so does the state: § 44-8- 408. Dogs (b) The owner of a dog commits an offense if that dog goes uncontrolled by the owner upon the premises of another without the consent of the owner of the premises or other person authorized to give consent, or goes uncontrolled by the owner upon a highway, public road, street or any other place open to the public generally. In layman terms: You must keep your dog secured to you or your property at all times. You can be held liable for any injuries or damages that result from your dog roaming at large. Dogs roaming at large is a criminal offense.

What can you do about a neighbor’s dogs roaming at large.

If you have an issue with a neighbor’s dog(s) roaming at large (RAL) there are a number of things that you can do:

If you are comfortable with doing so: Go talk to the neighbor, let them know that there is an issue. Many times, this can resolve the issue with no further action needed.
If you are not comfortable with doing so or have concerns: Call (615) 792- 3647, due to being short staffed, you may get the voicemail. If you get the voicemail, leave a message. The messages are checked often (during normal working hours) and someone will either return your call or your case will be added to the dispatch board for a response from an Officer. It does not matter what time of day or night you call, make certain you leave a message.
Owners/harborers of dogs can be held responsible for any injuries or damages that occur as a result of their dog roaming at large. This can become very expensive very quickly.

Why didn’t you pick up a dog I saw/photographed running at large?

Because roaming at large (stray) is a criminal offense in TN it means that the owner of the dog could have criminal charges sworn on them. In order for any Officer, whether animal control or law enforcement, to make an accusation of a violation of a law that Officer must personally witness the crime in action in order to take legal steps. Many times, by the time an Officer is able to respond, the animal is no longer in the area or unsecured. However, that doesn’t mean that the Officer is just going to leave the area and be done. If the owner’s information is provided by the complainant, the Officer will stop by the owner’s residence.
If the home owner is available, the Officer will work with educating them on the laws pertaining to them and what they can/need to do to correct the issue. They will be given a service notice, which shows them what laws may be currently being violated and what the law requires of them as responsible pet owners.
If the homeowner is not available, the responding Officer will leave a service notice at the residence advising them of the issue and what steps are needed to correct the issue. In all cases, we work with the owner to ensure that their pets are current on their rabies vaccination (if old enough) to ensure compliance with the law.
If a responding Officer is not made aware of the animal’s owner or is not able to locate the owner, the Officer will make every effort to locate and secure the dog. Most often, the Officer is able to locate the dog and take the dog to animal control, but on occasion, there are not always successful. We will continue to work with the complainant to try and secure the dog. Both for the safety of the community and the animal.