Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Tennessee criminal defense lawyers help clients charged with numerous different offenses including the crime of cruelty to animals. Most jurisdictions in the United States and around the world have enacted laws which forbid cruelty to animals, and Tennessee is no exception. These laws typically provide minimum requirements for care and treatment of animals. They usually mandate that animals be provided food, water, shelter, and medical treatment and they prohibit animals from being tortured or killed inhumanely.

Under Tennessee law, a person commits the offense of cruelty to animals who intentionally or knowingly:

• Tortures, maims or grossly overworks an animal;
• Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
• Abandons unreasonably an animal in the person's custody;
• Transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner; or
• Inflicts burns, cuts, lacerations, or other injuries or pain, by any method, including blistering compounds, to the legs or hooves of horses in order to make them sore for any purpose including, but not limited to, competition in horse shows and similar events. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-202 (2007).

In addition, the cruelty to animals statute in Tennessee retains a special provision pertaining to dogs. A person who knowingly ties, tethers, or restrains a dog in a manner that results in the dog suffering bodily injury commits cruelty to animals. "Bodily injury" includes a cut, abrasion, bruise, burn or disfigurement, and physical pain or temporary illness or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-11-106 (2007).

The penalties for cruelty to animals are stiff. Cruelty to animals is a Class A misdemeanor under Tennessee law. A second or subsequent conviction for cruelty to animals is a Class E felony. If you have been charged with any crime in East Tennessee, contact a criminal defense attorney. All initial consultations are free of charge. Our criminal defense lawyers will discuss the merits of the state’s case against you and help you get your life back on track.