Memphis, Tennessee

This ordinance requires that dogs and cats who are 6 months of age or older be spayed or neutered, with some exemptions.

ARTICLE V – MANDATORY SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF CATS AND DOGS

Sec. 5-83. Spay and Neuter Requirement
No person shall own, harbor, or keep within the City of Memphis, a dog or cat over the age of six months, which has not been spayed or neutered unless the dog or cat is exempted from the provisions of this section, as defined under Sec. 5-85.

Sec. 5-84. Owner.
(a) Any person, partnership or corporation owning an animal;
(b) Any person in charge of maintaining an animal; or
(c) Any person who feeds, shelters or harbors an animal or permits it to remain on such person’s property; or
(d) If the animal is owned by a person under the age of eighteen (18), that person’s parent or guardian.

Sec. 5-85. The following animals are exempt from the provisions of Section 5-83.
(a) Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used by public law enforcement agencies for law enforcement activities, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the Director of Memphis Animal Services after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;
(b) Dogs having been appropriately trained and actually being used as a service dog, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, assistance dog, seizure alert dog, or social/therapy dog, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the Director of Memphis Animal Services after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;
(c) Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used by search and rescue agencies for search and rescue activities, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the Director of Memphis Animal Services after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;
(d) Dogs or cats certified by a licensed veterinarian as having a health reason for not being spayed/neutered;
(e) Dogs which are appropriately trained and actually being used for herding of other animals, or as livestock guardian dogs, hunting dogs, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the Director of Memphis Animal Services after consultation with knowledgeable Professionals;
(f) Dogs or cats boarded in a licensed kennel or a business, which boards such animals for professional training or resale;
(g) Dogs or cats which are registered with the American Kennel Club, the Cat Fancier Association or other recognized registry or trained and kept for the purpose of show, field trials or agility trials.
(h) Dogs or cats whose owner has obtained an unaltered animal permit issued by the license-collecting agent of the City, or any successor agency authorized by law to issue said permit.

Sec. 5-86. Fertile Animal Permits.
Obtaining an unaltered (Fertile Animal) permit. Applicants must apply for unaltered permits with the City of Memphis, Division of Public Services.
(a) The owner of a fertile animal will have to pay the City a one-time $200.00 permit fee to keep a fertile animal within the City. Said payment must be made to the City of Memphis Treasury.
(b) In order to prevent the over-breeding of animals, each permit authorizes the whelping of no more than one litter per female dog in any 12-month period and no more than one litter per domestic household in any 12-month period.