A Community Supported Animal Shelter
Located in Henderson County Tennessee
Call us 731.249.9443
Lexington,TN Animal Control
If you have a missing pet in the area it's best to call Animal Control immediately at 968-6666. Any animal at large within the city limits will be picked up and held for 3 days with tags and 5 days with tags. Time is of the essence so do not delay on contacting to see if they are possibly holding your pet.
Below is the Tennessee State Law concerning animals seized by animal control.
More information can be found on the City of Lexington page HERE
§ 68-8-107. Seizure; adoption; destruction
(a) Any dog found running at large may be seized by any peace officer and placed in an animal shelter in counties or cities where an animal shelter or pound is available.
(b) If the dog or cat is wearing a rabies vaccination tag or other identification, all reasonable effort shall be made to locate and notify the owners who shall be required to appear within five (5) days and redeem the animal by paying a pound fee as set by the city or county legislative body. A failure to pay the pound fee, or have the animal vaccinated if proof of current vaccination is not produced prior to release, shall require the animal to be adopted or destroyed.
(c) If any dog or cat is not wearing a vaccination tag or other identification, the animal may be adopted or destroyed, unless legally claimed by the owner within three (3) days.
(d) No dog or cat three (3) months of age or older shall be released from a shelter without having proof of current vaccination or until it has been vaccinated and, where applicable, a tag issued.
(e) A county may allow, by local ordinance, the adoption of a dog or cat three (3) months of age or older without a vaccination as long as procedures are established to ensure that the animal is vaccinated for rabies within seventy-two (72) hours of release from the shelter.
Lost and Found Facebook Page
There is a community Facebook page that is used to post
lost and found pets in Henderson County, TN including the ones detained by animal control.
This page can be found HERE
Strays Brought to the Shelter
When lost pets end up at our shelter we post the animal on our Facebook Page.
Always call us at 249-9443 or message us through Facebook with a photo to see if we may have your pet. We hold lost pets for 10 days and after all efforts of finding the owner are exhausted, then the pet will be place up for adoption.
People for Animals, a non-profit., all volunteer organization has extended their spay/Neuter assistance program to West Tennessee to include a Vet in Paris and Lexington, TN. This means there is a participating Vet in each area who have partnered with them. Anyone needing help with spaying or neutering costs can call 615-794-8925. You must leave a message and a PFA volunteer will contact you. This service is need based and questions will be asked on what would be affordable for you. Then a voucher will be faxed to the participating Vet on your behalf. Please keep in mind this is for individuals only and not for groups or rescues.
More information about People for Animals can be found HERE
Tennessee Animal Abuse Laws
Below is the Tennessee Animal Abuse Laws provided to us by the Henderson County Sheriff's Department.
All animal abuse reports must be directed to:
Henderson County Sheriff's Department 968-7777
or
Lexington Police Department 968-6666
2010 Tennessee Code
Title 39 - Criminal Offenses
Chapter 14 - Offenses Against Property
Part 2 - Animals
39-14-202 - Cruelty to animals.
39-14-202. Cruelty to animals.
(a) A person commits an offense who intentionally or knowingly:
(1) Tortures, maims or grossly overworks an animal;
(2) Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
(3) Abandons unreasonably an animal in the person's custody;
(4) Transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner; or
(5) 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.
(b) A person commits an offense who knowingly ties, tethers, or restrains a dog in a manner that results in the dog suffering bodily injury as defined in § 39-11-106.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the person was engaged in accepted veterinary practices, medical treatment by the owner or with the owner's consent, or bona fide experimentation for scientific research.
(d) Whenever any person is taken into custody by any officer for violation of subdivision (a)(4), the officer may take charge of the vehicle or conveyance, and its contents, used by the person to transport the animal. The officer shall deposit these items in a safe place for custody. Any necessary expense incurred for taking charge of and sustaining the same shall be a lien thereon, to be paid before the same can lawfully be recovered; or the expenses, or any part thereof, remaining unpaid may be recovered by the person incurring the same of the owners of the animal in an action therefor.
(e) In addition to the penalty imposed in subsection (g), the court making the sentencing determination for a person convicted under this section shall order the person convicted to surrender custody and forfeit the animal or animals whose treatment was the basis of the conviction. Custody shall be given to a humane society incorporated under the laws of this state. The court may prohibit the person convicted from having custody of other animals for any period of time the court determines to be reasonable, or impose any other reasonable restrictions on the person's custody of animals as necessary for the protection of the animals.
(f) (1) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the owner of a farm animal or someone acting with the consent of the owner of that animal from engaging in usual and customary practices which are accepted by colleges of agriculture or veterinary medicine with respect to that animal.
(2) It is an offense for a person other than a law enforcement officer acting with probable cause to knowingly interfere with the performance of any agricultural practices permitted by subdivision (f)(1).
(3) An offense under subdivision (f)(2) is a Class B misdemeanor.
(g) (1) Cruelty to animals is a Class A misdemeanor. (2) A second or subsequent conviction for cruelty to animals is a Class E felony.