44-17-120 - Destruction of dog causing death or serious injury to human Notice to dog's owner.
44-17-120. Destruction of dog causing death or serious injury to human Notice to dog's owner.
(a) Any dog that attacks a human and causes death or serious injury may be destroyed upon the order of the judge of the circuit court of the county wherein the attack occurred. Such orders shall be granted on the petition of the district attorney general for the county. The petition shall name the owner of the dog, and the owner shall be given notice as in civil cases, that if the owner does not appear before the court within five (5) days of the receipt thereof and show cause why the dog should not be destroyed, then the order shall issue and the dog shall be destroyed.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), in counties having a population of not less than eight hundred twenty-five thousand (825,000) nor more than eight hundred thirty thousand (830,000), according to the 1990 federal census or any subsequent federal census, a municipality or county is authorized to adopt local ordinances authorizing the municipality or the county to appropriately petition in a general sessions court to provide for the disposition of dangerous dogs and/or dogs causing death or serious injury to humans or other animals.
[Acts 1978, ch. 757, § 1; T.C.A., § 44-123; Acts 1999, ch. 85, § 1.]