Memphis, Tennessee Dog Poop Law

Quick answer: Yes. Memphis requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Memphis Code § 8-3-7. A court can impose up to $50.

What the Memphis ordinance says

How the penalty works

No fine amount is set for this violation. The 2023 section (§ 8-3-7) has no penalty clause. The older version still in the code (§ 8-16-9) sends enforcement to Chapter 8-24, where a default judgment on an animal ordinance summons is capped at '$50.00 plus costs for each offense' (§§ 8-24-2, 8-24-3). The pick-up violation does not appear on the § 8-24-4 forfeiture schedule. Tennessee's constitutional $50 limit on non-jury fines also caps it. Treat $50 as a ceiling, not a published ticket amount.

The carry rule

No bag-carry requirement. The owner or custodian must 'promptly remove and dispose in a sanitary manner of feces left by a dog or cat' on any public or private property other than their own premises. The rule covers cats too.

Service animals

Conditional. § 8-3-7(B) exempts owners of pet dogs or service dogs 'who are legally blind or confined to a wheelchair and thereby physically incapable of disposing of feces.' Other service dog handlers are not exempt.

How Memphis compares

Unlike Nashville ($50) and Knoxville ($25), Memphis has no set ticket, so the amount is decided when a citation is heard.

In practice

Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.

Elsewhere in Tennessee

Tennessee dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Nashville dog poop law · Knoxville dog poop law. All 50 states.

Source

Checked 2026-09-10 against the Memphis municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.

This page is general information, not legal advice.