A Tennessee woman named Linda Carroll loved her little dog like family. One day, while on a walk, her dog wandered briefly onto a neighbor’s property. That neighbor, angry and armed, shot the dog. Heartbroken, Linda went to court. She did not just want to be reimbursed for vet bills—she wanted the court to acknowledge her pain and loss.
Her case, Carroll v. Rock, made it clear: in Tennessee, pets are considered property, but that does not mean you’re powerless if someone harms them. You may still be able to recover compensation—both for your out-of-pocket expenses and in some cases, for the emotional loss you’ve suffered.
Let’s break down your rights and options under Tennessee law.
In Tennessee, there are three common legal theories used when someone causes harm to a pet:
If someone purposefully hurts your pet—whether out of cruelty, revenge, or malice—you can file a civil lawsuit for intentional torts like conversion (wrongful interference with property) or trespass to chattels.
If someone was careless—say, they caused a car crash that injured your pet, or left out rat poison in a shared area, or hit your dog while speeding through a residential zone—you may have a negligence claim. To win, you would have to prove duty of care, breach, causation, and damages. For example, at Ponce Law, one of our clients had a service dog that was injured and ultimately passed away as a result of the negligence of another driver. The financial cost of replacing a service animal is high, but the emotional cost to the owner can be much higher. At Ponce Law, we will get the highest possible recovery and compensation not only for you, but also for any pets or service animals injured by the carelessness of another individual.
This applies when someone’s conduct is more than careless—it’s dangerous and shows disregard for safety. For example, reckless conduct would be someone firing a gun in a crowded area or letting an aggressive dog roam free after multiple complaints.
These damages include vet bills, emergency surgery, medications, ongoing care or rehabilitation, and replacement value. There’s no legal limit on economic damages in Tennessee.
Tennessee allows up to $5,000 for loss of companionship or emotional distress under the Tennessee Companion Animal Compensation Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-17-403). The Act applies only to companion animals injured or killed by intentional or negligent acts.
Punitive damages are only awarded if the conduct was outrageous, intentional, or fraudulent, and require clear and convincing evidence under Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-39-104.
Here’s how to protect your rights and build a strong claim:
Carroll v. Rock (Tenn. App. 1990): The court recognized compensation for lost property and emotional distress.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-17-403: Allows up to $5,000 for non-economic damages for companion animals.
Your pet is part of your family, and the law is starting to reflect that truth. While Tennessee does not treat animals like people in court, it does give you a way to recover damages when someone else’s bad actions harm your pet.
