TCA § 70-4-118 — Unlawful to hunt deer being chased by dogs or to permit dogs to hunt or chase deer — Confiscation of dogs — Penalties

No person shall knowingly hunt deer being chased by dogs nor shall any person knowingly and intentionally permit such person's dogs to hunt or chase deer. Any officer of the wildlife resources agency may take into possession any dog known to have hunted or chased deer and shall notify the owner of the dog, or if the owner is unknown, shall advertise in a newspaper of general circulation in the county that the dog is in the officer's possession, giving the description of the dog and stating the circumstances under which it was taken. The officer shall hold the dog for a period of ten (10) days and shall report the facts in full to the director. If, within ten (10) days, the owner claims the dog, the owner may repossess it on payment of the costs of advertising and the cost of keep. If the owner does not claim the dog within the above specified time, the dog shall be deemed ownerless and a public nuisance and shall be disposed of in the manner prescribed by the executive director. In this event, the costs of advertising and keep shall be paid by the agency. Any person violating this section commits a Class B misdemeanor. It is mandatory upon the court to impose the prison sentence, and the minimum time is not subject to suspension, but may be served on such days designated by the judge. Notwithstanding subsection (a), the commission is authorized to promulgate rules to allow for the use of dogs in tracking and recovering an injured or deceased deer.