(a) As used in this section, “cremation” means the heating process by which the remains of a deceased animal are reduced to bone fragments through combustion and evaporation; provided, however, that “cremation” does not include any reduction of animal remains to bone fragments that is incidental to the preparation of food or any manufacturing process.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class E felony1 to 6 yearsup to $3,000
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
criminal case

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-14-218

  • Animal: means a domesticated living creature or a wild creature previously captured. See Tennessee Code 39-14-201
  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) No person who, for remuneration, engages in the cremation of animal remains in this state, shall fail to ensure that a written receipt is provided to each person who delivers animal remains to such person for cremation. The receipt shall be signed by both the person who receives the animal remains and the person who delivered the animal remains for cremation and shall indicate:

(1) The name of the deceased animal, if any;
(2) The date and time of delivery;
(3) The name of the person who delivered the animal remains for cremation; and
(4) The name of the person who received the animal remains for cremation from the person identified in subdivision (b)(3).
(c) At the time of releasing the cremated remains of an animal, a person who, for remuneration, engages in the cremation of animal remains in this state shall ensure that a written receipt signed by both the person who released the cremated animal remains and the person who received the cremated animal remains is provided to the person who received the cremated animal remains. The receipt shall indicate:

(1) The name of the deceased animal, if any;
(2) The date and time of the release;
(3) The name of the person to whom the cremated animal remains were released; and
(4) The name of the person who released the cremated animal remains to the person identified in subdivision (c)(3).
(d) The requirements of this section shall not apply to veterinarians licensed to practice in this state in accordance with the Tennessee Veterinary Practice Act, compiled in title 63, chapter 12.
(e) Failure to provide a receipt as required by subsection (b) or (c) is a Class E felony. In addition to any authorized period of incarceration, failure to provide a receipt as required by subsection (b) or (c) is punishable by a fine in the amount of no less than five hundred dollars ($500).
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