As used in this part:(1) 'Abuser' or 'animal abuser' means a person who has been convicted in this state of committing an animal abuse offense;(2) 'Animal' means a companion animal, and a 'non-livestock animal', as defined in § 39-14-201. 'Animal' does not mean 'livestock', as defined in § 39-14-201, or 'wildlife', as defined in § 70-1-101;(3) 'Animal abuse offense' means: (A) Aggravated cruelty to animals, under § 39-14-212;(B) Animal fighting, under § 39-14-203, where the defendant's act constitutes a felony; and(C) A criminal offense against animals, under § 39-14-214;(4) 'Companion animal' means any dog, defined as any live dog of the species Canis familiaris, or cat, defined as any live cat of the species Felis catus;(5) 'Conviction' means a judgment entered by a Tennessee court upon a plea of guilty, a plea of nolo contendere, or a finding of guilt by a jury or the court, notwithstanding any pending appeal or habeas corpus proceeding arising from the judgment. Conviction includes a disposition of pretrial diversion under § 40-15-105, a disposition of judicial diversion under § 40-35-313, or the equivalent dispositions from other jurisdictions;(6) 'Director' means the includes a disposition of pretrial diversion under § 40-15-105, a disposition of judicial diversion under § 40-35-313, or the equivalent dispositions from other jurisdictions;(6) 'Director' means the director of the TBI; and(7) 'TBI' means the Tennessee bureau of investigation. Acts 2015, ch. 413, § 1.
Tennessee Legal Code