If the tenant shall make affidavit, before the officer holding his property under an attachment for rent or supplies alleged to be due or to become due, that he does not or will not owe the amount claimed, such officer shall not sell the property, unless it be liable to perish or greatly depreciate, or be expensive to keep, in which case he shall sell it and hold the proceeds to the end of the suit; and he shall return the attachment with the affidavit and a statement of his proceedings to the proper court, and shall summon the party who sued out the attachment to appear there; and further proceedings shall be had as if the tenant had replevied the goods by giving bond.