Muncie, IN Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Section 90.17(A) prohibits anyone from selling, offering for sale, bartering or giving away baby chickens, ducklings or other fowl under three weeks of age, or rabbits under two months of age, "as pets, toys, premiums, or novelties," including along the roadside, and separately bans anyone from coloring, dyeing, staining or otherwise changing the natural color of chickens, ducklings, other fowl or rabbits, or transporting dyed animals into the city. The section carves out an exception for breeders or stores properly displaying baby fowl or rabbits for commercial breeding and raising purposes.

Section 90.17(B) extends the same protective purpose to live-animal giveaways generally: no one may give away a live animal, fish, reptile or bird as a contest prize, a game inducement, an amusement-venue draw or a business-agreement incentive, though 4-H auctions and charity fundraisers are exempted, and auctioning any live animal other than domestic livestock is separately prohibited. Enforcement runs through the animal control officer issuing a notice of ordinance violation, with the fine payable to the animal care and services department within 72 hours before the matter proceeds to a court of competent jurisdiction under § 90.17(B)(4).

Section 90.17(B)(5) sets that fine at $100.00 for each offense, applying uniformly whether the violation is the underage-fowl sale, the dyeing ban, or the prohibited-prize giveaway.