Fishers, IN Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

City of Fishers Code Chapter 91 regulates dangerous animals by conduct, not breed. Section 91.02 defines a 'dangerous animal' as any animal that attacks, bites, or injures people, pets, companion animals, or livestock, or that because of temperament, conditioning, or training has a known propensity to do so. The code contains no list of restricted or banned breeds and no pit-bull or other breed-specific language. Section 91.07 sets out how an Animal Control Officer may declare an animal dangerous - generally after it inflicts severe or multiple injuries, kills or severely injures another animal off the owner's property, or repeats prior dangerous behavior - and provides notice, a City Court hearing, and appeal rights. Once declared dangerous, an animal must be confined in a proper enclosure, leashed (maximum ten feet) and muzzled when outside, kept behind warning signage, and the owner faces added restrictions under §§ 91.05 and 91.07. The dangerous-animal definition also protects dogs from being labeled vicious when the person hurt was trespassing, committing a crime, or tormenting the dog, and exempts law-enforcement and trained guard dogs performing their duties. In short, any dog of any breed may be kept in Fishers, but individual dogs that behave dangerously become subject to strict confinement and handling rules.