Hammond, IN Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Enclosure height
- minimum 6 feet, embedded 2 feet if no floor
- Off-property restraint
- muzzle plus chain or leash 6 feet or less
- Liability insurance Animal Control may require
- $300,000
- Appeal window
- 7 days to request a hearing
- Board hearing deadline
- within 15 days of the request
- Maximum fine for noncompliance
- $2,500 per day
Summary
Hammond, Indiana does not ban dogs by breed. Instead, Hammond Animal Control can declare any animal 'dangerous' after a bite, unprovoked attack or repeated aggressive charging, then order the owner to build a locked 6-foot enclosure, muzzle and leash it off-property, post a warning sign, carry $300,000 in liability insurance and complete obedience training.
The city’s Animal Control shall have the authority to make a determination that an animal is a dangerous animal as defined in § 91.001, and to order the owner to comply with any of the measures set forth in this section for the protection of public health, safety and welfare. ... While on the owner’s property, the owner must securely confine the dangerous animal indoors or within a securely enclosed and locked pen, structure or fence, suitable to prevent the entry of young children and designed to prevent the animal from escaping. The pen, structure or fence must be a minimum of 6 feet in height and must have secure sides. ... While off of the owner’s property, a dangerous animal must be muzzled securely to prevent the possibility of biting, restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding 6 feet in length, and under the control of a responsible person at all times.
Full Breakdown
001 definition of a dangerous animal: one that bites or attacks without provocation, repeatedly charges people in an apparent attitude of attack, is kept for animal fighting, or is used by a business to guard property. Guard dogs and animals already found to be 'vicious' are automatically subject to the confinement rules with no separate declaration or hearing. Once an animal is declared dangerous, Animal Control can order humane destruction if it caused severe injury or death, weighing the circumstances, or instead permanently bar the animal from city limits.
If the animal is not destroyed, the owner must keep it in a securely enclosed, locked pen at least 6 feet high, embedded 2 feet into the ground if it has no floor, and post a conspicuous 'WARNING - DANGEROUS ANIMAL - KEEP AWAY' sign visible from 50 feet. Off the property, the animal must be muzzled and on a chain or leash no longer than 6 feet under an adult's control. Animal Control may also require $300,000 in liability insurance and completion of an approved obedience course.
Owners get written notice by certified mail and 7 days to request a hearing before the Board of Public Works and Safety, which must be held within 15 days; a destruction order is stayed for 7 days after the hearing if appealed.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply with a dangerous-animal declaration under § 91.105, including confinement, muzzling, signage, insurance or training orders, carries a fine of up to $2,500 per day under § 91.999(B), with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Letting a confined or quarantined animal escape, or disposing of it before quarantine ends, is a separate violation, and Animal Control may impound a noncompliant animal at the owner's expense pending resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hammond ban pit bulls or other dog breeds?
What must I do if Hammond Animal Control declares my dog dangerous?
Can I appeal a dangerous animal declaration in Hammond?
What happens if my dangerous animal kills or seriously injures someone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hammond
How Hammond compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Hammond to another location·View the Indiana animal ordinances overview
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