Hendricks County, IN Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 91.05(H)
- Cat leash law
- None
- Pickup for at-large
- Not enforced against owners
- Stray pickup allowed
- Only if reported and contained
- Trapping right
- Complainant may use humane trap
Summary
Hendricks County has no cat leash law: Animal Control will not pick up cats simply for running at large. Strays reported and contained can still be picked up, and owners of nuisance cats may legally trap them for delivery to the shelter.
(H) There is no cat leash law. Cats will not be picked up for running at large. However, the County Animal Control/Shelter can pick up cats that are reported to be stray, if contained. In the case of owned cats running at large, the complainant has a legal right to utilize a humane trap for the purpose of containing the animal to bring to the County Animal Control/Shelter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-3: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2024-50, passed 12-10-2024; and State law current through Indiana Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
05(H) of the Hendricks County Code, adopted under Ordinance 2000-30, states directly that there is no cat leash law and that cats will not be picked up for running at large. 04. The same subsection carves out two exceptions to the hands-off approach: the County Animal Control/Shelter can pick up a cat reported to be a stray if it is already contained, and a complainant dealing with an owned cat running at large has a legal right to use a humane trap to contain the animal and bring it to the County Animal Control/Shelter.
06(B)(2) requires most cats adopted out by the shelter to be sterilized and microchipped at the new owner's expense. Because Hendricks County's general code covers only the unincorporated area, this at-large policy applies outside Danville and the county's incorporated towns.
Violations & Fines
There is no fine for a cat simply being at large under 91.05(H), since the county does not treat loose cats as a chapter violation the way it treats loose dogs under 91.04. A cat picked up as a contained stray or via humane trap is subject to the shelter's standard impoundment and reclaim fees under 91.06(A), including a $30 impoundment fee that doubles for repeat offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be fined if my cat roams outside in Hendricks County?
Will the county pick up a stray cat if I call?
Can I trap a neighbor's cat that keeps coming onto my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hendricks County
Compare Hendricks County to another location·View the Indiana animal ordinances overview
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