Bartholomew County, IN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large fine
- $100 if paid within 5 days (§ 92.99(A))
- Court fine range
- $100 to $500 per offense
- Exception
- working farm dogs used for tending
- Impoundment authority
- Animal Control Officer / Sheriff's Dept.
- Alternative to impoundment
- official written warning (§ 92.10)
Summary
It is unlawful in unincorporated Bartholomew County for an owner to let a dog repeatedly run at large so as to create a public nuisance, and a dog running at large under § 92.04(A) can be impounded on sight. Working farm dogs used for tending purposes are the only stated exception.
§ 92.04 RESTRAINT. (A) It shall be unlawful for an owner or person having the custody or control of any dog or cat to allow the dog or cat to repeatedly run at large throughout the county so as to create a public nuisance, provided that this requirement shall not apply to working farm dogs used for tending purposes.
Full Breakdown
04(A) makes it unlawful for an owner or a person with custody or control of a dog (or cat) to allow the animal to repeatedly run at large throughout the county so as to create a public nuisance, but exempts working farm dogs used for tending purposes. 01 as being off the owner's premises while not under control by leash, cord, chain, or other physical restraint, or under control by voice command while accompanying the owner. 04 require owners to confine vicious dogs and any dog in heat within a completely enclosed building or secure enclosure with no means of escape, and separately make it unlawful for a dog to enter another person's property without consent, or to scratch, bite, or otherwise injure a person, other animal, or property. 04(B), (C), or (E). 10 in lieu of impoundment.
Violations & Fines
A dog running at large is subject to impoundment under § 92.07(B)(1) and to the fine schedule in § 92.99(A), which sets a $100 notice-of-violation fine for an "at large" violation if the owner appears and pays at the County Treasurer's office within five days; failure to pay within that window lets the county file the violation in county court, where it is prosecuted as a misdemeanor punishable by not less than $100 nor more than $500, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my dog run loose on my own property in unincorporated Bartholomew County?
What happens if my dog is picked up running at large?
Are farm dogs exempt from the leash rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartholomew County
Compare Bartholomew County to another location·View the Indiana animal ordinances overview
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