Dearborn County, IN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 90.17 of the Dearborn County Code, adopted by the Board of Commissioners, is the restraint rule. Division (A) makes it unlawful for any owner or harborer of any animal, except community cats, to allow the animal to run at large, whether wearing a collar and tag or not, in the incorporated or unincorporated areas of Dearborn County. An animal at large with a collar and tag is returned to its owner by reasonable measures; one without a collar and tag is immediately impounded by an animal control officer or law enforcement officer, who can pursue the animal onto private property to capture it.

Division (C) puts a specific duty on dog owners: keep the dog under restraint and take reasonable care to prevent it from leaving the real property limits. The dog must be securely and humanely enclosed in a house, building, fence, pen or other enclosure it cannot climb, dig, jump or otherwise escape from; securely restrained by chain, cable, trolley or other tether strong enough to prevent escape; or on a leash under the control of a competent person, or off a leash and obedient to that person's command with the person present. Section 90.02 defines a DOG RUNNING AT LARGE as a dog not under direct control, not on a leash, not at heel, not beside a competent person, not in a vehicle, or not confined within the property limits of its owner, and says hunting dogs are under the owner's control when hunting with the landowner's permission.

Other divisions add detail. A guard dog or watch dog must be inside a perimeter fence with all points of ingress and egress locked, and a beware of dog sign at least 16 inches by 16 inches must be displayed on each exterior side for each 50 feet of enclosure, with a minimum of two. Chaining is described as discouraged, but a chain must be at least 12 feet long, and the dog must reach food and water 24 hours a day and have shelter. An animal in heat must be confined so it cannot contact a male of the same species except for planned breeding. If the owner is a minor, the parent or guardian is jointly responsible.