Westfield, IN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 10-11 of the Westfield City Code is the city's core leash and at-large ordinance. Subsection (a) makes it unlawful for any owner or possessor to let an animal run at large in the city, collar and tag or not, and directs animal control or any police officer to impound such an animal immediately, with authority to pursue it onto private property to make the capture. Subsection (c) requires every owner to keep an animal restrained by one of three methods: securely and humanely enclosed in a locked house, building, fence or pen it cannot climb, dig, jump or otherwise escape; securely tethered by a chain, cable, trolley or other tether strong enough to prevent escape; or on a leash under a competent person's direct control in public, or obedient and supervised off-leash on the owner's property or in a designated dog park.

Subsection (d) discourages chaining outright but, if used, bars tethering between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. or at a vacant structure unmonitored, requires weather-appropriate shelter reachable by the tethered animal, sets a minimum tether length of 12 feet with swivels on both ends, bans choke collars or direct rope or chain attachment to the animal's neck, and requires the tether be rigged so it cannot wrap around a fixed object. Subsection (e) requires guard or watch dogs to be confined behind a perimeter fence with locked ingress and egress and beware-of-dog signs at least ten inches by 14 inches posted every 50 feet of fence.

Subsection (f) exempts dogs at a scheduled show, legally hunting or retrieving, certified service animals, and public-safety K-9 units. Subsection (g) makes a violation a Class C infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500.00 per occurrence.