Howard County, IN Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

01 sweep in essentially any non-domesticated creature under WILD ANIMALS, carving out only two narrow exceptions: small non-poisonous aquatic or amphibious animals, such as ordinary pet fish or frogs, and small caged birds, such as parakeets or finches. Everything else that qualifies as non-domesticated, from reptiles to primates to big cats, falls under the ban. 03(E) states the prohibition directly: it is unlawful for any person to own, keep, or harbor a dangerous dog or wild animal within the county, and the only exception written into the section covers animals under the control of a law enforcement or military agency.

The chapter does not describe a permit or variance process for exotic pet owners, so there is no path in this code to lawfully keep a wild animal in unincorporated Howard County outside that narrow law-enforcement exception. 04 to enter land in pursuit of an animal believed to violate the chapter and to kill an animal at large that cannot be safely captured, though agents must try to avoid killing an animal suspected of biting someone or showing signs of rabies.