Lafayette, IN Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Lafayette Municipal Code § 10.01.100 defines a "wild animal" as a Class III wild animal for which a state permit is required under 310 IAC 3.1-11-8 and/or IC 14-22-26, or a venomous snake, poisonous amphibian, or other large reptile. Building on that definition, § 10.02.020(A) makes it unlawful for a person to own a wild animal inside the city, and the only carve-out in the ordinance is for zoological parks, which covers Columbian Park Zoo. The same section separately addresses dangerous domestic animals: § 10.02.020(B) bars anyone from causing or permitting a dangerous animal to appear on city streets or public places, or to run loose on another person's property, unless the animal is securely muzzled.

Subsection (C) lets the city impound any wild or dangerous animal under Chapter 10.08 and fine the owner, while subsection (D) authorizes an Animal Control Officer or police official to destroy a dangerous dog, cat, or pack of animals by shooting it on the spot if it is too dangerous to safely capture. Because the ban covers ownership outright rather than housing conditions, there is no permit process, size limit, or enclosure standard that would let a Lafayette resident lawfully keep a venomous snake, an exotic reptile, or a state-permitted Class III wild animal at home.

The prohibition is enforced jointly by the Lafayette Police Department and its Animal Control unit under § 10.07.010, and a violation with no dedicated fine falls under the Chapter 10.02 catch-all penalty at § 10.02.990.