Indiana regulates private possession of wild and exotic animals through a state Wild Animal Possession Permit administered by the Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife under IC 14-22-26 and 312 IAC 9-11. Animals are classified into Class I (raccoons, opossums, squirrels - permit required), Class II (beavers, coyotes, foxes, mink, bobcats, smaller wild cats - permit required), and Class III (potentially dangerous - bears, big cats, wolves, venomous reptiles, large constrictors and crocodilians - strict permit required). Noblesville Code Chapter 90 (notably Sec. 90.10) provides a city overlay for wild or exotic animals; Sec. 90.27 separately bars residential keeping of traditional livestock. The federal Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022 also prohibits private big-cat ownership nationwide.
Exotic-animal regulation in Noblesville is a multi-layered framework. (1) STATE STATUTE: Indiana Code 14-22-26 ('Wild Animal Permit') authorizes the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to require a Wild Animal Possession Permit for residents possessing certain native and non-native wild animals. The administrative detail is in Title 312, Article 9, Rule 11 of the Indiana Administrative Code (312 IAC 9-11). The DNR uses a three-class scheme: CLASS I includes nuisance native species (raccoons, opossums, squirrels) and requires a permit to possess. CLASS II includes furbearers and small wild cats (beaver, coyote, gray fox, red fox, mink, muskrat, Virginia opossum, raccoon, striped skunk, weasel, serval, leopard cat, margay cat, jaguarundi, jungle cat, Pallas' cat, sand cat, black-footed cat, flat-headed cat) and requires a permit. CLASS III is the 'dangerous' category and covers black bears, brown bears, sun bears, sloth bears, polar bears, wolverines, hyenas, all big cats (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar/mountain lion, cheetah, snow leopard, clouded leopard) and large hybrids, wolves and wolf hybrids, all crocodilians, certain venomous reptiles, and large constrictor snakes; the permit requires a sturdy escape-proof enclosure, written escape/bite protocol, public-liability insurance in some cases, and the DNR may decline issuance entirely for certain species. Permits expire one year from issuance and must be renewed; the applicant must obtain the permit BEFORE taking possession of a Class III animal. (2) FEDERAL BIG CAT ACT: Effective December 2022, the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act (Public Law 117-272) prohibits private ownership of big cats (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, cheetah, snow leopard, clouded leopard, and any hybrid) nationwide regardless of state permitting - existing owners had to register with USFWS by June 18, 2023; no new ownership permitted. (3) NOBLESVILLE CITY: Chapter 90 of the Code includes Section 90.10 ('Wild or exotic animals') which provides the city overlay for exotic-animal keeping inside Noblesville, working in tandem with the IC 14-22-26 framework. Section 90.27 separately prohibits residential keeping of traditional livestock species (hogs, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, cows). (4) HAMILTON COUNTY: Hamilton County's Title 15 (Agriculture and Animals) Ordinance provides the unincorporated-area framework and contains dangerous-animal definitions referenced by Hamilton County Animal Services in field enforcement. (5) COMMONLY ALLOWED PETS: Ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, sugar gliders, parrots, aquarium fish, non-venomous and non-giant reptiles (ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons, leopard geckos), and similar conventional pets generally do not require a state permit in Indiana. Note that Indiana SPECIFICALLY prohibits private possession of skunks as pets unless the animal was lawfully imported with a Class II permit.
Possession of a Class I, Class II, or Class III wild animal in Noblesville without a current Indiana DNR Wild Animal Possession Permit issued under IC 14-22-26 and 312 IAC 9-11 is a violation of state law enforceable by DNR Law Enforcement, with seizure of the animal and Class B misdemeanor or Class A misdemeanor exposure under IC 14-22-38 depending on the violation. Private ownership of a big cat (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, cheetah, snow leopard, clouded leopard, or hybrid) is a federal violation under the Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022 regardless of state permit status. City violations of Noblesville Code Sec. 90.10 are enforceable by Hamilton County Animal Services (317-773-1282), with civil penalties under the general penalty section of the Code and animal seizure available.
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