Indianapolis, IN Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Sec. 531-413 requires the owner or keeper of any unaltered dog older than six months in Marion County to register on the Marion County Unaltered Animal Registry, maintained free of charge by Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS). Registration is valid for one year and must be renewed annually. The section exempts commercial breeders and brokers licensed under IC 15-21-1-4, municipal shelters, humane societies, rescue groups and foster homes, and dogs a veterinarian has certified as medically unfit for sterilization.

By registering, an owner agrees to detailed guidelines: an annual veterinary exam with core vaccinations, including current rabies shots for dogs over three months; keeping birth and buyer records for two years; reporting each new litter to IACS before birth or within two weeks after; and microchipping every puppy before sale or transfer, with new owners updating that microchip information under Sec. 531-202. A female dog cannot be bred unless a veterinarian confirms she is in normal body condition and healthy enough, and she may not birth more than one litter per eighteen-month period, or more than six litters in her lifetime, without a veterinarian's written sign-off. Each litter also needs a unique "Litter ID Number" from IACS disclosed to any buyer.

Failing to register an unaltered dog over six months old makes the owner an "unregistered breeder" in violation of the section. IACS also compiles and publishes registry data, including registrant counts, litter IDs issued, inspection locations and outcomes, and cases referred to the city prosecutor.