Animal Ordinances in Indianapolis, IN (2026)
13 verified animal ordinances for Indianapolis, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Indianapolis-Marion County's updated zoning code (Consolidated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance) permits backyard hens in single-family residential (RS) and urban development districts. A maximum of six hens is allowed, roosters are prohibited, hens must be kept in a fenced rear yard, and coops must be set back 3 feet from any building on the property and 25 feet from any neighboring residence. Miniature goats and miniature horses are allowed in limited numbers on larger lots.
Backyard hens allowed (no roosters) under zoning
Some RestrictionsMarion County Consolidated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (backyard hens / urban livestock provisions)
A maximum of six (6) hens is allowed and roosters are prohibited; hens may be kept only in a fenced rear yard in a single-family residential (RS) or urban development district, and chicken coops must be set back 3 feet from any building on the property and 25 feet from any residence on a neighboring property.
Dog Leash Laws
Indianapolis requires dogs to be leashed or confined. IC §15-20-1 imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites regardless of prior knowledge.
Indianapolis Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Indianapolis does not have any breed-specific ban or restriction; pit bulls and other breeds are legal to own. Dangerous and vicious dogs are regulated by behavior under Chapter 531 of the Revised Code and under Indiana Code Title 15, Article 20, not by breed. Indiana does not preempt local breed laws, but Indianapolis-Marion County has chosen a behavior-based approach.
No breed ban; dangerous-dog rules are behavior-based
Few RestrictionsIndiana Code 15-20-1-1 and 15-20-1-3 (political subdivision powers; dog bite liability)
Sec. 1. This chapter does not limit the power of an agency of the state or a political subdivision to adopt a rule or an ordinance that does not conflict with this chapter. ... Sec. 3. (a) If a dog, without provocation, bites a person: (1) who is acting peaceably; and (2) who is in a location where the person may be required to be in order to discharge a duty imposed upon the person by: (A) the...
Beekeeping
Beekeeping in Indianapolis-Marion County regulated under the local code and IC §14-24 (state apiarist program). No published citywide beekeeping ban; local zoning district rules may restrict hive placement. Contact Dept. of Metropolitan Development for current rules.
Indianapolis Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Exotic pets in Indianapolis governed by Code Ch. 531 and Indiana DNR regulations (IC §14-24 for exotic animals). The city prohibits dangerous exotic animals including big cats, bears, and venomous reptiles as pets. Standard pets and domestic livestock (miniature goats, miniature horses) have specific rules.
Indianapolis Exotic & Wild Animal Regulations
Some RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Feeding deer, raccoons, geese, or feral animals on Indianapolis property is treated as a nuisance when it attracts pests or wildlife, and Indiana DNR rules ban deer feeding in CWD management zones.
Wildlife Feeding Restrictions In Indianapolis
Some RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Indianapolis Animal Care Services treats hoarding as cruelty and neglect under Chapter 531 and Indiana Code 35-46-3, allowing seizure of animals when sanitation, food, water, or veterinary care fall below humane standards.
Animal Hoarding Enforcement In Indianapolis
Heavy RestrictionsPet Limits
The Revised Code of the Consolidated City and County does not impose a flat numerical limit on the number of dogs or cats a household may keep; instead, every dog and cat must carry permanent identification (microchip or permanent tag) under Sec. 531-202, and keeping animals in numbers that create a nuisance or that meet the kennel threshold triggers additional regulation. Indiana state law does not cap household pet numbers, so the local code controls.
No fixed dog/cat cap; permanent ID required
Few RestrictionsRevised Code of the Consolidated City and County, Sec. 531-202 (Permanent identification of dogs and cats required)
A person who owns a dog or cat in the consolidated city and county shall ensure that each dog or cat owned by that person bears a permanent means of identification at all times, such that the animal's owner can be ascertained accurately, quickly, and easily.
Cat Rules
Indianapolis requires cats over six months to be licensed, vaccinated, and sterilized or covered by an intact permit, while community cat caregivers may operate trap-neuter-return colonies through Animal Care Services.
Cat Licensing And Outdoor Cat Rules Indianapolis
Some RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
Indianapolis Code Chapter 531 requires dogs and cats over six months old to be spayed or neutered unless the owner buys an annual unaltered animal permit, with strict standards for breeders.
Mandatory Spay Neuter For Indianapolis Pets
Heavy RestrictionsMicrochipping
Indianapolis Animal Care Services microchips every dog and cat that passes through its custody and recommends microchipping for licensed pets, with state law backing chip-based rabies and ownership tracking.
Microchipping Pets In Indianapolis
Some RestrictionsCoyote Management
Coyotes are a protected fur-bearing species under Indiana DNR rules, and Indianapolis relies on hazing, secured trash, and nuisance trapping rather than open hunting inside city limits to reduce conflicts.
Coyote Management In Indianapolis Neighborhoods
Some RestrictionsPet Store Rules
Indianapolis Council passed an ordinance requiring pet stores to source dogs and cats from shelters or rescue partners rather than commercial breeders, but Indiana state law has limited similar local restrictions.
Pet Store Sourcing Rules In Indianapolis
Some RestrictionsLooking for Marion County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Indianapolis city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Marion County →