Animal Ordinances in Bartholomew County, IN (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Verified from official government sources
Dog Leash Laws
It is unlawful in unincorporated Bartholomew County for an owner to let a dog repeatedly run at large so as to create a public nuisance, and a dog running at large under § 92.04(A) can be impounded on sight. Working farm dogs used for tending purposes are the only stated exception.
Bartholomew County Dog At-Large Restraint Rule
Some RestrictionsBartholomew County Code § 92.04(A)
§ 92.04 RESTRAINT. (A) It shall be unlawful for an owner or person having the custody or control of any dog or cat to allow the dog or cat to repeatedly run at large throughout the county so as to create a public nuisance, provided that this requirement shall not apply to working farm dogs used for tending purposes.
Breed Restrictions
Bartholomew County does not regulate dogs by breed. Instead, county law defines a "vicious animal" as one known to have bitten or injured a person without provocation, or one that promiscuously attacks other animals. Owners of a vicious animal in unincorporated Bartholomew County must keep it in a completely enclosed building or secure enclosure with no escape route, and muzzle or cage it whenever it leaves the property. Violators face a $100 citation fine.
Bartholomew County Vicious Animal Confinement
Some RestrictionsBartholomew County Code §§ 92.01, 92.04(C)
VICIOUS ANIMAL. Any animal that is known to have bitten or otherwise physically molested or inflicted a personal injury upon a human being without provocation; or, an animal that promiscuously attacks other animals. ... Every vicious animal shall be confined by its owner or person having its custody or control within a completely enclosed building or secure enclosure with no means of escape and...
Exotic Pets
Bartholomew County Code § 92.05(G) bars anyone in unincorporated Bartholomew County from keeping a wild animal as a pet unless the Animal Control Officer permits it. Section 92.01 defines WILD ANIMAL to include monkeys, raccoons, skunks, foxes, poisonous snakes, leopards, panthers, tigers, lions and lynx, plus any other warm-blooded animal normally found in the wild. The Officer may issue a temporary permit only for a harmless native infant animal.
Bartholomew County Wild Animal Pet Ban
Heavy RestrictionsBartholomew County Code §§ 92.01, 92.05(G)
WILD ANIMAL. Any live monkey, raccoon, skunk, fox, poisonous snake, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or any other warm-blooded animal which can normally be found in the wild state. ... No person shall keep or permit to be kept any wild animal as a pet except as permitted by the Animal Control Officer. The Animal Control Officer is empowered to issue a temporary permit for the keeping and pro...
Pet Limits
Unincorporated Bartholomew County sets no flat cap on dogs or cats per household, but keeping four or more animals turns a home into a KENNEL under § 92.01's definition, the same classification that applies to commercial boarding and breeding operations. A separate cap limits any breeder to ten unaltered female dogs or cats over 12 months old.
Bartholomew County Household Kennel Threshold
Light RestrictionsBartholomew County Code § 92.01 (definitions KENNEL, BREEDER)
KENNEL. Any facility wherein any person engages in the business of boarding, breeding, buying, letting for hire, training for a fee or selling dogs or cats; or any household or noncommercial animal establishment harboring four or more animals. ... BREEDER. Any person, or other entity that breeds dogs or cats for purposes of sale of the offspring of the animal(s). In no event shall a breeder ope...
Cat Rules
Every cat owner in unincorporated Bartholomew County must license the cat as state law requires, and abandoning a cat is unlawful, but the code carves out a specific exception for trap-neuter-return: an authorized shelter or organization may lawfully return a trapped, spayed or neutered feral cat to where it was found.
Bartholomew County Cat Licensing & Feral Cat Rule
Some RestrictionsBartholomew County Code §§ 92.03, 92.05(C)
§ 92.03 LICENSING OF DOGS AND CATS. ... Any person owning, keeping, harboring or having custody of a dog or cat must obtain a license as required by state law, I.C. 15-20. ... (C) It shall be unlawful for any owner of any dog, cat or other animal to abandon the same within the county. However, nothing contained herein shall prohibit an animal shelter or any organization contracted with or sanct...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Bartholomew County does not require pet owners generally to spay or neuter their animals, but § 92.05(H) caps any breeder in unincorporated Bartholomew County at ten unaltered female dogs or cats over 12 months old kept for breeding. Section 92.01 repeats that limit in the BREEDER definition. Section 92.05(C) separately protects trap-neuter-return by letting county-sanctioned shelters return spayed or neutered feral cats to where they were trapped.
Bartholomew County Breeder Alteration Cap
Some RestrictionsBartholomew County Code §§ 92.01, 92.05(C), 92.05(H)
BREEDER. Any person, or other entity that breeds dogs or cats for purposes of sale of the offspring of the animal(s). In no event shall a breeder operate more than ten unaltered female dogs or cats that are more than 12 months old. ... nothing contained herein shall prohibit an animal shelter or any organization contracted with or sanctioned by the county to provide humane animal care from retu...
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