Animal Ordinances in St. Joseph County, IN (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Raising chickens on residentially zoned land under five acres in unincorporated St. Joseph County requires an annual county chicken permit, caps flocks at six birds per half acre, bans roosters outright, and sets specific coop and pen dimensions. Chickens must stay non-commercial: no selling eggs or manure on-site and no on-site butchering.
St. Joseph County Backyard Chicken Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances §§ 90.13, 90.08(A)(2)
Persons desiring to raise one or more urban chickens on residentially zoned property of less than five acres within the county must file an application for a county chicken permit with the animal control agency and pay an annual filing fee. ... For chickens, a maximum of six chickens shall be permitted for each half acre of land provided they are maintained in compliance with sections 90.02 and...
Dog Leash Laws
In unincorporated St. Joseph County, a dog is legally "at large" if it is off its owner's property without a leash, or on a leash that does not adequately confine it or that isn't under the control of a person physically able to restrain it. Animal control can seize any dog found running at large, and repeat offenders escalate into a public nuisance case.
St. Joseph County Dog Leash & At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances §§ 90.01, 90.35(A)(2)
At large means any animal that is: (1)Not on a leash and is off the property of its owner, its owner's agent or its keeper;(2)On a leash that does not adequately confine the animal to the property of its owner, its owner's agent or its keeper;(3)On a leash that is not otherwise under the immediate control of a person physically capable of restraining the animal;(4)This section does not apply to...
Breed Restrictions
St. Joseph County has no breed ban; it regulates dogs by behavior. A dog that attacks a person or another animal, or bites unprovoked, can be declared "dangerous," forcing the owner into a permit requiring $300,000 in liability insurance, an escape-proof kennel, mandatory muzzling in public and posted warning signs on the property.
St. Joseph County Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances §§ 90.01, 90.60(C)
Dangerous animal means: (1)Any animal:(a)Which has, off its owner's property, attacked another animal or livestock;(b)Which has attacked or which has attempted to attack, unprovoked, any human being, whether on or off the owner's property;(c)Which has bitten or attacked a person, causing wounds or injuries creating a potential danger to the health and life of the victim... ... No person shall h...
Beekeeping
Backyard beekeepers in unincorporated St. Joseph County can only keep the domestic honey bee, Apis mellifera, in hives no larger than 17 cubic feet, set back at least four feet from the property line and ten feet from any public sidewalk. Violating the hive rules draws a flat $75 citation per violation, with every day of noncompliance a separate offense.
St. Joseph County Beekeeping & Hive Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 90.14
Any person desiring to raise the common domestic honey bee, limited to the Apis mellifera species, must comply with the following public safety regulations.(B)No hive shall exceed 17 cubic feet in volume.(C)Location requirements.(1)Where a lot does have a fence, hives must maintain a four-foot radial distance from the property line as measured from the center of the hive...(3)In no event shall ...
Exotic Pets
No wild or exotic animal can be kept anywhere in unincorporated St. Joseph County without county, state and federal permits, issued one per animal. The code's "controlled/exotic animal" list sweeps in poisonous reptiles, apes, wolves and wolf hybrids, big cats, bears, crocodilians and constrictor snakes among dozens of named species.
St. Joseph County Exotic & Wild Animal Permit Law
Significant RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances §§ 90.09, 90.01, 90.60(A)
No wild or exotic animal shall be kept in the county without the required county, state and federal permits. A county permit shall be issued for each animal. ... Controlled/exotic animal means any animal not defined as a domestic animal in this chapter with the exception of small, nonpoisonous reptiles, small cage birds or psittacine. Such controlled/exotic animals shall include any animal for ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Any dog or cat adopted from a local humane society, animal care facility or welfare organization in St. Joseph County must be spayed or neutered within 60 days of adoption if the animal is over three months old. Adopters sign a written agreement guaranteeing the surgery, and every adopted dog or cat must be microchipped before leaving the shelter.
St. Joseph County Adopted-Pet Spay/Neuter Rule
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 90.33
Any dog or cat adopted from a local humane society or animal care facility or animal welfare organization or animal adoption agency shall be spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian within 60 days of adoption if the dog or cat is over three months of age.(B)Upon reaching the age of six months an exception can be made only if a licensed veterinarian certifies that the animal is physically u...
Pet Store Rules
A licensed pet shop in unincorporated St. Joseph County cannot sell, trade or barter dogs or cats for a fee: it may only place them through the animal control agency or a recognized animal welfare organization. Every animal sale needs a permit, a written health disclosure, and a 48-hour return right if the animal has a pre-existing condition.
St. Joseph County Pet Shop Adoption-Only Rule
Significant RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 90.60(B)
No person, partnership or corporation shall operate a pet shop in the county without first obtaining from the county animal control agency a pet shop permit... Any person holding a pet shop permit shall furnish to each customer purchasing an animal a written statement at the time of sale containing the following information:(a)Date of sale;(b)Name, address and telephone number of purchaser and ...
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