Animal Ordinances in Warrick County, IN (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Warrick County, Indiana.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Warrick County Code excludes chickens and other poultry from its LIVESTOCK definition, so backyard fowl are not covered by Chapter 131's livestock rules. Cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, bison, llamas, horses, mules, and donkeys are LIVESTOCK, and § 131.13(B) requires their owners to give them a windbreak and watershed shelter against weather that would harm them.
Warrick County Livestock Shelter and Care Rule
Some RestrictionsWarrick County Code §§ 131.01, 131.13
LIVESTOCK. ... Certain domestic animals, including, without limitation, cattle (bovine), sheep, pigs, goats, bison, llamas, horses, mules, and donkeys. LIVESTOCK does not include aquatic animals, fish, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, gerbils, chinchillas, minks, ferrets, poultry, and/or other birds. ... § 131.13 SHELTER REQUIREMENTS. ... (B) Appropriate shelter for livestock shall...
Dog Leash Laws
In unincorporated Warrick County, Indiana, County Code § 131.10 bars any dog from straying beyond its owner's property unless leashed or on a supervised, lawful hunt. Section 131.20 backs this up: on the owner's property but unsupervised, a dog must be leashed or confined in a fenced enclosure, pen, or cage, with a tether at least three times the dog's length.
Warrick County Dog Leash and Restraint Law
Some RestrictionsWarrick County Code §§ 131.10, 131.20
§ 131.10 ANIMALS RUNNING AT LARGE. ... (A) No owner of any animal shall allow said animal to stray beyond the owner's property or premises unless the animal is maintained on a leash or is engaged in lawful hunting and accompanied by the owner. ... § 131.20 RESTRAINT, HITCHING OR TYING. (A) Animals must be confined to the owner's real property and not permitted to run loose. While on the owner's...
Breed Restrictions
Warrick County does not ban dogs by breed. Instead, County Code § 131.01 defines a DANGEROUS DOG by conduct, such as inflicting severe injury without provocation or being trained for animal fighting, and § 131.12 lets the Animal Control Officer classify and impound any dog that meets that definition, regardless of breed.
Warrick County Dangerous Dog Classification Rule
Significant RestrictionsWarrick County Code §§ 131.01, 131.12
DANGEROUS DOG. ... (1) Any dog that, according to the records of the Animal Control Officer: (a) Inflicts severe injury on a human, without provocation, on public or private property; (b) Aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of a human or any other animal, without provocation, after the dog has been classified as a potentially dangerous animal and the owner of the dog has been n...
Cat Rules
In unincorporated Warrick County, Indiana, cats fall under the same restraint law as other pets, except that County Code § 131.20(A) lets cats run at large on the owner's property in agriculturally zoned areas. Section 131.17 caps outdoor space per cat at twelve square feet and limits any enclosure to three adult cats or dogs.
Warrick County Cat At-Large and Enclosure Rule
Some RestrictionsWarrick County Code §§ 131.20, 131.17
§ 131.20 RESTRAINT, HITCHING OR TYING. ... In agriculturally zoned areas, however, cats may be allowed to run at large on the owner's property when not under the owner's direct control. ... § 131.17 EXERCISE. ... (A) No owner of an animal shall fail to supply such animal with adequate exercise opportunities and area. Any domesticated dog or cat shall have the minimum open exercise area commensu...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Warrick County does not require every pet to be spayed or neutered, but County Code § 131.32(C) makes it mandatory after a third impoundment. Once an animal other than a pocket pet or livestock is impounded a third time, the owner must pay to have it spayed or neutered under a fee Warrick County Animal Control sets.
Warrick County Repeat-Impound Spay/Neuter Rule
Significant RestrictionsWarrick County Code § 131.32(C), (D)
§ 131.32 REDEMPTION OF ANIMAL. ... (C) After an animal's third impoundment, excluding pocket pets and livestock, owner of said animal shall pay any expenses to spay or neuter said animal. Fees and expenses payable for the spaying and neutering of an animal under this section are determinable by Warrick County Animal Control and may be modified from time to time. (D) Upon an animal's fourth impo...
Microchipping
Warrick County does not require every pet to carry a microchip, but County Code § 131.32(F) lets Warrick County Animal Control require a microchip, at the owner's expense, before releasing an impounded animal. Section 131.32(B)(4) also makes the owner pay any microchip implantation cost when redeeming an impounded pet.
Warrick County Impounded Pet Microchip Rule
Light RestrictionsWarrick County Code § 131.32(B), (F)
§ 131.32 REDEMPTION OF ANIMAL. ... (B) Except as otherwise provided, the owner of any impounded animal, including livestock, may redeem said impounded animal prior to the expiration of the redemption period by meeting the following requirements: ... (4) Paying any expenses associated with the implantation of a microchip in any animal, excluding pocket pets or livestock; ... (F) Notwithstanding ...
Pet Groomer Rules
Warrick County does not license pet groomers separately. County Code § 131.01 defines a GROOMING SHOP as any commercial place where animals are bathed, clipped, plucked, or otherwise groomed, and § 131.26(B) gives the Animal Control Officer the right to inspect grooming shops, alongside kennels and pet shops, during normal business hours.
Warrick County Pet Grooming Shop Inspections
Light RestrictionsWarrick County Code § 131.26
GROOMING SHOP. A commercial establishment where animals are bathed, clipped, plucked, or otherwise groomed. ... § 131.26 KENNEL ENCLOSURES; INSPECTIONS. (A) The primary enclosures for dogs and cats in kennels shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide sufficient space to allow each dog and/or cat to turn about freely and easily, to stand, and to sit and lie down in a comfortable, norm...
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