Indiana dog law in plain language
Three rules shape ownership of any large dog in Indiana: a civil bite statute, a criminal restraint statute and a rabies vaccination requirement.
The rules side by side
| Rule | What it says | Read it |
|---|---|---|
| Civil liability | If a dog bites a person who is peaceably in a place they must be to perform a legal or postal duty, and the bite is unprovoked, the owner pays all damages suffered. Prior vicious behavior need not be shown. | IC 15-20-1-3 |
| Criminal restraint offense | An owner who recklessly, knowingly or intentionally fails to take reasonable steps to restrain a dog commits an offense when the dog enters someone else's property and bites or attacks without provocation, causing injury. | IC 15-20-1-4 |
| Rabies vaccination | All dogs, cats and ferrets three months of age and older must be vaccinated against rabies. A titer test cannot replace the vaccine. | State rabies site |
How the restraint offense escalates
The restraint statute starts as a Class C misdemeanor. It becomes a Class B with one prior unrelated conviction, a Class A with more than one or with serious bodily injury, a Level 6 felony for a reckless violation that results in death and a Level 5 felony for an intentional or knowing violation that results in death. A separate Class D infraction exists for letting a dog stray off the owner's premises, which does not apply if the dog is under reasonable control or lawfully hunting with its owner.
Local governments
The same chapter, Indiana Code 15-20-1, includes a section on the powers of political subdivisions, so a city or county may add rules. We did not verify any particular ordinance, so call your own town hall about licenses, leash rules and limits on the number of dogs.
Code pages online may lag the official text, so confirm on the Indiana General Assembly website, and consult an Indiana attorney for advice on your situation.
Questions about local rules?
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