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Animal Control

440 Third Street • Room 400 • Columbus, IN 47201
Phone 812-372-1935 • Office 812-373-3170
Office Hours 8-5, after 5 emergency calls only

Fees, Licenses, Permits

Sec. 3-7 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 Indiana law, I.C., 15-5-9-1 et seq. (Order. No. 12-13-79A, S3, 12-13-79).

Sec. 3-8 Restraint.

1. It shall be unlawful for an owner or person having the custody or control of any dog or cat to allow such 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 farms dogs used for tending purposes.
2. All owners or persons having custody or control shall confine within a completely enclosed building or secure enclosure with no means of escape every vicious dog or any dog or cat or other animal when in heat or rutting.
3. Every vicious animal shall be confined by its owner or person having its custody of control within a completely enclosed building or secure enclosure with no means of escape and shall be securely muzzled or caged whenever off the premises of its owner.
4. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor within the county an animal that creates a nuisance, or which by loud or frequent or habitual barking, howling or yelping causes annoyance or disturbance to the neighborhood.
5. All owners shall confine within a completely enclosed building or secure enclosure with no means of escape or as otherwise directed by the Environmental Health Division of the Bartholomew County Health Department, any warm-blooded animal which has bitten, scratched or caused an abrasion of the skin of any human being or any warm-blooded animal that is known or suspected of being rabid, in accordance with the provision of Section 3-10.
6. It shall be unlawful for any owner or person having custody or control of any dog, cat or other animal to allow such dog, cat or other animal to enter upon the private property of another person without consent.
7. It shall be unlawful for any owner or person having custody or control of any dog, cat or other animal to allow such dog, cat or other animal to scratch, bite or otherwise injure any person or other animal or to cause any damage or injury to the property of another person. (Ord. No. 1980-7, S1, 11-20-80).

An official warning shall state the name of the person to whom the warning is being issued, the nature of the violation, the date of the violation and any other information concerning the violation. Such official warning shall also state that it is only a warning and is neither a notice of Ordinance violation nor a notice to appear to answer to any such violation. A notice of Ordinance violation shall state the name of the person to whom the notice is being issued, the nature of the violation, the specific section of this Division which has been violated, the date of the violation, the fine imposed for such violation in accordance with Section IX of this Division, any other information which is pertinent to the violation. Such notice of Ordinance violation shall instruct the person to whom the warning is being issued that he or she shall appear at the Bartholomew County Auditor's Office to answer to such violation. (Ord. No. 1980-7, S2, 11-20-80).

Sec. 3-13 Violations and Fines.

1. Any person who violates the provisions of this Division and appears at the Bartholomew County Auditor's Office within five (5) days of the date of the notice of Ordinance violation shall pay a fine as follows:

        (Ord. No. 1987-16, S5, 10-26-87).

2. If a violator fails to appear at the Bartholomew County Auditor's Office within five (5) days of the date of notice of Ordinance violation, such violation may be filed with the Bartholomew County Court or any successor court, and such violator may be summoned to appear before the court.

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