Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-101 Definitions.
Sec. 531-101. - Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section.
Animal means any living, nonhuman vertebrate creature.
Animal care services shelter means the shelter described in section 288-103 of this Code.
At large means being loose and free roaming, not being on a leash and under the control of a competent person, or any portion of the animal's body not being confined within a pen, corral, yard, cage, house, vehicle, or other secure enclosure or structure or by other means that prevents escape.
Board means the board of animal care services.
Community cat means an unowned cat that has been captured, evaluated, ear tipped, sterilized and vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian and released in accordance with section 531-209 of this Code.
Community cat caretaker means a person that provides food, water or outdoor areas of shelter to a community cat and who is not otherwise prohibited from owning or keeping animals.
Crime prevention dog means and includes a dog that is trained and used by its owner or keeper primarily for the protection of persons or property, or both.
Dangerous animal means any animal that:
(1) Would constitute a danger to human life or property if it were not kept in the manner required by this chapter;
(2) Has caused serious injury to a person without having been provoked by that person;
(3) At a place other than its owner's or keepers property has:
a. Chased or approached a person in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack; or
b. Attacked another domestic animal; or
(4) Because of its training or behavior, is capable of inflicting physical harm or death to humans.
Dog means and includes animals of the Canis familiaris species, and hybrids of a Canis familiaris and any other member of the Canis genus, including wolves.
Domestic animals means rabbits, cattle, horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, jackasses, llamas, swine, sheep, goats, dogs, cats and poultry.
Exposed to rabies means an animal has been exposed to rabies if it has been bitten by or been in contact with any animal known or reasonably suspected to have been infected with rabies.
Free-roaming cat means a cat that is at large that does not possess an identification tag or microchip as required by section 501-202 of this Code nor has been ear tipped to indicate it is a community cat.
Kennel means a facility operated commercially and principally for the purpose of boarding, housing, breeding or training dogs or cats, or both. For purposes of this chapter, kennel shall not include a facility in or adjoining a private residence where dogs or cats are kept for the hobby of the owner, lessee or other occupant of the property using the animals for hunting, practice tracking, exhibiting in shows or field or obedience trials or for the guarding or protecting of the property, and an occasional sale of pups or kittens by the owner, lessee or other occupant of the property shall not make such property a kennel for the purposes of this chapter.
Law enforcement animal means an animal that is owned or used by a law enforcement agency for the purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, the apprehension of offenders and ensuring the public welfare.
Marion County Unaltered Animal Registry means a free registry maintained by Indianapolis Animal Care Services ("IACS") of eligible individuals in Marion County owning at least one unaltered dog. Eligibility for the Registry shall be determined by IACS. The assessment of eligibility will include, but will not limited to, ordinance and criminal violations.
Monitored means that the animal:
(1) Is controlled by means of a leash or other device held by a competent person, subject to the provisions of sections 531-401 and 531-728, which animal is sufficiently near the owner or handler as to be under his or her direct control and is obedient to that person's command;
(2) Is on or within a vehicle being driven or parked; or
(3) Is confined as required by this chapter.
Nonbite exposure means and includes scratches, abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or other potentially infectious material from a rabid animal.
Own means to keep, harbor or have custody, charge or control of an animal, and owner means any person who owns an animal; however:
(1) Veterinarians and operators of kennels, pet shops and stables, as those terms are defined in Chapter 836 of this Code, who temporarily keep animals owned by, or held for sale to other persons shall not be deemed to own or be owners, but rather to be keepers of such animals.
(2) A community cat caretaker shall not be deemed to own or keep a community cat but rather to provide limited oversight of such animals.
Person means and includes any individual, corporation, partnership or other association or organization, but shall exclude the following for purposes of section 531-401:
(1) Police officers, federal or state armed forces, park rangers, game wardens, conservation officers and other such governmental agencies, with respect to actions that constitute a discharge of their official duties; and
(2) An individual, partnership, corporation or other association, organization, or institution of higher education, that is registered as a research facility with the United States Secretary of Agriculture under 7 USC § 2131 et seq., commonly known as the "Animal Welfare Act," while engaged in the course of their performance as such.
Provoke means the infliction of bodily harm on the animal or another person, or conduct that constitutes a substantial step toward the infliction of bodily harm on the animal or another person.
Quarantining authority means the animal care services agency, its contractors, agents, employees and designees, acting under directives and regulations of the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County or the state board of animal health.
Registered breeder means an individual residing in Marion County who is:
(1) Not a "commercial breeder" as defined by IC 15-21-1-4,
(2) Registered on the Marion County Unaltered Animal Registry, and
(3) Adheres to guidelines for responsible unaltered animal ownership as further defined in this chapter.
Serious injury means any injury that results in permanent disfigurement, unconsciousness, extreme pain, or permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ and includes, in regard to an animal, an injury requiring euthanasia.
Unregistered breeder means:
(1) An individual residing in Marion County, who is:
a. Not a "commercial breeder" as defined by IC 15-21-1-4,
b. Home breeding one or more dogs at a time, and
c. Not on the Marion County Unaltered Animal Registry.
(2) An individual that does not adhere to guidelines for responsible unaltered animal ownership or does not provide dogs and/or puppies adequate care as further defined in this section 531-401.
Veterinarian means a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state.
Wild animal means and includes:
(1) A Class III wild animal for which a state permit is required under 310 IAC 3.1-11-8 and/or IC 14-22-26; and
(2) A venomous snake, poisonous amphibian, or other large reptile.
(G.O. 30, 1998, § 1; G.O. 169, 1999, § 3; G.O. 15, 2000, § 2; G.O. 100, 2005, § 1; G.O. 94, 2006, § 1; G.O. 86, 2008, § 1; G.O. 116, 2009, § 1; G.O. 13, 2016, § 34; G.O. 17, 2016, § 1; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2; G.O. 49, 2023, § 1; G.O. 26, 2024, § 1; G.O. 37, 2024, § 1)