OTHER DISPOSITION OF ANIMALS

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. III, ch. 531, art. VII, div. 3

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-731 Disposition of owner-surrendered animals and impounded animals not claimed by owner; adoption.

Sec. 531-731. - Disposition of owner-surrendered animals and impounded animals not claimed by owner; adoption. (a) An animal surrendered by its owner to the animal care services agency and not adopted, or rescued by a humane or breed rescue organization, may be kept or otherwise humanely disposed of, in the reasonable exercise of discretion of the enforcement authority, but consistent with such provisions as the animal care services board shall make regarding the capture, surrender, impoundment, adoption, sale and destruction of animals. No healthy, behaviorally sound, adoptable owner-surrendered animal shall be humanely disposed of, while there is sufficient room in the kennel to reasonably house such animal at the animal care services shelter. (b) An animal impounded under this article and that is not claimed by its owner shall be confined by the enforcement authority in a humane manner for a period after capture of not less than four (4) days. Because the shelter operates twenty-four (24) hours a day, the four-day hold period applies to each day the animal is in the shelter's care, regardless of weekends or holidays. An animal not claimed within the impoundment period may be kept, adopted, rescued by a humane or breed rescue organization, a member of the public, or otherwise humanely disposed of, in the reasonable exercise of discretion of the enforcement authority. Even after the expiration of the impoundment period, no animal shall be humanely disposed of, while there is sufficient room in the kennel to reasonably house such animal at the animal care services shelter. (c) A free-roaming cat that is not spayed or neutered and is eligible for the community cat program is exempt from the mandatory four-day impoundment period and may be immediately processed through the community cat program. (d) A person wishing to adopt an animal from the animal care services shelter shall pay to the city an adoption fee of sixty dollars ($60.00). The foregoing notwithstanding, animal care services agency may, upon the approval of the animal care services board, set lower fees for adoption for special events, specific circumstances, and limited periods of time which shall be designated in advance and clearly defined. (e) A dog or cat that has been impounded under this article or is otherwise available for adoption, must be spayed or neutered, and microchipped, prior to being released to any person who wishes to adopt the animal. (G.O. 169, 1999, § 5; G.O. 15, 2000, § 2; G.O. 97, 2004, § 7; Ord. No. 47, 2015, § 2; G.O. 17, 2016, § 1; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2; G.O. 37, 2024, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-732 Use of owner-surrendered or impounded animal for research prohibited.

Sec. 531-732. - Use of owner-surrendered or impounded animal for research prohibited. No animal surrendered by its owner or impounded under this article shall be used or disposed of for purposes of research or experimentation by use of the animal. (G.O. 169, 1999, § 5)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-733 Restrictions on return of certain animals.

Sec. 531-733. - Restrictions on return of certain animals. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an animal which has been impounded under this article for a violation of sections 531-102 (at large), 531-103 (animals in heat), 531-109 (animal attacks), 531-204 (nuisance), or 531-305 (rabies quarantine), or a violation of either article IV or V, of this chapter, or a violation of 531-728 (additional restrictions), or which has been impounded on a prior occasion, or which has bitten or otherwise caused injury to person or property shall be returned to its owner only if the enforcement authority in its discretion determines that such return will not result in further or ongoing violations of these sections. (G.O. 169, 1999, § 5; G.O. 97, 2004, § 8; G.O. 94, 2006, § 5; G.O. 37, 2024, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-734 Injured or diseased animals.

Sec. 531-734. - Injured or diseased animals. Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, an injured or diseased animal need not be retained four (4) days, but may be disposed of at any time when in the reasonable discretion of the enforcement authority, it would be more humane and reasonable to do so, rather than provide veterinary care. (G.O. 169, 1999, § 5; G.O. 97, 2004, § 8)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-735 Contracts for the disposition of owner-surrendered and impounded animals.

Sec. 531-735. - Contracts for the disposition of owner-surrendered and impounded animals. The city may contract, arrange or agree for the disposition of an animal that was surrendered by its owner, or impounded, and that was unclaimed for longer than four (4) days, and an animal transferred to a person so contracting, arranging or agreeing with the city shall thereafter be the property solely of the contractor. The contract, arrangement or agreement may provide for the retention by the contractor of any funds received in payment for animals sold to other persons, in order to help cover such contractor's expenses of rendering its services. (G.O. 169, 1999, § 5; G.O. 97, 2004, § 8)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 531-736 Capture, holding and maintenance, and disposition of animals by the humane society.

Sec. 531-736. - Capture, holding and maintenance, and disposition of animals by the humane society. (a) The Humane Society of Indianapolis, Inc., by its duly authorized agents, employees or other personnel, shall have the authority to proceed to the scene or location of a diseased, sick or injured animal which is at large in the county after being requested to do so by any member of the general public for the purposes of capturing and transporting such animal to its duly established humane shelter, and to hold and properly maintain the animal until it is either claimed by its owner, or in the discretion of the humane society, otherwise properly disposed of. The humane society may also receive an animal brought to its shelter by members of the general public or proper governmental personnel and either keep, or in the discretion of the humane society, otherwise humanely dispose of such animal. (b) Upon the capture of any diseased, sick or injured animal or taking of an animal brought to its shelter by a person or any local governmental personnel, the humane society personnel shall make a reasonable attempt to notify and inform the owner of the animal of the requirements and procedures for claiming ownership and regaining custody thereof. (c) When the owner of a captured or held animal is discovered or known, the animal shall be returned to the owner upon the payment of any applicable fees or upon the compliance with all other applicable procedures of the humane society. If the owner does not claim an animal or desires not to claim it, the humane society, within its discretion, may return the animal to any person desiring to assume ownership, custody and care thereof in conformance with the established requirements of the humane society after a four (4)-day holding period, as long as the animal has or will receive a current antirabies vaccination under the provisions of Article III of this chapter. (d) Upon the capture of any diseased, sick or injured animal or the taking of an animal brought to its shelter by any person or any local governmental personnel, the humane society shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, confine the animal in a humane manner for a period of not less than four (4) days. Thereafter, the humane society in its discretion may keep, release or otherwise humanely dispose of the animal consistent with the established procedures of the humane society as they may be amended from time to time. (e) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, diseased or injured animals need not be retained four (4) days, but may be humanely disposed of at any time if in the discretion of the proper humane society personnel or authorized veterinarian such disposition is necessary and proper for such animals. (f) This section does not authorize the humane society to assume any of the impoundment and disposition functions of the animal care services agency as elsewhere specified in this chapter or state law. (g) Nothing in this section shall inhibit the animal care services agency in any way from carrying out its functions in accordance with applicable law and whatever provisions or regulations the animal care services board shall make in carrying out its mandate to make provisions to maintain an animal care services agency, to regulate the capture, impoundment, sale and destruction of animals in accordance with applicable law, and for the operation of the animal care services agency. (G.O. 169, 1999, § 5; G.O. 97, 2004, § 8; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2; G.O. 37, 2024, § 1)

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIIPUHEWE_CH531AN_ARTVIIENAU_DIV3OTDIANFetched: 10/27/2026