The Starke County Commissioners reviewed the leash law ordinance during their meeting last week.
The ordinance states that all dogs shall be kept under restraint while on the owner’s property and off the owner’s property.
Dogs must be under complete control of the owner. While on the owner’s property, dogs must be inside the residence or within a fenced area at a sufficient height to prevent the animal’s escape.
Owners who fail to control dogs as required may commit a Class C misdemeanor if the owner fails to take reasonable steps to restrain the dog, or the dog bites or attacks another person without provocation resulting in bodily injury to the other person. A Class B misdemeanor occurs when the person has been convicted of more than one previous unrelated violation, or if the violation results in serious bodily injury to a person.
Certain hunting dogs or dogs in the act of herding are exempt from violating the ordinance.
Felony charges could be filed if the owner recklessly, or knowingly violates the ordinance and the violation results in the death of a person.
The commissioners suspended the rules and adopted the ordinance on all three readings of the ordinance during their meeting last week.
The full ordinance can be found here.
