BEDFORD – The Lawrence County Commissioners convened a special meeting Tuesday morning to examine the county’s animal control ordinance, with Sheriff Greg Day, Judge Robert Cline, and Animal Control Officer Chad Hillenburg in attendance.
The goal of the meeting, according to Commissioner President Rodney Fish, was to “come to a better understanding of the current animal control ordinance and the ability to utilize or, if need be, to readdress the ordinance. We need to address what is lawful and learn how a judge would approach it.”
During the discussion, Judge Cline clarified that state statutes supersede many sections within the county’s existing animal control ordinance. Animal Control Officer Hillenburg confirmed that he operates primarily under state law rather than the county ordinance due to these conflicts.
One key example highlighted was the leash law. In Indiana, there is no statewide leash law for dogs; however, many individual towns, cities, and counties do have their regulations, typically requiring dogs to be leashed when off their owner’s property. The commissioners learned that if a dog wanders onto a neighbor’s property, action can be taken if the dog is aggressive or causing property damage. However, if the dog is not aggressive, law enforcement’s ability to intervene is limited to requesting the owner to keep the dog on their property.
“If there is not a criminal issue, there may be a civil one, and all sides can be heard in a court of law,” Judge Cline explained, outlining avenues for resolution outside of immediate criminal enforcement.
Moving forward, the commissioners plan to have County Attorney David Smith review the existing county ordinance and update it to align with state statutes.
Another issue brought to light was the current inability of animal control to manage loose cats. “We just don’t have anywhere to take them,” stated Officer Hillenburg, indicating a lack of resources for handling stray felines within the county’s current framework.
The meeting underscored the need for the county’s animal control regulations to be clear, enforceable, and consistent with broader Indiana law to manage animal-related issues in Lawrence County effectively.
