Ind. Code » Title 15
Indiana Code

Ind. Code § 15-20-1-4 (2025)

Dog bite liability; criminal offense

✓ 2025 Indiana Code: the 2026 session is not included
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     Sec. 4. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the owner of a dog commits a Class C misdemeanor if:

(1) the owner recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally fails to take reasonable steps to restrain the dog;

(2) the dog enters property other than the property of the dog's owner; and

(3) as the result of the owner's failure to restrain the dog, the dog bites or attacks another person without provocation, resulting in bodily injury to the other person.

     (b) The offense under subsection (a) is:

(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the person has been convicted of one (1) previous unrelated violation of this section;

(2) a Class A misdemeanor if:

(A) the person has been convicted of more than one (1) previous unrelated violation of this section; or

(B) the violation results in serious bodily injury to a person;

(3) a Level 6 felony if the owner recklessly violates this section and the violation results in the death of a person; and

(4) a Level 5 felony if the owner intentionally or knowingly violates this section and the violation results in the death of a person.

     (c) This subsection does not apply to a nonaggressive dog that goes beyond the owner's premises onto agricultural or forested land. An owner of a dog commits a Class D infraction if the owner of the dog allows the dog to stray beyond the owner's premises, unless the dog is under the reasonable control of an individual or the dog is engaged in lawful hunting and accompanied by the owner or a custodian of the dog. However, the offense is a Class C infraction if the owner has a prior unrelated judgment for a violation of this subsection.

[Pre-2008 Recodification Citation: 15-5-12-3.]

As added by P.L.2-2008, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.226.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2011–2023 · leading case: Boss v. State, 964 N.E.2d 931 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012).
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Boss v. State, 964 N.E.2d 931 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 8× “Ind.Code § 15-20-1-4. 2 . I.C. § 35-46-3-1.”
Boss v. State, 944 N.E.2d 16 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 6× “[8] Ind.Code Ann. § 15-20-1-4 (West, Westlaw through 2010 2nd Regular Sess.”
Victoria M. Tidwell v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.), No. 18A-CR-1185 (Ind. Ct. App. June 21, 2019). · cites it 8× “1 Ind. Code §§ 15-20-1-4 (a), -4(b)(2)(B). 2 Ind.”
Jerry Bewley v. Town Of Speedway, 222 N.E.3d 1013 (Ind. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 8× “[22] In this case, the Bewleys claim the ITCA’s protections conflict with Indiana Code section 15-20-1-4 (2014), which provides in relevant part: Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 23A-CT-451 | October 30, 2023 Page 9 of 12 (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the owner…”
Carolyn Boss v. State of Indiana, No. 49A05-1106-CR-320 (Ind. Ct. App. Mar. 30, 2012). · cites it 6× “Another dog bit Bales‟s leg and “started shaking” 1 Ind. Code § 15-20-1-4 . 2 I.C. § 35-46-3-1.”
Ind. Code § 15-20-1-4(a): 2 cases
Boss v. State, 944 N.E.2d 16 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). “[8] Ind.Code Ann. § 15-20-1-4 (West, Westlaw through 2010 2nd Regular Sess.”
Victoria M. Tidwell v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.), No. 18A-CR-1185 (Ind. Ct. App. June 21, 2019). “1 Ind. Code §§ 15-20-1-4 (a), -4(b)(2)(B). 2 Ind.”
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