Indianapolis, IN

‘These animals matter:’ Indy law aims to end backyard breeding, create pet registry

Published

1 year ago

July 9, 2024

‘These animals matter:’ Indy law aims to end backyard breeding, create pet registry

Difficult situations at the Indianapolis Animal Care Services shelter intake are part of the job. But Dayna Warren, who worked in intake for three years, noticed a disturbing trend.

Female dogs were dumped at the shelter heavily pregnant or even as they were giving birth. Litters of puppies were relinquished in such poor conditition that they had to be euthanized.

One day Warren recalled, a female dog and her puppies arrived after IACS confiscated them. The owner came to be reunited with them and when she was told there would be a reclaim fine, she agreed to pay but she had a request first.

“She asked if she could just get one of them real quick, so she could sell it in the parking lot to be able to get them all,” said Warren, who now works in the medical department.

Backyard breeding, where people breed dogs without the experience or knowledge to do so safely and responsibly, often lies behind such sad tales. The prevalence of backyard breeding has led Indianapolis to face an “animal welfare crisis,” Chris Roberson, a volunteer at Indianapolis Animal Care Services, said.

For the past six months, Roberson has been working with city-county counselors to find a solution. On Monday, the council introduced a proposal that would create a registry for dogs who aren’t spayed or neutered as the first step in legislating this issue.

If a dog owner isn’t a commercial breeder or dog broker, they have to report any litters of puppies within two weeks of birth. The litter will receive a litter ID, which the owner must pass on if they sell or give away the puppies.

“The conditions these dogs are kept in are horrendous. It’s inhumane, the way a lot of them are being forced to live because there’s nothing that regulates it,” Warren said. “Hopefully, in the future, the only people who will be making money from dogs are people who actually care about them.”

What does the ordinance address?

Backyard breeders are creating more dogs than the city can handle. Dogs are dumped at overwhelmed shelters or are left on the street where the unvaccinated and unsocialized animals may attack people.

“It’s just a really unsustainable situation for the city,” Roberson said.

More: Chocolate and dinosaurs, oh my! The Indiana Dinosaur Museum opens this week in South Bend🦕

Owners who choose not to spay or neuter their dogs will have to register them annually. The registration requires an annual veterinary exam, and female dogs can’t have more than one litter every 18 months or six litters overall. All dog and cat owners also must get their pets microchipped before they reach three months old, including puppies with litter IDs.

The ordinance focuses on education and outreach, Roberson said, so a first violation means IACS will reach out to owners. A second violation results in a $50 fine, which can be voided if owners schedule spay or neutering within 30 days, and a third violation leads to a $150 fine.

“The population of dogs is just kind of blown out of control,” Roberson said. “It’s caused that root problem that then percolates into all these other sort of issues, about the shelter being overwhelmed, and the public safety and public health concerns, etc.”

The ordinance’s authors looked at similar legislation around the country. While there’s no identical ordinance, Indiana cities like Bloomington and Fort Wayne have passed similar laws. Other cities that have passed similar laws have seen decreasing numbers of backyard-bred dogs after legislation was passed, said animal control officer Michael Stockton.

State law recently prevented Indiana cities from banning the sale of dogs at pet stores, which legislators said would increase transparency around adoption. However, many of these ordinances aimed to prevent puppy mills and increase shelter adoptions.

The new state law nullified a previous Indianapolis ordinance, which made it illegal for a pet store to sell dogs, cats and rabbits unless they were from a shelter or other rescue organization. It also ended a similar ban in Carmel.

While there’s always a concern that another state law could overturn this new ordinance, Roberson said the ordinance purposefully excludes commercial breeders and brokers, who are regulated by state law.

“By definition, it’s a very underground, unregulated practice, so we really don’t think that the state would preempt this,” Roberson said. “Honestly, to the extent that the state wanted to regulate backyard breeding, I think that would be an improvement.”

What comes next?

Ordinance authors stressed that this is the first part of a long-term solution — and with animal shelters struggling, enforcement is unclear.

The ordinance won’t end backyard breeding overnight, but Roberson said that even a 25% decrease in the practice would be significant.

“Part of it is shifting the community’s mindset in terms of where they’re buying dogs from, to the extent we can somewhat stigmatize backyard breeding and help the community understand that buying dogs from backyard breeders is not a good thing to do, for so many reasons,” Roberson said.

At the same July 8 meeting, councilors introduced a resolution formally updating the location for a new animal care shelter at 5001 E. Raymond St.

For years now, Indianapolis Animal Care Services has been facing overcrowding issues. The building wasn’t meant to house animals long-term, and there aren’t enough kennels for the shelter’s dogs: there are currently more than 100 dogs without permanent kennels, IACS deputy director Kelly Diamond said.

The organization called the situation “dire” on social media in 2022: as of May, 3,655 animals have been brought in and only 1,029 have been adopted.

“Our city’s overwhelmed with already-existing large numbers of dogs, and we’re simply just drowning,” Diamond said. “We’re just trying to tackle the causes.”

The backyard breeding ordinance now heads to the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee for a hearing July 15. Roberson also hopes the council will send more funding to the shelter in this year’s budget.

In the meantime, if people suspect someone near them is mistreating dogs or participating in backyard breeding, they can call animal welfare organizations Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside or Street Outreach Animal Response.

Animal welfare is tied to backyard breeding: fix one and you fix the other, Stockton said. He hopes to see improvement from the ordinance within a year or two, which would line up perfectly with the new shelter.

Contact IndyStar politics Pulliam fellow Nadia Scharf at nscharf@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @nadiaascharf.

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Indianapolis, IN

Crews treating Indianapolis roads overnight for upcoming snowstorm

Published

1 hour ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

Crews treating Indianapolis roads overnight for upcoming snowstorm

With the National Weather Service announcing a Winter Storm Warning for much of Central and Northern Indiana this holiday weekend, Indianapolis transportation officials have released their preparation plans.

The NWS forecast calls for 1 to 6 inches of snow Nov. 29 in the Indianapolis metro area, with the least snow expected south of Interstate 70 and amounts increasing northward.

In anticipation of snow starting Saturday morning, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works announced it will treat roads starting Friday, Nov. 28.

At 11 p.m., AFSCME Local #725 crews will begin their 12-hour shifts monitoring and preparing roads throughout the city. As snow begins to fall, crews will focus on prioritizing and clearing one-way roads, bridge overpasses, thoroughfares and streets abutting hospitals and fire stations.

Starting at about midnight, the Indiana Department of Transportation will have a few crews preparing roads and highways throughout Indianapolis, with additional crews tackling highways outside of Indianapolis starting at 4 a.m.

Once the snow begins to fall, INDOT will send its full crew out to treat and service roads and highways across Indianapolis and Indiana.

“It takes about 2 to 3 hours for our plows to complete their routes and they usually travel about 25 miles an hour,” said Jordan Yaney, public relations director for INDOT East Central district.

“We just want to remind people that just because they don’t see a plow in their 10-minute drive, it doesn’t mean we’re not out.”

INDOT also recommends that drivers provide enough space, which is about 600 feet or more, between vehicles while traveling on icy roads.

Get your abandoned vehicle before the snowstorm

In preparation for the upcoming snowstorm, the Indiana State Police announced it will tow all abandoned vehicles in Indianapolis that the department considers a road hazard.

People whose cars have been towed can visit the Indianapolis government “towed vehicle” webpage to find their vehicle, or at www.indy.gov/activity/dbns-tow-programs.

The Indianapolis Department of Public Works also shares updates about Marion County road conditions on its X page.

Live Indianapolis, Indiana weather radar

You can also check the NWS Indianapolis page on X, formerly Twitter, for updates about the weather.

A travel advisory is the lowest level of local travel advisory.

“Routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation, and individuals should use caution or avoid those areas,” according IN.gov.

A travel watch means that conditions are threatening to the public so only essential travel is recommended. A travel warning means that unless you are in emergency management, you are recommended to be off the roads.

Is there snow on the ground? How to see if your Indianapolis street has been plowed

Driving in Indianapolis? Check out this live traffic map, per Waze

Drivers can use a free live traffic map from Waze to navigate Indianapolis. The navigation app from Waze provides traffic updates, road condition information and offers directions.

Safe driving tips for snow and ice

Staying safe on Indiana’s roads during a winter storm can depend largely on how well you’re prepared. The Indiana Department of Transportation offers these tips:

Knowledge: Before leaving home, find out about the driving conditions. Safe drivers know the weather, and their limits. If the weather is bad remember, “Ice and Snow, Take it Slow,” or just don’t go.
Clear: Remove any snow on your vehicle’s windows, lights, brake lights and signals. Make sure you can see and be seen.
Inspect: Check your vehicle’s tires, wiper blades, fluids, lights, belts and hoses. A breakdown is bad on a good day and dangerous on a bad-weather day.
Time: Leave plenty of time to reach your destination safely. It’s not worth putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation just to be on time.
Kit: Keep a basic winter survival kit in your vehicle, including a flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots, and a first-aid kit. Load your car with winter travel gear, including tire chains, ice scraper/snowbrush, jumper cables, and road flares.

Weather info you need

🚨 Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories.

⚡ Indiana power outage map: How to check your status.

💻 Internet outages: How to track them.

🚫 What you should and shouldn’t do when the power is out.

🐶 Your neighbor left their pet outside. Who you should call.

Where to report power outages and downed lines

AES Indiana customers: 317-261-8111
Duke Energy customers: 1-800-343-3525

Indianapolis and Indiana road conditions

Check road conditions, including road closures, crashes and live webcams using Indiana’s online Trafficwise map at 511in.org, or visit our gridlock guide page for live traffic cams and more.

INDOT’s CARS Program provides information about road conditions, closures and width and weight restrictions. The website has a color-coded map of Indiana’s highways and highlights hazardous road conditions and travel delays.

The interactive map also shows road work warnings, closures, roadway restrictions and other information helpful to drivers.

Katie Wiseman is a trending news reporter for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Bluesky @katiewiseman

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.

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Indianapolis, IN

6-year-old boy dies following accidental shooting, IMPD says

Published

19 hours ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

6-year-old boy dies following accidental shooting, IMPD says

A 6-year-old boy is dead after accidentally shooting himself with a relative’s handgun, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed.

At 4:09 p.m., on Nov. 27, officers were called to a home in the 5200 block of Corgan Way on the city’s southwest side. Officers found the boy shot, and he was taken to an area hospital in critical condition but later died.

“Your heart just sinks. We just have to do better. We cannot allow our little ones, who were the voice for, who are just innocent and don’t know any better, to get a hold of a weapon like this,” Officer Tommy Thompson said. “It’s just sad. Far too young. For this child’s life that’s been taken, I hope we can take something from it.”

Thompson said the boy’s parents were on their way to the city and other family members were taken downtown for questioning. No one is being detained at this time.

“It sounds like a tragic accident. There are no words that can ever express the feeling that I’m sure this family member’s going through, who was the owner of this firearm, and how it got into this child’s hands. Their mental health is going to have to be monitored for a while,” Thompson said.

In a statement online, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said, “Our entire department is holding this family and our community close to our hearts this evening.”

“My heart goes out to the family and everyone who knew this child, a life gone far too soon,” The statement read. “This loss is especially heartbreaking on a day meant for gratitude.”

Thompson offered a reminder to the community that Indianapolis Public Libraries have free gun locks available, and if someone has a firearm they don’t want anymore, the department will take it to have it destroyed.

Earlier in the day, two people were killed after a shooting on the city’s east side. A man and woman were found shot inside a home after the Indianapolis Fire Department was called about a house fire. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition but later died.

Two young children were also found inside the home, but were unharmed.

“I have two families from this morning and this afternoon, just gutted on a Thanksgiving,” Thompson said. “This is a quiet community behind me, this complex. I just can’t imagine how they’re impacted as well, how scary that is.”

Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.

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Indianapolis, IN

Colts’ QB future could take unexpected turn with Daniel Jones

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

Colts’ QB future could take unexpected turn with Daniel Jones

When the Indianapolis Colts signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract during the NFL offseason, no one knew what to expect. Some felt that Jones could revitalize his career as the starter, while many others felt that he would end up being a backup behind former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson.

Jones quickly won the starting job during training camp and preseason action. He has looked the part of a franchise quarterback for the Colts this season.

Through his first 11 games with the team, the 28-year-old signal caller has completed 69.1 percent of his pass attempts for 2,840 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He has also picked up 159 yards and five touchdowns on 43 rushing attempts.

Read more: Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes May Help Make NFL History on Thanksgiving

Due to his impressive play so far this season, the expectation has been that Indianapolis will reward him with a long-term contract. However, that might not end up being the case.

Over the last few weeks, the Jones magic has begun to slow. He hasn’t played bad football, but he has not been nearly as good as he was early in the season. That has led to some concern about investing too much into him.

His track record is also a potential concern. Jones received big-time money from the New York Giants a few years back. That move ended up being a massive mistake for the Giants and the Colts do not want to double down on the same mistake with the same player.

To that end, an unexpected turn has been suggested for Indianapolis.

James Boyd of The Athletic has shared his idea that Indianapolis doesn’t give Jones a huge long-term deal. Instead, he thinks that the Colts could franchise tag the quarterback.

“Jones has really struggled against the blitz lately after torching aggressive defenses earlier this year,” Boyd wrote. “Countering the blitz has never been his strong suit, and if Jones and the Colts are unable to find a solution for dealing with extra pressure, it’s worth questioning how much Indianapolis should invest in him long term, which is where the franchise tag could come in handy.”

Read more: Minnesota Vikings Emerge Again in Aaron Rodgers Speculation

Giving Jones the franchise tag instead of a lucrative long-term extension would give the franchise at least one more year to make a final decision. There is no need to rush a long-term decision.

There is no question that Jones could be the team’s future under center. But, it’s always better to be safe than sorry in a situation like a monster quarterback contract extension.

Only time will tell, but the Jones situation could get interesting for Indianapolis. The Colts will have a tough decision to make when the 2025 season comes to an end.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.

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