Schererville board adopts consolidated animal-control ordinances, raises adoption fees and fines

The Schererville Town Board unanimously approved Resolution 2025-2 on a package of animal-control measures that the town attorney and department staff said align local rules with day-to-day operations and route enforcement to the appropriate court.

Board members heard a presentation describing three related ordinances—Exhibit A (licensing), Exhibit B (adoption) and Exhibit C (humane treatment)—that, according to staff, repeal prior animal-control ordinances for simplicity and update fee and enforcement structures. The package moves many enforcement matters from the animal-control commission to court and directs revenue to a pet adoption fund to offset shelter expenses.

Town staff said licensing fees will be adjusted to better reflect neuter status, with neutered animals to remain at lower fees and unneutered dogs and cats rising to $30. Adoption fees were presented as increasing from the current $65 to $200 to cover a bundled set of veterinary services that the town will require as part of adoptions, including spay/neuter, rabies vaccination, core vaccinations, microchip and other species-appropriate testing.

A board member asked whether higher adoption fees would fully cover costs. Staff answered that the fees would offset but not fully cover the department’s expenses; they said preparation costs for adoption can run roughly $200 to $750 per animal and the department averages about 34–44 adoptions a year (44 last year).

The humane-treatment ordinance was also rewritten to simplify wording and increase the fine range; staff cited a maximum penalty of up to $7,500 per conviction as presented. All fee and fine revenue was described as being deposited to the town’s pet adoption fund.

The board moved, seconded and passed Resolution 2025-2 unanimously. Separately, the board directed that standalone permitting language be re-evaluated with the town attorney and zoning staff and removed the animal-control permits item from tonight’s vote.

The resolution takes effect as specified in the town’s adoption language; no effective date was stated in the meeting record. The town attorney drafted the resolution and exhibits.