Stop Monroe County Regulations That Would End Home-Based Wildlife Rehabilitation
The Issue
In Monroe County, Indiana, a proposed zoning ordinance could make it illegal for home-based wildlife rehabilitators to operate — and would force the Pipsqueakery, a rescue south of Bloomington that has cared for more than 12,000 animals, to shut down or leave the county entirely.
The Pipsqueakery is run by Alex Hernly, its co-founder and executive director. Like the vast majority of wildlife rehabilitators across Indiana, she operates from home. That's not a workaround — it's a necessity. Wild animals need around-the-clock feeding and care, and a home is the only realistic place to provide it.
"All animal rehab in Indiana is typically done out of a home," Hernly said. "It's almost impossible to do it any other way, because you have animals that need fed 24/7."
The Monroe County Planning Department has drafted a proposed amendment to the County Development Ordinance that would create a new zoning district for animal rehabilitation centers. The draft includes a minimum lot size requirement and limits on the number of volunteers — rules that would make home-based rehabilitation effectively impossible for anyone without significant acreage.
If the regulations pass as written, Hernly says the Pipsqueakery will relocate outside Monroe County and stop serving it. That would leave thousands of wild animals — including rabies vector species like bats and raccoons — with nowhere to go. That's not just a loss for wildlife. It's a public health concern for everyone in the county.
More than 120 people contacted the Ordinance Review Committee to object before its May 2026 meeting. The community has already spoken.
Wildlife rehabilitation in Indiana is already regulated by state animal welfare organizations. Monroe County's planning department should not be imposing zoning rules that wipe out a critical community service — one that depends on volunteers willing to provide the infrastructure in their homes to animals in need.
We urge the Monroe County Ordinance Review Committee to reject the proposed zoning language as written, or revise it to explicitly protect home-based wildlife rehabilitation operations that meet state animal welfare standards.
Sign to stand with the Pipsqueakery — and with every home-based wildlife rehabber in Indiana.
1,877
The Issue
In Monroe County, Indiana, a proposed zoning ordinance could make it illegal for home-based wildlife rehabilitators to operate — and would force the Pipsqueakery, a rescue south of Bloomington that has cared for more than 12,000 animals, to shut down or leave the county entirely.
The Pipsqueakery is run by Alex Hernly, its co-founder and executive director. Like the vast majority of wildlife rehabilitators across Indiana, she operates from home. That's not a workaround — it's a necessity. Wild animals need around-the-clock feeding and care, and a home is the only realistic place to provide it.
"All animal rehab in Indiana is typically done out of a home," Hernly said. "It's almost impossible to do it any other way, because you have animals that need fed 24/7."
The Monroe County Planning Department has drafted a proposed amendment to the County Development Ordinance that would create a new zoning district for animal rehabilitation centers. The draft includes a minimum lot size requirement and limits on the number of volunteers — rules that would make home-based rehabilitation effectively impossible for anyone without significant acreage.
If the regulations pass as written, Hernly says the Pipsqueakery will relocate outside Monroe County and stop serving it. That would leave thousands of wild animals — including rabies vector species like bats and raccoons — with nowhere to go. That's not just a loss for wildlife. It's a public health concern for everyone in the county.
More than 120 people contacted the Ordinance Review Committee to object before its May 2026 meeting. The community has already spoken.
Wildlife rehabilitation in Indiana is already regulated by state animal welfare organizations. Monroe County's planning department should not be imposing zoning rules that wipe out a critical community service — one that depends on volunteers willing to provide the infrastructure in their homes to animals in need.
We urge the Monroe County Ordinance Review Committee to reject the proposed zoning language as written, or revise it to explicitly protect home-based wildlife rehabilitation operations that meet state animal welfare standards.
Sign to stand with the Pipsqueakery — and with every home-based wildlife rehabber in Indiana.
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Petition created on June 23, 2026