Milwaukee Ch. 78 caps household animals and authorizes Milwaukee Animal Control to investigate hoarding. Excessive accumulation that causes neglect, disease, or filth is treated as cruelty and may trigger seizure under Wis. Stat. ch. 951.
Milwaukee Code Ch. 78 limits the number of dogs and cats per dwelling and prohibits keeping animals in conditions that endanger their health or the public. Officers from MADACC and Milwaukee Animal Control inspect on complaint, and may seize animals if food, water, sanitation, or veterinary care is inadequate. Wisconsin Statute ch. 951 layers state cruelty law on top, making severe neglect a misdemeanor or felony. Hoarders typically get a warning plus a reduction order before charges, but repeat or egregious cases bring forfeitures and animal forfeiture. The Department of Neighborhood Services may also cite the property if odors or filth violate Ch. 80 maintenance standards.
Forfeitures begin around $150 per animal over the limit, plus $691 base cruelty forfeiture under Wis. Stat. 951.18. Animals may be seized; restitution and care costs charged to owner.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee requires cats over five months old to be licensed, rabies-vaccinated, and kept under control. Free-roaming cats can be impounded by MADACC. Wiscons...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Code Ch. 78 limits each dwelling to a combined total of four dogs and cats over five months old. Multi-pet permits exist but require neighbor notic...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee aggressively enforces property maintenance standards under Chapter 275 of the Code of Ordinances. The Department of Neighborhood Services conducts ...
See how Milwaukee's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.