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Green Bay, WI Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Who declares
Humane Officer or police officer
Removal deadline
5 days of written order
Penalty
$500 to $1,000 forfeiture
Appeal
Protection and Policy Committee hearing
Exemption
police dogs excluded

Summary

Green Bay bans possessing a dog once it's been declared dangerous under Chapter 6, with forfeitures of $500 to $1,000 and removal from the City within five days of the written order.

(b)Dangerous dogs prohibited.(1)Possession of a dangerous dog prohibited. No person shall own, keep, possess, return to, or harbor a dangerous dog within the City.(2)Penalty. Any person who owns, keeps, possesses, harbors, or returns any dangerous dog to the City... shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00.

Full Breakdown

Section 6-13 lets a Humane Officer or police officer declare a dog dangerous after an unprovoked incident: menacing chasing, approaching, or a non-severe injury to a person or domestic animal off the owner's property, or a dangerous declaration by another municipality. Once declared, the owner must remove the dog from the City within five days or contest the finding before the Protection and Policy Committee. Owning, keeping, or returning a declared dangerous dog to the City is prohibited outright, subject to a $500 to $1,000 forfeiture; police dogs are exempt.

Violations & Fines

Owning, keeping, harboring, or returning a declared dangerous dog to the City is a forfeiture of $500.00 to $1,000.00; an unremoved dog can be seized and ordered destroyed after ten days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a dog 'dangerous' under Green Bay's code?
Chasing or menacing a person off its owner's property without provocation, menacing a domestic animal, causing a non-severe injury, or already being declared dangerous by another municipality.
What happens once a dog is declared dangerous?
The owner must remove it from Green Bay within five days, or contest the declaration to the Protection and Policy Committee; keeping it in the City afterward risks a $500-$1,000 forfeiture.

Sources & Official References

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How Green Bay compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Green Bay to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview

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