Wauwatosa, WI Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

030, governing this Milwaukee County, Wisconsin city, makes it unlawful for anyone to keep or maintain a vicious dog in the city, and separately unlawful to bring into the city a dog that another municipality, county or state has already declared vicious. 010 defines a 'vicious dog' as one that, without justification, bites or attacks and causes great bodily harm or death, or one previously found 'dangerous' with a history of bites or attacks, or one declared vicious elsewhere; a 'dangerous dog' is one that behaves in a manner posing a serious imminent threat, bites without causing great bodily harm, or has been declared dangerous elsewhere.

Self-defense of the dog, its owner, or its young against a trespasser, and professionally trained law enforcement or guard dogs acting within their training, are excluded from both definitions. A dog found dangerous, rather than vicious, may stay in the city but only inside a securely locked enclosure at least six feet high with slats no more than one inch apart, or when leashed and muzzled with a leash no longer than four feet held by a competent handler. Owners of a dangerous dog must post a 'Beware of Dog' sign in letters at least two inches high, visible from the street, and must carry liability insurance or a surety bond of at least one hundred thousand dollars covering injuries the dog causes, with proof filed with the city attorney every year at license renewal. 0114, Wisconsin Statutes, though the appeal does not stay the officer's order.