Milwaukee, WI Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Any person owning, keeping, harboring or having

custody of any dog or cat over 5 months of age

within the city of Milwaukee shall obtain a license

as provided in this section and in accordance with

ch. 174, Wis. Stats., relating to dogs, and ch. 26,

Milwaukee County Code of Ordinances, relating to

cats. Any person obtaining a dog or cat that is

older than 5 months of age shall have 30 days to

apply for an original license, except this

requirement will not apply to a nonresident keeping

a dog or cat within the city for less than 30 days.

2. APPLICATION. Application for

licenses shall be made to the Milwaukee area

domestic animal control commission and shall

include the name and address of the applicant,

description of the animal, the appropriate fee,

whether the animal is spayed or neutered and a

rabies certificate or tag issued by a licensed

veterinarian illustrating that the animal for which

the license is sought has received current

immunization for rabies or a statement issued by a

licensed veterinarian that the immunization for

rabies is contraindicated for the animal. A rabies

certificate or tag shall be deemed valid if the

termination date of the immunization falls after the

date of the application for the license. Written

proof is required from a licensed veterinarian

illustrating that the animal being licensed has been

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2/10/2026