Dane County, WI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Dane County Code ch. 47.17
- At-large standard
- Off-property, uncontrolled
- Post-attack leash cap
- 4 feet maximum length
- First at-large forfeiture
- $25.00-$100.00
- Enforcing agency
- Public Health Madison & Dane County
- Local exemption
- Villages/towns with stricter own code
Summary
Dane County Code ch. 47.17 bars owners and custodians from letting an animal run at large anywhere off the owner's premises without control, and it applies countywide in the unincorporated towns the county's animal control ordinance covers. A dog is running at large if it is off its owner's property and not under the owner's control, and violations carry escalating forfeitures.
47.17 OWNERS OR CUSTODIANS TO CONTROL ANIMALS. (1) An owner or custodian of an animal shall not permit, whether negligently or otherwise, the animal to run at large. An animal is considered to be running at large if it is off the premises of the owner or custodian and not under the control of the owner or custodian. ... (2m)(a) The animal while off the property where kept, shall be muzzled and leashed at all times... The leash shall be no longer than four (4) feet in length total and must be secured by and under the direct control and supervision of a competent adult.
Full Breakdown
17(1) makes it unlawful for an owner or custodian, negligently or otherwise, to permit an animal to run at large, defining "at large" as off the owner's or custodian's premises and not under that person's control. Subsection (2) separately bars letting an animal off its owner's property attack, bite or injure another domestic animal or a person engaged in a lawful activity. When an animal does attack under (2), subsection (2m) imposes mandatory restraint: while off the owner's property the animal must be muzzled and leashed at all times, on a leash no longer than four feet, secured under the direct control of a competent adult, and while on the owner's property it must be supervised by a competent adult and physically restrained so it cannot leave; an electronic fence or collar does not count as physical restraint.
If the department determines the animal may instead be kept in a secure kennel or pen, it can require the structure to be metal-fenced, secure on all sides with a locked top, embedded at least two feet into the ground, and kept clean, lit and ventilated. This chapter is administered by the Department of Public Health for Madison and Dane County and does not apply where a village or town has its own municipal court and a more restrictive animal control ordinance.
Violations & Fines
A first at-large offense under ch. 47.17(1) forfeits $25.00 to $100.00, rising to $50.00-$200.00 for each later offense, per ch. 47.51(8). An animal that attacks or injures a person under 47.17(2) draws up to $177.00 for a first offense and at least $429.00 for a second or later offense under 47.51(8m), and failing the post-attack muzzle-and-leash restrictions of 47.17(2m) forfeits up to $500.00 under 47.51(8n). Each day a violation continues is a separate offense under ch. 47.52.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an animal "running at large" in Dane County?
How long can a leash be after an animal has bitten someone?
Can Dane County's leash rule be enforced inside Madison?
What if my dog is kept in a fenced yard instead of on a leash?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dane County
Compare Dane County to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.