Fitchburg, WI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Fitchburg's animal control ordinance makes it unlawful for an owner or keeper to let a dog or other animal run or be at large on any street, alley or public place in the city, or on property other than the owner's, anywhere within Dane County's City of Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Two locations are carved out as exceptions: the city dog park and public hunting grounds. The same section separately addresses city parks and other public recreational grounds: an animal must be restrained by rope, cord, leash, chain, harness or bridle in every park area except where the city has posted signs barring animals outright.

The ordinance also bars a loose animal from attacking pedestrians or other pets, habitually disturbing the peace, damaging property, or chasing vehicles, and the owner is separately responsible under section 56-72 for controlling the animal's conduct at all times. Enforcement falls to any city police officer or the appointed humane officer, who may take custody of an uncontrolled animal and impound it under the impoundment procedure in section 56-49; an impounded dog is held at least 72 hours after notice and released only on proof of ownership, payment of any dog tax due, and proof of rabies vaccination.

Violations of the at-large and leash rules are penalized under section 56-2, which points to the citywide general penalty in section 1-21: a forfeiture of $25 to $500 for a first offense and $50 to $1,000 for a second or later offense within a year, plus costs of prosecution, with jail of up to 90 days if the forfeiture goes unpaid. Each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense.