Madison requires dogs to be kept under restraint. Any dog on a street, sidewalk, park, or other public space must be secured by a leash strong enough to restrain it. Letting a dog run at large is unlawful.
Under Madison City Code § 6-11, it is unlawful for an owner to fail to keep an animal under restraint or to let it run at large on city streets and public ways. On any street, sidewalk, public way, park, public square, or other public space, a dog must be on a leash of sufficient strength to restrain that particular dog. "At large" means off the owner's property and not under effective control or restraint of a person physically able to restrain the animal (§ 6-1). Female dogs in heat must be confined. The rules are enforced by the Animal Control Officer under the Chief of Police.
Allowing an animal to run at large carries minimum fines of $25 (1st), $50 (2nd), and $100 (3rd offense) under § 6-2, plus impoundment.
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