Madison, WI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash/restraint max length
- 6 feet
- 1st offense (12 mo)
- $25–$100
- 4th+ offense (12 mo)
- $200–$500
- Impoundment fee
- $35 plus boarding costs
- Collar & license required
- Dogs over 5 months old
- Enforcing agency
- Public Health Madison & Dane County humane officers
Summary
Madison bars letting a dog or cat run at large off its owner's premises unless it's restrained on a chain, rope or cord no longer than six feet, under MGO § 23.32(1). Penalties escalate from $25 up to $500 for repeat violations in the same 12 months.
(1)Except as provided under Section 8.195, it shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog or cat to permit the same to run at large in the City of Madison. Any animal found at large shall be conclusively presumed to be so with the permission of its owner or keeper. A dog or cat shall be deemed to be at large when it is off the premises of its owner or keeper, unless under the control of a person and restrained by means of a chain, rope or cord of sufficient strength and of a length not to exceed six (6) feet to control the action of such dog or cat. This Ordinance is not intended to prohibit the keeping of dogs or cats within enclosed areas which will reasonably control the conduct of said dog or cat.(2)Any person violating any provision of this section for the first time in any twelve-month period may be subject to a forfeiture of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100); any person violating any provision of this section for the second time in a twelve-month period may be subject to a forfeiture of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200).
Full Breakdown
32 carries the operative standard for dogs and cats specifically. A dog or cat is 'at large' whenever it is off its owner's or keeper's premises unless a person controls it on a chain, rope or cord of sufficient strength and no more than six feet long; any animal found at large is conclusively presumed to be there with its owner's permission. 195. 33, a joint city-county agency, who seize animals at large, try to identify the owner, and release the animal once the owner pays a $35 impoundment fee plus any boarding costs.
Animals reasonably believed to have rabies, to have contacted a rabid animal, or to have bitten someone hard enough to break skin face mandatory impoundment, including a minimum ten-day isolation period under a veterinarian's supervision, with reports going to Public Health Madison & Dane County. 50; removing a licensed dog's collar draws its own $25–$50 forfeiture, and an unclaimed impounded animal may be disposed of after seven days under Wis. 23(1m).
Violations & Fines
MGO § 23.32(2) scales the forfeiture to prior offenses within 12 months: $25–$100 for a first offense, $50–$200 for a second, $100–$300 for a third, and $200–$500 for a fourth or later offense. Separately, removing a dog's ID collar draws a $25–$50 forfeiture under § 23.33(6)(a), and refusing to deliver a rabies-impoundment animal draws $100–$500 under § 23.33(3)(d).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can my dog's leash be in Madison?
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Does my dog need a collar and license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Dog Leash Laws in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle dog leash laws.