Marathon County, WI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Marathon County Code § 9.82(1)(a)
- At-large means
- Off premises, unleashed, unsupervised
- Applies to
- Unincorporated towns only
- Enforcement
- Citation via Corporation Counsel
Summary
Marathon County requires dogs to stay on the owner's property, on a leash, or under direct supervision: the running-at-large ban applies only to the county's unincorporated towns, not its cities and villages.
No person shall own or keep a dog and allow such dog to run at large. A dog shall be considered as running at large when it is not on the premises of the owner, unless it is on a leash, or being exercised, is in a motor vehicle, or is on property of another who does not object to the presence of the animal.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 59).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 9.82(1)(a) bars owners from letting a dog run at large, defined as being off the owner's premises without a leash, without direct supervision, outside a vehicle, or on someone else's property without permission. Like the rest of § 9.82, it governs only the unincorporated area and yields entirely in any town that has adopted its own dog ordinance under Wis. Stat. § 60.23(30); it never applies inside Wausau, Mosinee, Rothschild, or the county's other incorporated municipalities. Violations are cited and prosecuted by the Office of Corporation Counsel under the penalty set in County Code § 25.04.
Violations & Fines
Enforced by citation, prosecuted through the Office of Corporation Counsel; forfeitures follow the general penalty schedule in County Code § 25.04.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a dog running at large?
Does this cover Wausau or Rothschild?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marathon County
Compare Marathon County to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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