Wauwatosa, WI Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 100 feet from street or lot line
- Covered animals
- Swine, horses, ponies, nonhousehold pets
- First-offense forfeiture
- $1 to $5,000 (§ 1.12.010)
- Repeat-offense minimum
- $25 forfeiture
- Adopted
- Ord. O-80-104 (1980), amended 1985
- Related bans
- Fowl (§ 9.08.030), bees (§ 9.08.020)
Summary
Wauwatosa's code bans keeping swine, horses, ponies and other nonhousehold pets, the catch-all Section 9.08.010 uses for exotic and farm-type animals, within 100 feet of any public street or the boundary line of an adjoining owner. On typical Milwaukee County suburban lots, that buffer reaches nearly every square foot of a residential parcel, making the rule a de facto citywide prohibition rather than a true setback.
It is unlawful for any person to keep swine, horses, ponies and other nonhousehold pets in the city of Wauwatosa, within one hundred feet of any public street, alley or highway of the city, or upon any lot or parcel of land in the city within one hundred feet of the lot line or boundary line of an adjoining owner.
Full Breakdown
' The section traces to Ord. O-80-104 § 10 (part), adopted in 1980, and was amended by Ord. O-85-67 § 1 in 1985. Because the 100-foot buffer runs from every property line and every public street, an animal covered by the section cannot legally be kept on almost any residential lot in the city, which is why the rule functions as an effective citywide ban on farm animals and other 'nonhousehold pets,' the category Wauwatosa's code treats as covering exotic and wild-type animals kept outside a household.
020 except by conditional use in conservancy-zoned districts. 08 leaves only conventional household pets, plus permitted poultry and bees under those narrow exceptions, as lawful animals to keep within city limits. 010.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 9.08.010 is enforced under the chapter's own § 9.08.070, which routes penalties to the citywide general-penalty section, § 1.12.010: a forfeiture of not less than $1 and not more than $5,000 for a first offense, rising to a minimum of $25 (and up to $2,000) for a second or later conviction. Because § 1.12.010 treats each day an animal is kept unlawfully as a separate offense, forfeitures can accumulate daily until the animal is removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a potbellied pig or other exotic animal in Wauwatosa?
Does the ban cover chickens or bees?
What's the penalty for violating the nonhousehold pet ban?
Does this apply to dogs and cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wauwatosa
Compare Wauwatosa 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.
Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle exotic pets.