Madison does not mandate spay/neuter for owned pets but offers reduced license fees for altered animals and requires Dane County Humane Society to sterilize before adoption. Unaltered pets pay higher annual licensing surcharges.
Madison General Ordinances Ch. 9 follows Wisconsin's permissive approach: there is no citywide spay/neuter mandate for privately owned pets. Instead, the city uses fee differentials, charging unaltered dogs and cats roughly two to three times the altered license rate. Dane County Humane Society sterilizes all animals before adoption per its contract with Madison and surrounding municipalities. Low-income spay/neuter assistance is available through Wisconsin Spay-Neuter Project and Shelter from the Storm. Breeders need separate kennel licenses under Ch. 9 to keep intact animals beyond standard household limits.
Failure to license an unaltered pet at the higher rate is treated as standard licensing forfeiture, typically $30-$100 plus back fees for prior years.
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