Waukesha, WI Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code §33.05
- Spay/neuter timing
- Required before license issued
- Allowed pig breed
- Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig only
- Pig limit
- 2 per dwelling unit
- Licensing method
- Same as dog license, Wis. Stat. §174.05/.07
- Combined animal cap
- 4 cats/dogs/pigs/goats per unit (§33.01)
- First-offense penalty
- $10 to $2,500 (§25.05)
Summary
Waukesha does not require dogs or cats to be spayed or neutered, but the only pig breed residents may keep, the Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig, must be spayed or neutered before the owner can obtain the required city license. The rule sits in Municipal Code §33.05, alongside a two-pig-per-dwelling cap and dog-style licensing.
No person may keep a pig in the City of Waukesha except for the species commonly known as a Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig. A person keeping Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs in the City must comply with the following requirements: Every owner of a Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig shall pay a license fee and obtain a license in the same manner as is provided for the licensing of dogs under §§174.05 and 174.07, Wis. Stats., respectively. Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs must be spayed or neutered prior to receiving the license required by this section. No more than 2 Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs shall be kept in any dwelling unit in the City. The owner or keeper of a pig shall properly water and feed it at regular intervals and shall keep the premises occupied by it in a sanitary condition.
Full Breakdown
05 bans keeping pigs or goats in Waukesha except for two named breeds. Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs are the only pigs allowed, and every owner must pay a license fee and obtain a license the same way dog owners do under Wis. 07. ' No more than two pot-bellied pigs may be kept in any dwelling unit, and the owner must water and feed the animal at regular intervals and keep the premises sanitary. The same section separately allows Nigerian Dwarf Goats, but with a different rule set: goats must be female, capped at three per premises, kept only for personal use, and housed in a rear-yard structure with 200 square feet per animal set back at least 10 feet from any lot line.
Goats carry no sterilization requirement. 01) additionally cap combined pigs, goats, cats and dogs at four animals per dwelling unit and require the premises stay open to city inspection. 05, since chapter 33 does not set its own fine amount for unlicensed or unsterilized pig-keeping.
Violations & Fines
Keeping an unlicensed, un-spayed, or un-neutered Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig, or exceeding the two-pig limit, exposes the owner to Waukesha's general municipal penalty under Municipal Code §25.05: not less than $10 nor more than $2,500 for a first offense, and not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 for each subsequent offense, plus prosecution costs. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, and the court may order jail time of up to 90 days for nonpayment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Waukesha require dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered?
Can I keep a pig in Waukesha?
What happens if my pot-bellied pig isn't spayed or neutered?
Do Nigerian Dwarf Goats face the same spay/neuter rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha
Compare Waukesha to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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