Wausau, WI Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Only declared dangerous/prohibited dangerous animals
- Not general
- No citywide pet microchip mandate
- Cost
- Device cost borne by owner or caretaker
- Trigger
- Chief of Police dangerous-animal order
- Penalty
- $100-$250 per day for noncompliance
Summary
Wausau has no general pet microchipping law; the only microchip requirement in the Wausau Municipal Code sits inside the dangerous-animal ordinance, § 8.08.200(d)(4) and (e)(1), which orders an identification device implanted, at the owner's expense, in any animal the Chief of Police declares dangerous or prohibited dangerous.
(4)Identification. The owner or caretaker of the dangerous animal shall provide written proof from a licensed veterinarian or humane society a device which can be later detected to aid in the proper identification of the animal. The device must be numbered and the number must be provided to the chief of police or the Chief's designee. ... (e)Procedure for declaring a prohibited dangerous animal.(1)The Chief of Police or the Chief's designee, upon conducting an investigation, may issue an order declaring an animal to be a prohibited dangerous animal and order the animal to have a microchip or other device inserted for identification purposes, whenever he/she finds that an animal meets the definition of prohibited dangerous animal in subsection (b). The cost of a microchip or other device shall be at the expense of the owner or caretaker.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
170. 200(b): subsection (d)(4) requires the owner to obtain written proof from a licensed veterinarian or humane society of a device that can later be detected to identify the animal, with the device number reported to the Chief of Police. If the animal escalates to "prohibited dangerous animal" status, for example an unprovoked kill, an injury to a person, or a second bite incident, subsection (e)(1) directs the Chief of Police to order the animal to have a microchip or other device inserted for identification purposes as part of that declaration, again at the owner or caretaker's expense.
This duty runs alongside the requirement that a prohibited dangerous animal leave the city within five days of the declaration under (e)(2), and the animal can be held under impoundment pursuant to (h)(1) until the device is inserted and all costs are settled.
Violations & Fines
Failing to obtain or report the identification device is enforced as a condition of the dangerous-animal order; under § 8.08.200(k)(1), noncompliance with any (d) condition carries a forfeiture of $100.00 to $250.00 per day, and a prohibited dangerous animal may stay impounded under (h)(1) until the microchip is inserted and all costs are paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wausau require all dogs and cats to be microchipped?
When would my pet need a microchip in Wausau?
Who pays for the microchip if it's required?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
Compare Wausau to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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