De Pere, WI Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

City Code § 86-3 sets the ceiling on household pets in De Pere at four dogs and cats total per dwelling unit, broken down as no more than two dogs and no more than three cats. The limit interacts with the city's chicken-keeping permit: if a parcel holds a permit to keep chickens under § 86-5(g), the number of dogs or cats allowed drops so that pets plus permitted chickens never exceed six animals combined, and chickens themselves are always capped at four regardless of any variance.

A property owner who wants to keep more than the base limit can ask the health officer for a variance under § 86-3(b). The health officer decides only after consulting the chief of police or a designee, and must weigh whether the property has drawn any complaints about violations of the animal-care chapter before granting one. Even a variance cannot push the household above four dogs or cats total, and chickens get no variance at all. The health officer can revoke a variance outright if a condition attached to it is not met, or if a new complaint about a chapter violation comes in after the variance issues.

An owner whose variance is revoked has 14 days from the revocation notice to file a written appeal with the board of health under § 86-3(d); missing that window forfeits the right to challenge the revocation. 00 for each offense.