Animal Ordinances in Janesville, WI (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Janesville, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
In the City of Janesville, Code § 8-70 bars horses, goats, pigs and most livestock and poultry inside the city unless a residence is 150 feet from the nearest building, but any residential lot with a single-family home can keep up to four hens, no roosters, with a City permit.
Janesville Backyard Chicken Keeping Rules
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 8-70
No horse, mule, donkey, pony, cow, pig, goat, sheep, or animal raised for fur-bearing purposes, and no dove cote, rabbit warren, or other yard or establishment where small animals or fowl such as ducks, geese, turkeys, pheasants, rabbits, or guinea pigs are kept shall be allowed within the City limits, except in outlying building areas where no house, building, tenement, apartment house, hotel,...
Dog Leash Laws
In the City of Janesville, a dog away from its owner's principal place of residence must be on a leash no longer than six feet under Code § 8-3(c), and § 8-5 flatly bars any owner from letting a dog run at large in the city at any time.
Janesville Dog Leash and At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances §§ 8-3, 8-5
(c)When a dog or cat is outside the principal place of residence of its owner or possessor, it shall be within the control of its owner or possessor and shall be attached to a leash not more than six feet in length, which leash the owner or possessor shall hold or be attached to as well as the animal. ... No owner or possessor of any dog or cat shall permit the same to run at large in the City ...
Breed Restrictions
Janesville does not ban any dog breed by name. Instead, Code § 8-43 lets police authorities kill any dog, licensed or not, that is known or reasonably believed to be mad, vicious or dangerous to the public, or that has bitten someone hard enough to draw blood, and § 8-45 separately bars a vicious dog or a dog or cat in heat from running at large.
Janesville Dangerous Dog Rule Is Behavior-Based
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 8-43
Any dog found or being within the limits of the City, whether licensed as required by the ordinances of this City or not, which is known to be or which there is good reason to believe is mad, vicious or dangerous to the public, or which has bitten any person so as to cause a wound which bleeds, may be killed by the police authorities. ... Any person who interferes with an officer in the dischar...
Beekeeping
In the City of Janesville, keeping honey bees on a residential lot requires an annual license from the City Clerk-Treasurer under Sec. 8-80, plus compliance with hive counts, ten-foot setbacks and a required front-yard sign. Up to two colonies are allowed per single-family or two-family lot, with one extra colony per acre on larger parcels.
Janesville Residential Beekeeping License Rules
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 8-80
(a)Keeping of honey bees allowed when.(1)The term "honey bee" is defined as any member of the genus Apis.(2)Any person may keep up to two colonies of honey bees on any residential zoned lot in the City which contains a single-family or two-family residential dwelling. One additional colony per acre would be allowed for all properties one acre or larger in size. ... (b)Location of beehive struct...
Exotic Pets
In the City of Janesville, Code § 8-47 bars anyone from keeping a wild, exotic or vicious animal as a pet, naming venomous and constricting snakes, tarantulas, monkeys, raccoons, skunks, wolves, foxes, big cats and crocodilians. Guard dogs, ferrets, nonvenomous snakes and captive-bred rabbits and lab rats are excluded from the ban.
Janesville Wild and Exotic Animal Pet Ban
Heavy RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 8-47
(a)No person shall keep, or permit to be kept, any wild, exotic or vicious animal as a pet.(b)The term "vicious animal" means any animal, reptile, and/or fish, that constitutes a physical threat to human beings or other animals.(c)The terms "wild animals" and "exotic animals" mean any venomous snake, constricting snake, tarantula, live monkey (nonhuman primate), raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, ...
Wildlife Feeding
In the City of Janesville, Sec. 8-159 makes it unlawful to feed, provide or give food or any other edible item to a goose or duck, or a flock of geese or ducks, on public property or in a City park. The ban covers public property only; the Code does not separately reach deer, strays or feeding on private land.
Janesville Bans Feeding Geese and Ducks
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 8-159
No person may feed, provide or give any food or other edible item to any goose or duck, or any flock of geese or ducks, upon any public property or park in the City limits.
Pet Limits
In the City of Janesville, no residential lot may keep more than four dogs and cats combined, and never more than three of either species. Sec. 8-76 of the Code of General Ordinances sets the cap for every household; the only exceptions are business premises like feed mills or farms with a demonstrated rodent-control need.
Janesville Limits Homes to Four Pets
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 8-76
Not more than a combined total of four dogs and cats may be maintained on any lot or residence. In no event may more than three dogs or three cats be maintained per lot or residence, regardless of the combination. The exceptions are business places such as feed mills, or in outlying districts such as farms where good reason can be shown for the necessity of maintaining such animals to destroy r...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
In the City of Janesville, an animal hospital or veterinary clinic is only a conditional use in the B2 Community Shopping District, requiring Plan Commission approval, but the same enclosed-building veterinary use is allowed by right in the B3 General Commercial District. Both district rules require the veterinary use to occur inside a fully enclosed building.
Janesville Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Significant RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 42-442(b)(2)c.1, (b)(3)b.3
1.Animal hospitals and veterinary services in enclosed buildings; ... 3.Animal hospital or veterinary services, provided all kennels are within completely enclosed buildings;
Looking for Rock County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Janesville city rules.
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