Animal Ordinances in Madison, WI (2026)
9 verified animal ordinances for Madison, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Madison allows up to eight chickens as an accessory use on residential lots with up to four dwelling units under Zoning Code § 28.151, but every keeper must also hold an annual $10 license from the City Treasurer under MGO § 9.52. Roosters and on-site slaughter are banned, and enclosures must sit at least 25 feet from a neighboring residence.
Madison Backyard Chicken Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 28.151 (Keeping of Chickens)
(a)Keeping of up to eight (8) chickens is allowed as an accessory use on lots with up to four (4) dwelling units. ...(c)Keeping of roosters is prohibited.(d)Slaughter of chickens is prohibited on site.(e)The chickens shall be provided with a covered enclosure and must be kept in the covered enclosure or a fenced enclosure at all times.(f)The enclosure shall be located at least twenty-five (25) ...
Dog Leash Laws
Madison bars letting a dog or cat run at large off its owner's premises unless it's restrained on a chain, rope or cord no longer than six feet, under MGO § 23.32(1). Penalties escalate from $25 up to $500 for repeat violations in the same 12 months.
Madison Dog & Cat Leash Law
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 23.32(1), (2)
(1)Except as provided under Section 8.195, it shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog or cat to permit the same to run at large in the City of Madison. Any animal found at large shall be conclusively presumed to be so with the permission of its owner or keeper. A dog or cat shall be deemed to be at large when it is off the premises of its owner or keeper, unless under the control o...
Exotic Pets
Madison bans possessing, selling or buying wild or exotic animals outright under MGO § 23.49, covering primates, big cats, wolves and coyotes, alligators, large constrictor snakes and venomous reptiles among a lengthy named list. Licensed zoos, circuses, veterinarians and DNR-authorized handlers are exempt. Violators face a forfeiture of up to $500.
Madison Wild & Exotic Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 23.49
"Wild Animal" means any of the following animals, whether bred in the wild or in captivity, and also any of their hybrids with domestic species... (a)Nonhuman primates and prosimians (chimpanzees, monkeys);(b)Felids, except domesticated cats;(c)Canids (wolf, coyotes, foxes) except domesticated dogs;... (n)Reptilia over ten (10) feet in length (boa constrictors, pythons);(o)Venomous reptilia. (3...
Wildlife Feeding
Madison prohibits feeding birds on any public property in the city, and separately on Henry Vilas Zoo grounds, unless the Parks Department or Zoo Director specifically authorizes it. Each offense carries a $10 to $100 forfeiture.
Madison Ban on Feeding Birds in Public
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 8.42
8.42 - FEEDING BIRDS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY PROHIBITED. (1) It shall be unlawful for any person, unless specifically authorized by the City of Madison Parks Department, to feed anything to any bird on public property within the City of Madison. (2) It shall be unlawful for any person, unless specifically authorized by the Henry Vilas Zoo Director, to feed anything to any bird on Henry Vilas Zoo pro...
Cat Rules
Madison requires every cat over five months old to carry an annual license and tag under MGO § 9.31, with the fee set to match the City's dog license tax, plus a $5 late fee after April 1. Cats found off their owner's property unaccompanied are legally 'at large,' a nuisance under Sec. 23.32 that police can seize and impound.
Madison Cat License & At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 9.31
(2)Every owner of a cat more than five (5) months of age on January 1 of any year, or five (5) months of age within the license year shall annually...pay a cat license fee and obtain a license therefore. Effective January 1, 2026, such cat license fee shall be equivalent to the City's dog license tax, for altered and unaltered dogs, as established under Section 9.50(2)...(5)The fact that a cat ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Madison doesn't require every dog to be fixed, but Public Health Madison & Dane County can order a specific dog spayed or neutered once it triggers three running-at-large citations, an aggressive at-large incident, or a bite. Owners get 30 days to comply under MGO § 23.47. Ignoring the order carries forfeitures up to $2,000, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Madison Dog Spay/Neuter Compliance Order
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 23.47
(2)Public Health Madison and Dane County may order any dog to be spayed or neutered within thirty (30) days of receiving notification of any of the following incidents:(a)A dog found running at large in violation of Sec. 23.31, on three (3) separate occasions;(b)A dog acting aggressively and running at large in violation of Sec. 23.31;(c)A dog that has caused injury to a person or another anima...
Pet Store Rules
Madison bars every retail pet store from selling, bartering or otherwise transferring cats or dogs under MGO § 23.65, adopted December 2025. Stores may still host shelters or rescues to showcase adoptable animals for free, so long as the store takes no ownership stake or fee, and stores may not board dogs overnight.
Madison Retail Pet Store Sale Ban
Heavy RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 23.65
(1)Prohibition on Sale of Cats or Dogs. No retail pet store shall sell, deliver, offer for sale, barter, auction, give away, or otherwise transfer or dispose of cats or dogs. Nothing in this section shall prohibit pet stores from collaborating with animal control facilities, animal shelters, or animal rescue organizations to offer space for such entities to showcase adoptable dogs, cats, or pro...
Pet Groomer Rules
Madison classifies pet grooming shops as an 'Animal Grooming Facility' land use under Madison General Ordinances § 28.211, permitted by right in most mixed-use and commercial districts and requiring conditional use approval in the Limited Mixed-Use (LMX) district under the Sec. 28.061 use table. Boarding is allowed only if incidental and under 48 hours.
Madison Animal Grooming Facility Zoning
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances §§ 28.061, 28.211
Sec. 28.211, Definitions: "Animal Grooming Facility. An establishment where domestic animals are bathed, clipped, or combed, including boarding for not more than forty-eight (48) hours incidental to the grooming services." Sec. 28.061(1): "'P' means permitted in the districts where designated. ... 'C' means allowed as conditional uses in the districts where designated, in compliance with all ap...
Bird Protection
It is unlawful to injure, attempt to injure, or destroy any wild bird within the City of Madison, under Madison General Ordinances § 23.19. The rule carries a flat $300 forfeiture on the City's citation schedule, enforced by the Police Department and humane and animal control officers alongside Madison's other animal-protection sections.
Madison Wild Bird Destruction Ban
Heavy RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 23.19
23.19 - DESTRUCTION OF BIRDS PROHIBITED. No person shall injure or attempt to injure or destroy, within the limits of the City of Madison, any wild bird.
Looking for Dane County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Madison city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Dane County →