10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
Keeping chickens or livestock is not set by the county for residents; it is decided by each town's or city's zoning. In the unincorporated towns Waukesha County zones under Wis. Stat. 59.69, agricultural districts allow livestock; most residential neighborhoods restrict fowl. Cities like Brookfield allow up to 4 hens with
Wisconsin has no statewide leash mandate, but state law makes any dog off its owner's premises and not under control a dog 'running at large,' subject to capture and impoundment. Each Waukesha County town, city, and village sets the actual leash rule; fines run $25-$100 first offense.
Wis. Stat. 174.042(1)(a)
Except as provided in par. (b), a dog is considered to be running at large if it is off the premises of its owner and not under the control of the owner or some other person.
Wisconsin does not ban any dog breed statewide, and Waukesha County sets no county breed ban; breed or dangerous-dog rules are municipal. State law imposes strict liability on owners and doubles damages if an owner knew the dog had previously bitten and scarred someone, under Wis. Stat. 174.02.
Wis. Stat. 174.02(1)(a)
the owner of a dog is liable for the full amount of damages caused by the dog injuring or causing injury to a person, domestic animal or property.
Waukesha County sets no county-wide beekeeping ordinance; whether you may keep hives is governed by your town, city, or village zoning. Wisconsin regulates bees at the state level for disease and registration, but hive placement, hive counts, and setbacks are decided locally. Check your municipality's zoning code before starting.
Wisconsin restricts dangerous exotic and wild animals at the state level. Under Wis. Stat. 169.11, no one may possess a designated 'harmful wild animal', including cougars, bears, and wild swine, without department authorization. Waukesha County municipalities may add their own bans on other exotics, so check local code too.
Wis. Stat. 169.11(1)(b)
No person may possess, take, propagate, sell, purchase, transfer, exhibit, or rehabilitate a live harmful wild animal unless specifically authorized to do so by the department.
Waukesha County does not set a general wildlife-feeding ban for residents; rules come from state DNR regulations and local ordinances. Wisconsin restricts feeding deer and bear in parts of the state to control chronic wasting disease, and many Waukesha County municipalities prohibit feeding that attracts deer or nuisance wildlife. Check
Livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep are allowed under zoning, not a county-wide animal rule. In Waukesha County's unincorporated towns, county zoning under Wis. Stat. 59.69 designates agricultural districts where livestock is permitted; cities and villages set their own limits. Farm operations get nuisance protection under right-to-farm law
Wis. Stat. 823.08(3)(a)
An agricultural use or an agricultural practice may not be found to be a nuisance if all of the following apply
Animal hoarding is addressed through Wisconsin's animal-cruelty and neglect statutes plus local pet-limit and kennel rules. Wis. Stat. 951.02 bars treating any animal cruelly, and related sections require proper food, water, and shelter. Waukesha County agencies and humane societies (HAWS, EBHS) investigate cruelty and neglect; violations can be criminal.
Wis. Stat. 951.02
No person may treat any animal, whether belonging to the person or another, in a cruel manner.
Waukesha County sets no county-wide cap on the number of pets; limits are municipal and vary widely. Some communities set no numeric limit (Menomonee Falls does not cap pets), while others cap dogs and cats per household or require a kennel license above a threshold. Check your city, village, or
Wisconsin's dog-licensing statute does not require cats to be licensed statewide, so cat rules in Waukesha County are municipal. Some communities require cat licensing, rabies vaccination, or restrict free-roaming cats; others do not. Cats are protected from cruelty statewide, and rabies vaccination is widely required for pets.
Wis. Stat. 951.02
No person may treat any animal, whether belonging to the person or another, in a cruel manner.
3 cities in Waukesha County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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