Marathon County, WI Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Marathon County, WI, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Citation
- Marathon County Code § 9.82(1)(b)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated towns only
- Exempt
- Towns with own dog ordinance
- Enforcement
- Citation via Corporation Counsel
- Kennels/shelters
- Licensed facilities exempt
Summary
Marathon County bars owners from letting a dog disturb neighbors with frequent or habitual howling, barking, or yelping, but only in unincorporated towns that haven't adopted their own dog ordinance under state law.
No person shall own or keep a dog and allow such dog to disturb other people by frequent or habitual howling, barking or yelping. The provision of this ordinance [chapter] shall not apply to licensed animal kennels, shelters, or hospitals.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 59).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 9.82(1)(b) makes it unlawful to own or keep a dog and allow it to disturb other people through frequent or habitual howling, barking, or yelping; licensed kennels, shelters, and hospitals are exempt. The rule applies only in the county's unincorporated area: it doesn't reach incorporated cities or villages like Wausau, Mosinee, or Rothschild, and it drops out entirely in any town that has passed its own dog ordinance under Wis. Stat. § 60.23(30). Enforcement is by citation, prosecuted through the Office of Corporation Counsel, with penalties set under County Code § 25.04.
Violations & Fines
Violations are enforced by citation and prosecuted by the Office of Corporation Counsel; penalties follow the general forfeiture schedule set in County Code § 25.04.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply if I live in Wausau or Mosinee?
What if my town has its own dog ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marathon County
Compare Marathon County to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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