Animal Ordinances in Wisconsin (2026)
240 rules on the books across Wisconsin, 36 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Chickens & Livestock
Combined rules for keeping chickens and other livestock such as goats, rabbits, and ducks on residential property, including lot size requirements.
Wisconsin: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsWisconsin's right-to-farm law (Wis. Stat. 823.08) and Livestock Facility Siting Law (Wis. Stat. 93.90) limit municipal…
Read full rule →Burlington
Heavy RestrictionsBurlington bars keeping cattle, cows, horses, sheep, swine, goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese or other livestock…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Heavy RestrictionsLittle Chute bars horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, and other farm animals village-wide, with only a narrow licensed…
Read full rule →Rothschild
Heavy RestrictionsRothschild bans keeping chickens and other livestock-type animals, including horses, mules, ponies, donkeys, cows…
Read full rule →Appleton
Significant RestrictionsAppleton bans keeping livestock like horses, pigs, goats and sheep inside city limits under §3-52(a), but a Health…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Significant RestrictionsThe Village of Ashwaubenon allows up to four backyard chickens, no roosters, on permitted R-1 lots under Section…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Significant RestrictionsKenosha allows up to four hens per licensed single-family lot under Section 14.02(B), but roosters, on-site…
Read full rule →Milton
Significant RestrictionsGeneral livestock is barred outside agriculturally zoned land, but the City of Milton lets residential property owners…
Read full rule →Mosinee
Significant RestrictionsMosinee bans keeping horses, mules, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, or fur-bearing animals anywhere in the city…
Read full rule →Neenah
Significant RestrictionsNeenah allows up to four chickens, doves, or other fowl per property with City registration, a ban on roosters, and a…
Read full rule →West Allis
Significant RestrictionsWest Allis limits residential animal-keeping to a fixed list of small domestic species; chickens, goats, pigs, and…
Read full rule →Beloit
Some RestrictionsThe City of Beloit lets a residential lot with one single-family home keep up to 4 female chickens, but bans roosters…
Read full rule →Dane County
Some RestrictionsDane County's zoning code bars keeping livestock at all on parcels smaller than one acre, and once a lot reaches an…
Read full rule →De Pere
Some RestrictionsDe Pere allows up to four chickens per residential parcel with a city permit under Code § 86-5(g), while § 86-4(a)(1)…
Read full rule →Fitchburg
Some RestrictionsFitchburg's R-L zoning code allows limited animal husbandry, including poultry, up to 25 percent of one animal unit per…
Read full rule →Green Bay
Some RestrictionsGreen Bay allows up to five licensed hens per parcel but bans roosters outright; owners need an annual City Clerk…
Read full rule →Kenosha County
Some RestrictionsKenosha County's zoning ordinance lets poultry and livestock raising happen by right on farms in the A-1 and A-2…
Read full rule →Madison
Some RestrictionsMadison allows up to eight chickens as an accessory use on residential lots with up to four dwelling units under Zoning…
Read full rule →Marathon County
Some RestrictionsIn the county's Rural Residential zoning district, Marathon County caps backyard fowl at six birds on lots under one…
Read full rule →Middleton
Some RestrictionsKeeping backyard chickens in Middleton requires a Building Inspector permit under Municipal Code § 7.21. Parcels up to…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee allows up to 4 hens per residential property with a permit, neighbor notice, and a 25-foot coop setback.
Read full rule →Outagamie County
Some RestrictionsKeeping livestock, which the county zoning code defines to include poultry, is a permitted farm use only in Outagamie…
Read full rule →Racine County
Some RestrictionsRacine County permits livestock facilities as a conditional use in agricultural districts but requires at least 35…
Read full rule →Sun Prairie
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie lets homeowners keep hens, not roosters, but only after clearing two separate city approvals: a zoning…
Read full rule →Walworth County
Some RestrictionsIn the towns under Walworth County zoning, up to six female chickens are allowed on a single-family lot in the R-1…
Read full rule →Washington County
Some RestrictionsWashington County bars anyone from letting animals or fowl, including backyard chickens and livestock, run loose off…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha allows permitted backyard chickens only, capped at four per parcel (six on lots over an acre), bans roosters…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Waukesha County allows up to five hens (no roosters) on lots of at least one acre, but lots under three…
Read full rule →Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau allows up to four hens per residential lot with a City Clerk permit, but bans roosters outright and restricts…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa allows up to four hens, no roosters, on a residential lot with a city permit and written consent from every…
Read full rule →Winnebago County
Some RestrictionsWinnebago County zoning caps backyard flocks at 4 hens, bans roosters and on-site slaughter, and requires a covered…
Read full rule →Dog Leash Laws
When and where dogs must be on a leash, off-leash park rules, leash length limits, and penalties for dogs running loose.
Brown County
Significant RestrictionsBrown County bars pets from county parks generally, allowing dogs only in Parks Director-designated on-leash or…
Read full rule →Appleton
Some RestrictionsAppleton requires every owner to keep an animal within their own property line under §3-15; once off the premises it…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Some RestrictionsVillage Code Section 4-1-3 bars any animal or fowl, dogs included, from running at large in the Village of Ashwaubenon…
Read full rule →Beloit
Some RestrictionsBeloit requires every animal off its owner's premises to be under restraint by a leash, cord or chain no longer than…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsBurlington bans letting a dog run at large under § 104-8A, defined as anywhere off the owner's own premises unless the…
Read full rule →Dane County
Some RestrictionsDane County Code ch. 47.17 bars owners and custodians from letting an animal run at large anywhere off the owner's…
Read full rule →De Pere
Some RestrictionsDe Pere bars any animal from running at large: Code § 86-5(a) requires a pet to stay on its owner's property unless…
Read full rule →Fitchburg
Some RestrictionsFitchburg, Wisconsin bars an owner from letting a dog run at large on any city street, alley or public place, with the…
Read full rule →Fond Du Lac County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Fond du Lac County, no one may let a dog or other domesticated animal run loose on another person's…
Read full rule →Green Bay
Some RestrictionsGreen Bay bans letting any animal, including dogs, run at large off its owner's property, and requires a leash or…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Some RestrictionsKenosha bans letting a dog or cat 'run at large' anywhere in the City. City Code § 14.01.D.1 requires a secured leash…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Some RestrictionsLittle Chute bans letting any dog run at large and requires owners to confine or restrain animals so they don't roam…
Read full rule →Madison
Some RestrictionsMadison bars letting a dog or cat run at large off its owner's premises unless it's restrained on a chain, rope or cord…
Read full rule →Marathon County
Some RestrictionsMarathon County requires dogs to stay on the owner's property, on a leash, or under direct supervision: the…
Read full rule →Middleton
Some RestrictionsMiddleton makes it unlawful for an owner or keeper to let a dog or cat run at large anywhere in the City. Under Section…
Read full rule →Milton
Some RestrictionsMilton bans dogs, cats and other animals from running at large anywhere off their owner's premises unless kept under…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee bans letting a dog run at large; off your property it must be on a leash no more than 6 feet long held by a…
Read full rule →Milwaukee County
Some RestrictionsDogs on Milwaukee County-owned or leased property must be leashed to six feet or less, with a parallel rule covering…
Read full rule →Mosinee
Some RestrictionsMosinee bans letting any dog, cat, or other animal run at large anywhere in the city, including parks, boat landings…
Read full rule →Neenah
Some RestrictionsNeenah dogs and other animals must stay confined to the owner's property or be on a leash and under control when off…
Read full rule →New Berlin
Some RestrictionsNew Berlin treats an unrestrained dog as a public nuisance. Municipal Code Section 152-10 bars owners from letting a…
Read full rule →Oneida County
Some RestrictionsOneida County bars every owned animal from running at large. Section 23.10(1) states the rule outright, § 23.04(2)…
Read full rule →Outagamie County
Some RestrictionsNo one in Outagamie County may own, keep, or harbor a dog or other animal and let it run at large, off the owner's…
Read full rule →Racine County
Some RestrictionsRacine County requires dogs on its bicycle trails to be leashed with no more than six feet of leash, and bars dogs from…
Read full rule →Rock County
Some RestrictionsA Rock County dog is running at large under Wisconsin law whenever it is off its owner's premises and not under…
Read full rule →Rothschild
Some RestrictionsRothschild makes it unlawful to let a dog, cat or other animal run at large anywhere off its owner's property, under…
Read full rule →Sun Prairie
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Sun Prairie, no dog, cat or other animal may run at large under Code § 6.04.060(C). Owners must keep…
Read full rule →Walworth County
Some RestrictionsWalworth County Code § 6-32 bars dogs from running at large, meaning off the owner's premises and out of anyone's…
Read full rule →Washington County
Some RestrictionsWashington County requires dog owners to keep their animals off public property and other people's land unless the dog…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha requires owners to keep dogs under physical control at all times off their own property; a dog is deemed…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Some RestrictionsWisconsin has no statewide leash mandate, but state law makes any dog off its owner's premises and not under control a…
Read full rule →Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 8.08.190 bans letting a dog, cat, or other animal run at large in the city; an animal off its…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa dogs cannot run loose on or off the owner's property. Section 9.04.020 requires every dog to stay confined by…
Read full rule →West Allis
Some RestrictionsWest Allis requires anyone with an animal off their own property to keep it within 6 feet of themselves and under…
Read full rule →Winnebago County
Some RestrictionsOn Winnebago County park property, dogs and other domesticated animals must stay on a leash no longer than six feet at…
Read full rule →Breed Restrictions
Bans or special requirements for specific dog breeds, including breed-specific legislation, muzzle requirements, and insurance mandates.
Green Bay
Heavy RestrictionsGreen Bay bans possessing a dog once it's been declared dangerous under Chapter 6, with forfeitures of $500 to $1,000…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Heavy RestrictionsWauwatosa bans keeping a vicious dog inside the city outright and imposes strict confinement, signage and insurance…
Read full rule →Appleton
Significant RestrictionsAppleton doesn't ban dogs by breed; instead §§3-131 and 3-132 let a humane or police officer declare any individual…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Significant RestrictionsAshwaubenon has no breed-specific dog ban. Village Code Section 4-1-2 instead lets a public safety officer or the…
Read full rule →Beloit
Significant RestrictionsBeloit's dangerous-dog law is conduct-based rather than breed-specific: no breed is named anywhere in the ordinance…
Read full rule →Burlington
Significant RestrictionsBurlington has no breed-specific ban. Instead, § 104-16(C) lets officers seize any animal found off its owner's…
Read full rule →Dane County
Significant RestrictionsDane County's Public Health Department for Madison and Dane County can formally declare any animal dangerous under Code…
Read full rule →De Pere
Significant RestrictionsDe Pere has no breed ban: Code § 86-4(c) declares an animal dangerous based on what it actually does, not its breed…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Significant RestrictionsKenosha does not restrict pets by breed. Instead, Section 14.075 lets the Kenosha County Public Health Department…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Significant RestrictionsLittle Chute has no breed ban: police can declare any dog or animal "dangerous" after an unprovoked bite or menacing…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Significant RestrictionsMilwaukee regulates dogs by documented dangerous behavior, not breed. A declared dangerous animal must be muzzled…
Read full rule →Mosinee
Significant RestrictionsThe City of Mosinee requires the owner of a police-declared "dangerous" or "menacing" dog to register the animal…
Read full rule →Neenah
Significant RestrictionsNeenah does not ban dogs by breed. Instead, the Police Chief declares individual animals "potentially dangerous,"…
Read full rule →New Berlin
Significant RestrictionsNew Berlin has no breed-specific ban; instead § 152-10 G and H regulate individual dogs found dangerous or potentially…
Read full rule →Oneida County
Significant RestrictionsOneida County has no breed-specific ban; instead § 23.04(20) defines a 'vicious animal' by conduct, two bites or one…
Read full rule →Washington County
Significant RestrictionsWashington County regulates dogs by behavior, not breed: § 172-13 defines a "vicious dog" as one that attacks…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Waukesha County does not ban any dog breed. Instead, under Sec. 14-453 through 14-459 of the County…
Read full rule →Wausau
Significant RestrictionsWausau has no breed-specific dog ban; instead, Wausau Municipal Code § 8.08.200 lets the Chief of Police declare any…
Read full rule →West Allis
Significant RestrictionsWest Allis doesn't restrict dog breeds - it declares individual animals 'dangerous' or 'prohibited' based on documented…
Read full rule →Milwaukee County
Some RestrictionsWisconsin has no statewide preemption of breed-specific legislation, so municipalities may restrict breeds. The City of…
Read full rule →Sun Prairie
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie does not restrict dogs by breed; it instead declares a dog vicious based on behavior, biting two or more…
Read full rule →Beekeeping
Rules for keeping bees in residential areas, including hive placement, number of colonies allowed, and registration requirements.
Wisconsin: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsWisconsin requires beekeepers to register colonies with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection…
Read full rule →Mosinee
Heavy RestrictionsThe City of Mosinee bans keeping bees, wasps, or hornets anywhere in the city, listing them among the wild and…
Read full rule →Rothschild
Heavy RestrictionsRothschild bans beekeeping outright: Village Code § 422-28 makes it unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to…
Read full rule →Fitchburg
Significant RestrictionsFitchburg, Wisconsin allows honey bees on single-family and duplex lots in the R-L, R-LM and R-M districts, but City…
Read full rule →Green Bay
Significant RestrictionsBeekeeping in Green Bay requires a permit from the Humane Officer, and any apiary within 25 feet of a property line…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Significant RestrictionsKenosha bans keeping bees citywide except in the A-1 and A-2 agricultural zoning districts, where Section 14.02(A) of…
Read full rule →Milton
Significant RestrictionsThe City of Milton bans honeybee hives on non-agricultural land unless the keeper obtains a city permit, caps hives at…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Significant RestrictionsMilwaukee requires a beekeeper permit, neighbor notice, and mails objection rights before you can keep honey bees…
Read full rule →Wausau
Significant RestrictionsWausau requires a City Clerk beekeeper permit before keeping any honey bees. Section 8.08.011(c) caps hives at two per…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsBurlington lets residents keep bees, but a hive within 50 feet of any property line needs a five-foot flight barrier…
Read full rule →De Pere
Some RestrictionsDe Pere allows up to two beehives per parcel with a city health department permit under Code § 86-7, limited to R-1 and…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Some RestrictionsLittle Chute allows backyard beekeeping outside agricultural zones only if hives sit at least ten feet from property…
Read full rule →Middleton
Some RestrictionsCity of Middleton allows residential beekeeping under Zoning Code Section 10.03.28(22), capping a property at six hives…
Read full rule →Neenah
Some RestrictionsNeenah allows small-scale hobby beekeeping on City lots, but only after registering with Community Development, and…
Read full rule →Sun Prairie
Some RestrictionsBeekeeping is a special use permitted in every zoning district in the City of Sun Prairie, not just rural lots. Section…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha requires a two-year Community Development Department permit for every beekeeping location, caps hive counts by…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Some RestrictionsThe Basic Zoning Ordinance classifies beekeeping as an "Agricultural or Farm Use," so it is permitted only where…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa allows honey beekeeping in residential districts with a city permit, capped at two hives per lot plus a…
Read full rule →Dane County
Few RestrictionsBeekeeping is permitted as an agricultural use in Dane County. Wisconsin DATCP apiary registration (Wis. Stat. §93.45)…
Read full rule →Exotic Pets
Which non-traditional pets are allowed or banned, such as reptiles, ferrets, potbelly pigs, and other exotic animals.
Wisconsin: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsWisconsin bans private possession, breeding, and sale of dangerous exotic animals (nonnative big cats, nonnative bears…
Read full rule →Appleton
Heavy RestrictionsAppleton bans keeping any wild animal as a pet under §3-116(d), and separately bars exhibiting one for display anywhere…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Heavy RestrictionsSection 4-1-6 of the Ashwaubenon Municipal Code outright bans possessing an exotic animal in the Village, defined…
Read full rule →Beloit
Heavy RestrictionsBeloit outlaws owning, keeping, possessing or harboring a wild animal within city limits, sweeping in wolf hybrids and…
Read full rule →Burlington
Heavy RestrictionsCity Code § 104-16(B) flatly forbids keeping any wild animal as a pet anywhere in Burlington. A separate clause in the…
Read full rule →Dane County
Heavy RestrictionsDane County outlaws live skunks outright: section 47.41 of the animal control ordinance makes it unlawful to sell, give…
Read full rule →De Pere
Heavy RestrictionsDe Pere bans keeping, breeding or selling wild animals as pets under Code § 86-4(a): monkeys and other primates…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Heavy RestrictionsSection 14.02 of the Code of General Ordinances makes it unlawful to bring into, keep or maintain any wild animal or…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Heavy RestrictionsLittle Chute bans keeping any wild animal as a pet and prohibits keeping or selling horses, pigs, goats, sheep…
Read full rule →Madison
Heavy RestrictionsMadison bans possessing, selling or buying wild or exotic animals outright under MGO § 23.49, covering primates, big…
Read full rule →Middleton
Heavy RestrictionsMiddleton bans keeping, harboring, or possessing any poisonous reptile (except rear-fanged snakes) or any other wild…
Read full rule →Milton
Heavy RestrictionsThe City of Milton bans keeping any dangerous, wild or vicious animal as a pet under its animal control ordinance. A…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Heavy RestrictionsMilwaukee prohibits keeping, possessing, breeding, selling, transferring, or exhibiting exotic animals, including big…
Read full rule →Milwaukee County
Heavy RestrictionsMilwaukee County has no exotic-animal ordinance; keeping is controlled municipally. The City of Milwaukee Code 78-5…
Read full rule →Mosinee
Heavy RestrictionsMosinee bans keeping any poisonous reptile or dangerous, carnivorous wild animal within the city, then names more than…
Read full rule →Neenah
Heavy RestrictionsNeenah bans keeping poisonous reptiles, primates, big cats, bears, wolves, and other dangerous or carnivorous wild…
Read full rule →New Berlin
Heavy RestrictionsNew Berlin bans keeping exotic animals in every zoning district, agricultural land included, under Sec. 275-41…
Read full rule →Racine County
Heavy RestrictionsRacine County bars keeping any dangerous animal or reptile not domestic to Wisconsin, with narrow carve-outs for zoos…
Read full rule →Rothschild
Heavy RestrictionsRothschild bans keeping any poisonous, dangerous or carnivorous wild animal or reptile within the Village, then lists…
Read full rule →Sun Prairie
Heavy RestrictionsSun Prairie outright bans keeping poisonous reptiles, big cats, bears, primates, wolves, coyotes and dozens of other…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Heavy RestrictionsWaukesha bans keeping poisonous or constrictor snakes, non-human primates, big cats, bears, wolves, coyotes, hyenas…
Read full rule →Wausau
Heavy RestrictionsWausau outlaws keeping dangerous or wild animals, insects and reptiles within the City. Section 8.08.010(a) names…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Heavy RestrictionsWauwatosa's code bans keeping swine, horses, ponies and other nonhousehold pets, the catch-all Section 9.08.010 uses…
Read full rule →West Allis
Heavy RestrictionsWest Allis bans owning, keeping, or selling any live wild animal citywide, with narrow exceptions for accredited zoos…
Read full rule →Green Bay
Significant RestrictionsGreen Bay bans possessing lions, bears, venomous snakes, monkeys, alligators, scorpions and dozens of other wild…
Read full rule →Rock County
Significant RestrictionsRock County adopts Wisconsin's captive-wildlife law, Wis. Stat. § 169.04, in full by ordinance Sec. 3.212(2), banning…
Read full rule →Washington County
Significant RestrictionsWashington County does not ban wolf-dog hybrids outright but heavily regulates keeping one: § 172-14 requires an…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Some RestrictionsWisconsin restricts dangerous exotic and wild animals at the state level. Under Wis. Stat. 169.11, no one may possess a…
Read full rule →Oneida County
Light RestrictionsOneida County does not ban exotic pets, but § 23.16(1) requires every exotic animal, defined by § 23.04(10) as not…
Read full rule →Wildlife Feeding
Rules about feeding wild animals like deer, coyotes, or feral cats, and requirements for securing trash to prevent wildlife encounters.
Wisconsin: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsWisconsin prohibits baiting and feeding deer in counties with chronic wasting disease (CWD) or bovine TB under Wis…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Heavy RestrictionsVillage Code Section 4-1-7 bars placing salt, mineral, grain, fruit or vegetable material outdoors anywhere in…
Read full rule →Green Bay
Heavy RestrictionsGreen Bay adopts Wisconsin's wild-animal feeding rule, Wis. Admin. Code NR 19.60, as full City law under Section 6-14…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Heavy RestrictionsLittle Chute bans placing salt, mineral, grain, fruit, or vegetable material outdoors anywhere in the village for the…
Read full rule →Middleton
Heavy RestrictionsMiddleton makes it unlawful to place salt, mineral, grain, fruit or vegetable matter outdoors anywhere in the City for…
Read full rule →Neenah
Heavy RestrictionsNeenah makes it unlawful to feed wild ducks or geese anywhere within city limits, listing the ban among the code's…
Read full rule →Wausau
Heavy RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 8.08.255 bans feeding or baiting deer anywhere within city limits, a rule aimed at reducing…
Read full rule →Appleton
Significant RestrictionsAppleton bars putting out salt, grain, fruit or vegetable material anywhere in the city to feed whitetail deer or other…
Read full rule →Milwaukee County
Significant RestrictionsMilwaukee County outlaws feeding waterfowl, game birds, or seagulls anywhere in its county park and parkway system…
Read full rule →Oneida County
Significant RestrictionsFeeding or baiting any wild animal inside the boundary of an Oneida County-owned campground is unlawful under General…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Significant RestrictionsWauwatosa enforces the state's wildlife-feeding rule locally: § 9.12.020 adopts Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 19.60…
Read full rule →Dane County
Some RestrictionsDane County makes it unlawful to intentionally feed wild deer anywhere in the county under section 47.42, with a…
Read full rule →Madison
Some RestrictionsMadison prohibits feeding birds on any public property in the city, and separately on Henry Vilas Zoo grounds, unless…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee requires backyard bird feeders to sit on a rodent-proof pole at least 3.5 feet high and 6 feet from climbable…
Read full rule →Racine County
Some RestrictionsRacine County Code Sec. 16-5 prohibits feeding any wild animal or fowl on county-owned property, defining feed broadly…
Read full rule →West Allis
Some RestrictionsWest Allis makes it a public nuisance to put out food that attracts rats, mice, raccoons, or squirrels along with the…
Read full rule →Pet Limits
Maximum number of cats, dogs, or other companion animals allowed per household, including counts that trigger kennel-license requirements.
Green Bay
Significant RestrictionsGreen Bay requires an excess animal permit from the Humane Officer before a household may keep more pets than the…
Read full rule →Appleton
Some RestrictionsAppleton caps most households at six animals total, with no more than three dogs and two rabbits allowed on any one lot…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Some RestrictionsSection 4-2-35 of the Ashwaubenon Municipal Code caps most households at two dogs or cats total, with a temporary…
Read full rule →Beloit
Some RestrictionsNo residential dwelling unit in the City of Beloit may keep more than 5 dogs, cats and rabbits combined, with a hard…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsBurlington caps ownership at five dogs and five cats per household under § 104-10, a limit the Common Council adopted…
Read full rule →De Pere
Some RestrictionsDe Pere caps household pets at four dogs and cats combined under Code § 86-3: no more than two dogs and three cats per…
Read full rule →Fitchburg
Some RestrictionsFitchburg, Wisconsin sets no flat cap on how many dogs or cats a household may keep, but under Dane County's City of…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Some RestrictionsKenosha caps ownership at three dogs, cats, or a combination of the two per household once the animals pass five months…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Some RestrictionsLittle Chute caps households at six animals total, with no more than three dogs, two rabbits, or two Vietnamese…
Read full rule →Marathon County
Some RestrictionsMarathon County's zoning code sets no cap on dogs a resident personally owns, but boarding, breeding, or training seven…
Read full rule →Middleton
Some RestrictionsMiddleton caps the number of cats and dogs any household may keep at five, in any combination, per premises. The Common…
Read full rule →Milton
Some RestrictionsMilton caps households at a combined total of four dogs and cats over five months old, with no more than three of…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee households may keep up to four dogs, cats, or rabbits in any combination without a permit; a fifth requires…
Read full rule →Milwaukee County
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee County sets no countywide pet limit. In the City of Milwaukee, Code 78-5 caps a household at four dogs, cats…
Read full rule →Mosinee
Some RestrictionsMosinee caps most households at two dogs, cats, or a combination of the two over five months old per residential unit…
Read full rule →Neenah
Some RestrictionsNeenah caps most households at three pet animals of any one kind over five months old, with a hard ceiling of six pet…
Read full rule →Rothschild
Some RestrictionsRothschild limits pet ownership to four adult dogs and/or cats combined per single-family home and two adult dogs…
Read full rule →Sun Prairie
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie caps household pets at two dogs and two cats, or three animals of a single species, per residential unit…
Read full rule →Walworth County
Some RestrictionsIn the towns under Walworth County zoning, no more than four dogs or four cats can be kept on one premises under Code §…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha caps dogs over 3 months at two per dwelling unit, cats over 6 months at two per household, and limits any…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Some RestrictionsAnimal hoarding is addressed through Wisconsin's animal-cruelty and neglect statutes plus local pet-limit and kennel…
Read full rule →Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau caps ordinary households at two dogs and three cats over five months old under Wausau Municipal Code §…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa caps any residence, apartment, yard or property at three cats or dogs combined, animals over three months…
Read full rule →West Allis
Some RestrictionsWest Allis limits a dwelling unit to 2 dogs and 4 cats over 5 months old unless an occupant holds an animal fancier…
Read full rule →Winnebago County
Some RestrictionsWinnebago County zoning defines a private kennel as no more than 3 dogs or other domesticated animals over 6 months old…
Read full rule →Racine County
Few RestrictionsRacine County's zoning code doesn't set a countywide cap on dogs, cats, or other household pets. Section 20-1018 hands…
Read full rule →Cat Rules
Rules specific to cats, outdoor roaming, feral cat colonies, leash laws (yes, some cities require them), and licensing requirements.
Appleton
Some RestrictionsAppleton requires an annual license for every dog or cat over five months old, issued under Appleton Municipal Code §§…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Some RestrictionsAshwaubenon has no cat licensing requirement, only dogs are licensed under Wis. Stat. ch. 174 as adopted by Section…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsEvery cat in Burlington over five months old must be licensed annually at City Hall under § 104-4, with proof of rabies…
Read full rule →Fitchburg
Some RestrictionsFitchburg, Wisconsin requires every cat five months or older kept in the city's urban services area to carry an annual…
Read full rule →Kenosha County
Some RestrictionsKenosha County requires any house cat entering a County park or park trail to stay on a leash no longer than 10 feet…
Read full rule →Madison
Some RestrictionsMadison requires every cat over five months old to carry an annual license and tag under MGO § 9.31, with the fee set…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsCats over 5 months must be licensed and microchipped under city code, and owners may not let cats run at large…
Read full rule →Milwaukee County
Some RestrictionsAll 19 municipalities in Milwaukee County require dogs and cats to be licensed annually, and Wisconsin law requires…
Read full rule →Rock County
Some RestrictionsRock County has no cat-licensing scheme, but it does adopt Wisconsin's rabies-control law for cats: an officer who has…
Read full rule →Walworth County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Walworth County, a cat that bites someone or is exposed to a rabid animal must be quarantined under…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha caps household cats at two over 6 months old and requires an annual license once a cat turns 5 months…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Some RestrictionsWisconsin's dog-licensing statute does not require cats to be licensed statewide, so cat rules in Waukesha County are…
Read full rule →Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau caps most residential units at three cats and two dogs over five months old, with a City Clerk pet fancier…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa requires every cat over five months old to carry an annual city license, displayed on the collar, and bars…
Read full rule →Winnebago County
Some RestrictionsWinnebago County extends the state dog-licensing law to cats: anyone who owns a cat must follow the same license and…
Read full rule →Dane County
Light RestrictionsDane County does not license cats the way it licenses dogs, but ch. 47.17(3)-(4) requires cats kept in residentially…
Read full rule →Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Requirements that dogs and cats over a certain age be sterilized, with intact-animal permits, exemptions for breeders, and penalties for noncompliance.
Appleton
Some RestrictionsAppleton does not require spaying or neutering of ordinary pets, but owners of an animal formally designated…
Read full rule →Little Chute
Some RestrictionsLittle Chute does not require spaying or neutering pets generally. Only an animal formally declared "dangerous" by…
Read full rule →Madison
Some RestrictionsMadison doesn't require every dog to be fixed, but Public Health Madison & Dane County can order a specific dog spayed…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee has no citywide spay/neuter mandate for pets generally. But once an animal is officially designated…
Read full rule →Neenah
Some RestrictionsNeenah has no citywide spay/neuter mandate. The requirement is narrow: an owner can only get the required…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha does not require dogs or cats to be spayed or neutered, but the only pig breed residents may keep, the…
Read full rule →Beloit
Light RestrictionsBeloit does not require every dog or cat to be spayed or neutered. The mandate is narrow: proof of spay or neuter is…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Few RestrictionsKenosha does not require dog or cat owners to spay or neuter their pets. Instead, City Code § 14.01 sets a lower…
Read full rule →Microchipping
Mandates that dogs and cats be microchipped before leaving a shelter or by a certain age, including registration and tag requirements.
Dane County
Significant RestrictionsDane County has no general pet-microchipping mandate, but ch. 47.18(9)(b) requires an owner whose animal has been…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Significant RestrictionsMilwaukee requires every dog and cat kept in the city to be microchipped and registered with a nationally recognized…
Read full rule →Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau has no general pet microchipping law; the only microchip requirement in the Wausau Municipal Code sits inside…
Read full rule →Coyote Management
How your city handles urban coyotes, including hazing protocols, feeding bans, and what residents should do when sighting one near homes.
Wausau
Significant RestrictionsWausau bans feeding or baiting deer anywhere in the City under Section 8.08.255, with each day of continued feeding…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsBurlington's only citywide rule on coyotes, deer and other wildlife culls sits in the Airport chapter: § 93-1C(9) lets…
Read full rule →Pet Store Rules
Restrictions on retail pet sales, including bans on commercially bred dogs and cats and rescue-only sourcing requirements.
Appleton
Heavy RestrictionsSince July 1, 2021, no pet store in Appleton may sell, barter, auction or give away a dog or cat, under §3-25(b)…
Read full rule →Beloit
Heavy RestrictionsBeloit bars every pet store in the city from selling, bartering or giving away cats, dogs or rabbits, a full retail…
Read full rule →Madison
Heavy RestrictionsMadison bars every retail pet store from selling, bartering or otherwise transferring cats or dogs under MGO § 23.65…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Heavy RestrictionsWaukesha bans retail pet stores from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits anywhere in the city. Adopted as Ordinance 2022-7…
Read full rule →Wausau
Heavy RestrictionsWausau bans pet stores from selling, bartering, or giving away any dog or cat under Wausau Municipal Code § 8.08.115, a…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Heavy RestrictionsWauwatosa bars every pet store in the city from selling dogs or cats. Section 9.06.020 prohibits pet stores from…
Read full rule →Green Bay
Some RestrictionsGreen Bay requires an animal establishment license before anyone runs a pet shop, grooming service, breeding service…
Read full rule →Kenosha
Some RestrictionsKenosha does not ban retail sale of dogs and cats or require adoption-only sourcing. Section 14.015 of the Code of…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee licenses pet shops rather than banning retail sales: stores need a city permit, must vaccinate dogs and cats…
Read full rule →Neenah
Some RestrictionsNeenah requires an annual operating permit from the Director of Finance to run a pet store, and animals on display must…
Read full rule →Winnebago County
Some RestrictionsWinnebago County requires a Health Department permit to operate a pet store, plus separate permits for boarding kennels…
Read full rule →Pet Groomer Rules
Health and safety standards for commercial pet grooming, including animal-handling certifications, sanitation, and zoning where mobile groomers may operate.
Ashwaubenon
Significant RestrictionsRunning a dog-grooming business out of an Ashwaubenon home requires a conditional use permit, not just a…
Read full rule →Appleton
Some RestrictionsAppleton classifies stand-alone pet grooming as a 'personal service,' a principal permitted use allowed by right in the…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsBurlington bans pet grooming as a home occupation under City Code § 315-10.C(15)(c), but allows a standalone pet…
Read full rule →Kenosha County
Some RestrictionsKenosha County's BP-1 Business Park District won't let a grooming shop operate under the 'Professional offices'…
Read full rule →Madison
Some RestrictionsMadison classifies pet grooming shops as an 'Animal Grooming Facility' land use under Madison General Ordinances §…
Read full rule →Milwaukee
Some RestrictionsMilwaukee requires a $150 annual permit from the Commissioner of Health before anyone can operate an animal grooming…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa classifies pet grooming as a Sales & Grooming use under the Animal Services category, permitted by right only…
Read full rule →Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Where veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, and emergency animal-care facilities may be located, including overnight-boarding and noise buffers.
Fitchburg
Significant RestrictionsFitchburg zones veterinary clinics differently by district: Sec. 22-310 lists "animal hospital and kennel" as a…
Read full rule →Kenosha County
Significant RestrictionsKenosha County treats animal hospitals, shelters, kennels and veterinary services as a conditional use in the B-2…
Read full rule →Walworth County
Significant RestrictionsIn unincorporated Walworth County, veterinarian facilities are not allowed outright anywhere. Section 74-61(9) lists…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Significant RestrictionsIn unincorporated Waukesha County towns, animal hospitals, veterinarian clinics and commercial kennels need a…
Read full rule →Appleton
Some RestrictionsAppleton zones veterinary clinics as a distinct commercial use across four business districts, but only the C-1…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Some RestrictionsAshwaubenon's zoning code caps veterinary clinics at twenty boarded animals at any one time, not counting fish, small…
Read full rule →Burlington
Some RestrictionsBurlington zones veterinary clinics differently by district. City Code § 315-15.C(7) requires a 100-foot setback from…
Read full rule →Dane County
Some RestrictionsDane County's zoning code defines a veterinary clinic as an establishment for medical or surgical treatment of animals…
Read full rule →Waukesha
Some RestrictionsWaukesha allows animal hospitals, veterinary services, and animal boarding as a permitted principal use in its B-5…
Read full rule →Wauwatosa
Some RestrictionsWauwatosa permits veterinary clinics by right in its commercial and industrial districts, CO, C1, C2, M1 and M2, plus…
Read full rule →Winnebago County
Some RestrictionsIn towns that have adopted Winnebago County's zoning chapter, general and small-animal veterinary clinics must meet the…
Read full rule →Bird Protection
Local rules protecting specific bird species (LAMC §53.55), including penalties for trapping or harming protected species and bird-safe building design.
Burlington
Heavy RestrictionsBurlington's animal code flatly bans injuring, destroying, shooting at, or throwing stones at any bird inside city…
Read full rule →Madison
Heavy RestrictionsIt is unlawful to injure, attempt to injure, or destroy any wild bird within the City of Madison, under Madison General…
Read full rule →Ashwaubenon
Significant RestrictionsIt's illegal to injure or attempt to injure any waterfowl, bird or animal, wild or domestic, inside an Ashwaubenon…
Read full rule →Waukesha County
Significant RestrictionsWaukesha County protects wildlife inside its parks by banning any disturbance of a bird's nest. Sec. 14-158(c) makes it…
Read full rule →Wildlife Rescue Permits
CDFW and city permits required to rehabilitate injured wildlife, including the Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit program and approved holding facilities.