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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 Restrictions

Wisconsin's right-to-farm law (Wis. Stat. 823.08) and Livestock Facility Siting Law (Wis. Stat. 93.90) limit municipal…

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Burlington

Heavy Restrictions

Burlington bars keeping cattle, cows, horses, sheep, swine, goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese or other livestock…

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Little Chute

Heavy Restrictions

Little Chute bars horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, and other farm animals village-wide, with only a narrow licensed…

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Rothschild

Heavy Restrictions

Rothschild bans keeping chickens and other livestock-type animals, including horses, mules, ponies, donkeys, cows…

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Appleton

Significant Restrictions

Appleton bans keeping livestock like horses, pigs, goats and sheep inside city limits under §3-52(a), but a Health…

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Ashwaubenon

Significant Restrictions

The Village of Ashwaubenon allows up to four backyard chickens, no roosters, on permitted R-1 lots under Section…

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Kenosha

Significant Restrictions

Kenosha allows up to four hens per licensed single-family lot under Section 14.02(B), but roosters, on-site…

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Milton

Significant Restrictions

General livestock is barred outside agriculturally zoned land, but the City of Milton lets residential property owners…

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Mosinee

Significant Restrictions

Mosinee bans keeping horses, mules, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, or fur-bearing animals anywhere in the city…

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Neenah

Significant Restrictions

Neenah allows up to four chickens, doves, or other fowl per property with City registration, a ban on roosters, and a…

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West Allis

Significant Restrictions

West Allis limits residential animal-keeping to a fixed list of small domestic species; chickens, goats, pigs, and…

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Beloit

Some Restrictions

The City of Beloit lets a residential lot with one single-family home keep up to 4 female chickens, but bans roosters…

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Dane County

Some Restrictions

Dane County's zoning code bars keeping livestock at all on parcels smaller than one acre, and once a lot reaches an…

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De Pere

Some Restrictions

De Pere allows up to four chickens per residential parcel with a city permit under Code § 86-5(g), while § 86-4(a)(1)…

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Fitchburg

Some Restrictions

Fitchburg's R-L zoning code allows limited animal husbandry, including poultry, up to 25 percent of one animal unit per…

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Green Bay

Some Restrictions

Green Bay allows up to five licensed hens per parcel but bans roosters outright; owners need an annual City Clerk…

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Kenosha County

Some Restrictions

Kenosha County's zoning ordinance lets poultry and livestock raising happen by right on farms in the A-1 and A-2…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

Madison allows up to eight chickens as an accessory use on residential lots with up to four dwelling units under Zoning…

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Marathon County

Some Restrictions

In the county's Rural Residential zoning district, Marathon County caps backyard fowl at six birds on lots under one…

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Middleton

Some Restrictions

Keeping backyard chickens in Middleton requires a Building Inspector permit under Municipal Code § 7.21. Parcels up to…

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Milwaukee

Some Restrictions

Milwaukee allows up to 4 hens per residential property with a permit, neighbor notice, and a 25-foot coop setback.

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Outagamie County

Some Restrictions

Keeping livestock, which the county zoning code defines to include poultry, is a permitted farm use only in Outagamie…

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Racine County

Some Restrictions

Racine County permits livestock facilities as a conditional use in agricultural districts but requires at least 35…

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Sun Prairie

Some Restrictions

Sun Prairie lets homeowners keep hens, not roosters, but only after clearing two separate city approvals: a zoning…

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Walworth County

Some Restrictions

In the towns under Walworth County zoning, up to six female chickens are allowed on a single-family lot in the R-1…

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Washington County

Some Restrictions

Washington County bars anyone from letting animals or fowl, including backyard chickens and livestock, run loose off…

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Waukesha

Some Restrictions

Waukesha allows permitted backyard chickens only, capped at four per parcel (six on lots over an acre), bans roosters…

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Waukesha County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Waukesha County allows up to five hens (no roosters) on lots of at least one acre, but lots under three…

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Wausau

Some Restrictions

Wausau allows up to four hens per residential lot with a City Clerk permit, but bans roosters outright and restricts…

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Wauwatosa

Some Restrictions

Wauwatosa allows up to four hens, no roosters, on a residential lot with a city permit and written consent from every…

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Winnebago County

Some Restrictions

Winnebago County zoning caps backyard flocks at 4 hens, bans roosters and on-site slaughter, and requires a covered…

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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 Restrictions

Brown County bars pets from county parks generally, allowing dogs only in Parks Director-designated on-leash or…

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Appleton

Some Restrictions

Appleton requires every owner to keep an animal within their own property line under §3-15; once off the premises it…

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Ashwaubenon

Some Restrictions

Village Code Section 4-1-3 bars any animal or fowl, dogs included, from running at large in the Village of Ashwaubenon…

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Beloit

Some Restrictions

Beloit requires every animal off its owner's premises to be under restraint by a leash, cord or chain no longer than…

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Burlington

Some Restrictions

Burlington bans letting a dog run at large under § 104-8A, defined as anywhere off the owner's own premises unless the…

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Dane County

Some Restrictions

Dane County Code ch. 47.17 bars owners and custodians from letting an animal run at large anywhere off the owner's…

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De Pere

Some Restrictions

De Pere bars any animal from running at large: Code § 86-5(a) requires a pet to stay on its owner's property unless…

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Fitchburg

Some Restrictions

Fitchburg, Wisconsin bars an owner from letting a dog run at large on any city street, alley or public place, with the…

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Fond Du Lac County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Fond du Lac County, no one may let a dog or other domesticated animal run loose on another person's…

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Green Bay

Some Restrictions

Green Bay bans letting any animal, including dogs, run at large off its owner's property, and requires a leash or…

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Kenosha

Some Restrictions

Kenosha bans letting a dog or cat 'run at large' anywhere in the City. City Code § 14.01.D.1 requires a secured leash…

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Little Chute

Some Restrictions

Little Chute bans letting any dog run at large and requires owners to confine or restrain animals so they don't roam…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

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…

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Marathon County

Some Restrictions

Marathon County requires dogs to stay on the owner's property, on a leash, or under direct supervision: the…

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Middleton

Some Restrictions

Middleton makes it unlawful for an owner or keeper to let a dog or cat run at large anywhere in the City. Under Section…

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Milton

Some Restrictions

Milton bans dogs, cats and other animals from running at large anywhere off their owner's premises unless kept under…

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Milwaukee

Some Restrictions

Milwaukee 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…

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Milwaukee County

Some Restrictions

Dogs on Milwaukee County-owned or leased property must be leashed to six feet or less, with a parallel rule covering…

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Mosinee

Some Restrictions

Mosinee bans letting any dog, cat, or other animal run at large anywhere in the city, including parks, boat landings…

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Neenah

Some Restrictions

Neenah dogs and other animals must stay confined to the owner's property or be on a leash and under control when off…

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New Berlin

Some Restrictions

New Berlin treats an unrestrained dog as a public nuisance. Municipal Code Section 152-10 bars owners from letting a…

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Oneida County

Some Restrictions

Oneida County bars every owned animal from running at large. Section 23.10(1) states the rule outright, § 23.04(2)…

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Outagamie County

Some Restrictions

No one in Outagamie County may own, keep, or harbor a dog or other animal and let it run at large, off the owner's…

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Racine County

Some Restrictions

Racine County requires dogs on its bicycle trails to be leashed with no more than six feet of leash, and bars dogs from…

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Rock County

Some Restrictions

A Rock County dog is running at large under Wisconsin law whenever it is off its owner's premises and not under…

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Rothschild

Some Restrictions

Rothschild makes it unlawful to let a dog, cat or other animal run at large anywhere off its owner's property, under…

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Sun Prairie

Some Restrictions

In the City of Sun Prairie, no dog, cat or other animal may run at large under Code § 6.04.060(C). Owners must keep…

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Walworth County

Some Restrictions

Walworth County Code § 6-32 bars dogs from running at large, meaning off the owner's premises and out of anyone's…

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Washington County

Some Restrictions

Washington County requires dog owners to keep their animals off public property and other people's land unless the dog…

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Waukesha

Some Restrictions

Waukesha requires owners to keep dogs under physical control at all times off their own property; a dog is deemed…

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Waukesha County

Some Restrictions

Wisconsin has no statewide leash mandate, but state law makes any dog off its owner's premises and not under control a…

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Wausau

Some Restrictions

Wausau Municipal Code § 8.08.190 bans letting a dog, cat, or other animal run at large in the city; an animal off its…

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Wauwatosa

Some Restrictions

Wauwatosa dogs cannot run loose on or off the owner's property. Section 9.04.020 requires every dog to stay confined by…

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West Allis

Some Restrictions

West Allis requires anyone with an animal off their own property to keep it within 6 feet of themselves and under…

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Winnebago County

Some Restrictions

On Winnebago County park property, dogs and other domesticated animals must stay on a leash no longer than six feet at…

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Breed Restrictions

Bans or special requirements for specific dog breeds, including breed-specific legislation, muzzle requirements, and insurance mandates.

Green Bay

Heavy Restrictions

Green Bay bans possessing a dog once it's been declared dangerous under Chapter 6, with forfeitures of $500 to $1,000…

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Wauwatosa

Heavy Restrictions

Wauwatosa bans keeping a vicious dog inside the city outright and imposes strict confinement, signage and insurance…

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Appleton

Significant Restrictions

Appleton doesn't ban dogs by breed; instead §§3-131 and 3-132 let a humane or police officer declare any individual…

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Ashwaubenon

Significant Restrictions

Ashwaubenon has no breed-specific dog ban. Village Code Section 4-1-2 instead lets a public safety officer or the…

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Beloit

Significant Restrictions

Beloit's dangerous-dog law is conduct-based rather than breed-specific: no breed is named anywhere in the ordinance…

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Burlington

Significant Restrictions

Burlington has no breed-specific ban. Instead, § 104-16(C) lets officers seize any animal found off its owner's…

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Dane County

Significant Restrictions

Dane County's Public Health Department for Madison and Dane County can formally declare any animal dangerous under Code…

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De Pere

Significant Restrictions

De Pere has no breed ban: Code § 86-4(c) declares an animal dangerous based on what it actually does, not its breed…

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Kenosha

Significant Restrictions

Kenosha does not restrict pets by breed. Instead, Section 14.075 lets the Kenosha County Public Health Department…

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Little Chute

Significant Restrictions

Little Chute has no breed ban: police can declare any dog or animal "dangerous" after an unprovoked bite or menacing…

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Milwaukee

Significant Restrictions

Milwaukee regulates dogs by documented dangerous behavior, not breed. A declared dangerous animal must be muzzled…

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Mosinee

Significant Restrictions

The City of Mosinee requires the owner of a police-declared "dangerous" or "menacing" dog to register the animal…

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Neenah

Significant Restrictions

Neenah does not ban dogs by breed. Instead, the Police Chief declares individual animals "potentially dangerous,"…

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New Berlin

Significant Restrictions

New Berlin has no breed-specific ban; instead § 152-10 G and H regulate individual dogs found dangerous or potentially…

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Oneida County

Significant Restrictions

Oneida County has no breed-specific ban; instead § 23.04(20) defines a 'vicious animal' by conduct, two bites or one…

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Washington County

Significant Restrictions

Washington County regulates dogs by behavior, not breed: § 172-13 defines a "vicious dog" as one that attacks…

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Waukesha County

Significant Restrictions

Unincorporated Waukesha County does not ban any dog breed. Instead, under Sec. 14-453 through 14-459 of the County…

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Wausau

Significant Restrictions

Wausau has no breed-specific dog ban; instead, Wausau Municipal Code § 8.08.200 lets the Chief of Police declare any…

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West Allis

Significant Restrictions

West Allis doesn't restrict dog breeds - it declares individual animals 'dangerous' or 'prohibited' based on documented…

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Milwaukee County

Some Restrictions

Wisconsin has no statewide preemption of breed-specific legislation, so municipalities may restrict breeds. The City of…

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Sun Prairie

Some Restrictions

Sun Prairie does not restrict dogs by breed; it instead declares a dog vicious based on behavior, biting two or more…

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Beekeeping

Rules for keeping bees in residential areas, including hive placement, number of colonies allowed, and registration requirements.

Wisconsin: statewide

StatewideSome Restrictions

Wisconsin requires beekeepers to register colonies with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection…

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Mosinee

Heavy Restrictions

The City of Mosinee bans keeping bees, wasps, or hornets anywhere in the city, listing them among the wild and…

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Rothschild

Heavy Restrictions

Rothschild bans beekeeping outright: Village Code § 422-28 makes it unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to…

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Fitchburg

Significant Restrictions

Fitchburg, Wisconsin allows honey bees on single-family and duplex lots in the R-L, R-LM and R-M districts, but City…

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Green Bay

Significant Restrictions

Beekeeping in Green Bay requires a permit from the Humane Officer, and any apiary within 25 feet of a property line…

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Kenosha

Significant Restrictions

Kenosha bans keeping bees citywide except in the A-1 and A-2 agricultural zoning districts, where Section 14.02(A) of…

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Milton

Significant Restrictions

The City of Milton bans honeybee hives on non-agricultural land unless the keeper obtains a city permit, caps hives at…

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Milwaukee

Significant Restrictions

Milwaukee requires a beekeeper permit, neighbor notice, and mails objection rights before you can keep honey bees…

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Wausau

Significant Restrictions

Wausau requires a City Clerk beekeeper permit before keeping any honey bees. Section 8.08.011(c) caps hives at two per…

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Burlington

Some Restrictions

Burlington lets residents keep bees, but a hive within 50 feet of any property line needs a five-foot flight barrier…

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De Pere

Some Restrictions

De Pere allows up to two beehives per parcel with a city health department permit under Code § 86-7, limited to R-1 and…

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Little Chute

Some Restrictions

Little Chute allows backyard beekeeping outside agricultural zones only if hives sit at least ten feet from property…

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Middleton

Some Restrictions

City of Middleton allows residential beekeeping under Zoning Code Section 10.03.28(22), capping a property at six hives…

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Neenah

Some Restrictions

Neenah allows small-scale hobby beekeeping on City lots, but only after registering with Community Development, and…

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Sun Prairie

Some Restrictions

Beekeeping is a special use permitted in every zoning district in the City of Sun Prairie, not just rural lots. Section…

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Waukesha

Some Restrictions

Waukesha requires a two-year Community Development Department permit for every beekeeping location, caps hive counts by…

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Waukesha County

Some Restrictions

The Basic Zoning Ordinance classifies beekeeping as an "Agricultural or Farm Use," so it is permitted only where…

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Wauwatosa

Some Restrictions

Wauwatosa allows honey beekeeping in residential districts with a city permit, capped at two hives per lot plus a…

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Dane County

Few Restrictions

Beekeeping is permitted as an agricultural use in Dane County. Wisconsin DATCP apiary registration (Wis. Stat. §93.45)…

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Exotic Pets

Which non-traditional pets are allowed or banned, such as reptiles, ferrets, potbelly pigs, and other exotic animals.

Wisconsin: statewide

StatewideHeavy Restrictions

Wisconsin bans private possession, breeding, and sale of dangerous exotic animals (nonnative big cats, nonnative bears…

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Appleton

Heavy Restrictions

Appleton bans keeping any wild animal as a pet under §3-116(d), and separately bars exhibiting one for display anywhere…

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Ashwaubenon

Heavy Restrictions

Section 4-1-6 of the Ashwaubenon Municipal Code outright bans possessing an exotic animal in the Village, defined…

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Beloit

Heavy Restrictions

Beloit outlaws owning, keeping, possessing or harboring a wild animal within city limits, sweeping in wolf hybrids and…

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Burlington

Heavy Restrictions

City Code § 104-16(B) flatly forbids keeping any wild animal as a pet anywhere in Burlington. A separate clause in the…

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Dane County

Heavy Restrictions

Dane County outlaws live skunks outright: section 47.41 of the animal control ordinance makes it unlawful to sell, give…

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De Pere

Heavy Restrictions

De Pere bans keeping, breeding or selling wild animals as pets under Code § 86-4(a): monkeys and other primates…

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Kenosha

Heavy Restrictions

Section 14.02 of the Code of General Ordinances makes it unlawful to bring into, keep or maintain any wild animal or…

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Little Chute

Heavy Restrictions

Little Chute bans keeping any wild animal as a pet and prohibits keeping or selling horses, pigs, goats, sheep…

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Madison

Heavy Restrictions

Madison bans possessing, selling or buying wild or exotic animals outright under MGO § 23.49, covering primates, big…

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Middleton

Heavy Restrictions

Middleton bans keeping, harboring, or possessing any poisonous reptile (except rear-fanged snakes) or any other wild…

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Milton

Heavy Restrictions

The City of Milton bans keeping any dangerous, wild or vicious animal as a pet under its animal control ordinance. A…

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Milwaukee

Heavy Restrictions

Milwaukee prohibits keeping, possessing, breeding, selling, transferring, or exhibiting exotic animals, including big…

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Milwaukee County

Heavy Restrictions

Milwaukee County has no exotic-animal ordinance; keeping is controlled municipally. The City of Milwaukee Code 78-5…

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Mosinee

Heavy Restrictions

Mosinee bans keeping any poisonous reptile or dangerous, carnivorous wild animal within the city, then names more than…

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Neenah

Heavy Restrictions

Neenah bans keeping poisonous reptiles, primates, big cats, bears, wolves, and other dangerous or carnivorous wild…

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New Berlin

Heavy Restrictions

New Berlin bans keeping exotic animals in every zoning district, agricultural land included, under Sec. 275-41…

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Racine County

Heavy Restrictions

Racine County bars keeping any dangerous animal or reptile not domestic to Wisconsin, with narrow carve-outs for zoos…

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Rothschild

Heavy Restrictions

Rothschild bans keeping any poisonous, dangerous or carnivorous wild animal or reptile within the Village, then lists…

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Sun Prairie

Heavy Restrictions

Sun Prairie outright bans keeping poisonous reptiles, big cats, bears, primates, wolves, coyotes and dozens of other…

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Waukesha

Heavy Restrictions

Waukesha bans keeping poisonous or constrictor snakes, non-human primates, big cats, bears, wolves, coyotes, hyenas…

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Wausau

Heavy Restrictions

Wausau outlaws keeping dangerous or wild animals, insects and reptiles within the City. Section 8.08.010(a) names…

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Wauwatosa

Heavy Restrictions

Wauwatosa's code bans keeping swine, horses, ponies and other nonhousehold pets, the catch-all Section 9.08.010 uses…

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West Allis

Heavy Restrictions

West Allis bans owning, keeping, or selling any live wild animal citywide, with narrow exceptions for accredited zoos…

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Green Bay

Significant Restrictions

Green Bay bans possessing lions, bears, venomous snakes, monkeys, alligators, scorpions and dozens of other wild…

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Rock County

Significant Restrictions

Rock County adopts Wisconsin's captive-wildlife law, Wis. Stat. § 169.04, in full by ordinance Sec. 3.212(2), banning…

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Washington County

Significant Restrictions

Washington County does not ban wolf-dog hybrids outright but heavily regulates keeping one: § 172-14 requires an…

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Waukesha County

Some Restrictions

Wisconsin restricts dangerous exotic and wild animals at the state level. Under Wis. Stat. 169.11, no one may possess a…

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Oneida County

Light Restrictions

Oneida County does not ban exotic pets, but § 23.16(1) requires every exotic animal, defined by § 23.04(10) as not…

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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 Restrictions

Wisconsin prohibits baiting and feeding deer in counties with chronic wasting disease (CWD) or bovine TB under Wis…

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Ashwaubenon

Heavy Restrictions

Village Code Section 4-1-7 bars placing salt, mineral, grain, fruit or vegetable material outdoors anywhere in…

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Green Bay

Heavy Restrictions

Green Bay adopts Wisconsin's wild-animal feeding rule, Wis. Admin. Code NR 19.60, as full City law under Section 6-14…

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Little Chute

Heavy Restrictions

Little Chute bans placing salt, mineral, grain, fruit, or vegetable material outdoors anywhere in the village for the…

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Middleton

Heavy Restrictions

Middleton makes it unlawful to place salt, mineral, grain, fruit or vegetable matter outdoors anywhere in the City for…

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Neenah

Heavy Restrictions

Neenah makes it unlawful to feed wild ducks or geese anywhere within city limits, listing the ban among the code's…

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Wausau

Heavy Restrictions

Wausau Municipal Code § 8.08.255 bans feeding or baiting deer anywhere within city limits, a rule aimed at reducing…

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Appleton

Significant Restrictions

Appleton bars putting out salt, grain, fruit or vegetable material anywhere in the city to feed whitetail deer or other…

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Milwaukee County

Significant Restrictions

Milwaukee County outlaws feeding waterfowl, game birds, or seagulls anywhere in its county park and parkway system…

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Oneida County

Significant Restrictions

Feeding or baiting any wild animal inside the boundary of an Oneida County-owned campground is unlawful under General…

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Wauwatosa

Significant Restrictions

Wauwatosa enforces the state's wildlife-feeding rule locally: § 9.12.020 adopts Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 19.60…

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Dane County

Some Restrictions

Dane County makes it unlawful to intentionally feed wild deer anywhere in the county under section 47.42, with a…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

Madison prohibits feeding birds on any public property in the city, and separately on Henry Vilas Zoo grounds, unless…

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Milwaukee

Some Restrictions

Milwaukee requires backyard bird feeders to sit on a rodent-proof pole at least 3.5 feet high and 6 feet from climbable…

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Racine County

Some Restrictions

Racine County Code Sec. 16-5 prohibits feeding any wild animal or fowl on county-owned property, defining feed broadly…

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West Allis

Some Restrictions

West Allis makes it a public nuisance to put out food that attracts rats, mice, raccoons, or squirrels along with the…

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Pet Limits

Maximum number of cats, dogs, or other companion animals allowed per household, including counts that trigger kennel-license requirements.

Green Bay

Significant Restrictions

Green Bay requires an excess animal permit from the Humane Officer before a household may keep more pets than the…

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Appleton

Some Restrictions

Appleton caps most households at six animals total, with no more than three dogs and two rabbits allowed on any one lot…

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Ashwaubenon

Some Restrictions

Section 4-2-35 of the Ashwaubenon Municipal Code caps most households at two dogs or cats total, with a temporary…

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Beloit

Some Restrictions

No residential dwelling unit in the City of Beloit may keep more than 5 dogs, cats and rabbits combined, with a hard…

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Burlington

Some Restrictions

Burlington caps ownership at five dogs and five cats per household under § 104-10, a limit the Common Council adopted…

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De Pere

Some Restrictions

De Pere caps household pets at four dogs and cats combined under Code § 86-3: no more than two dogs and three cats per…

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Fitchburg

Some Restrictions

Fitchburg, Wisconsin sets no flat cap on how many dogs or cats a household may keep, but under Dane County's City of…

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Kenosha

Some Restrictions

Kenosha caps ownership at three dogs, cats, or a combination of the two per household once the animals pass five months…

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Little Chute

Some Restrictions

Little Chute caps households at six animals total, with no more than three dogs, two rabbits, or two Vietnamese…

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Marathon County

Some Restrictions

Marathon County's zoning code sets no cap on dogs a resident personally owns, but boarding, breeding, or training seven…

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Middleton

Some Restrictions

Middleton caps the number of cats and dogs any household may keep at five, in any combination, per premises. The Common…

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Milton

Some Restrictions

Milton caps households at a combined total of four dogs and cats over five months old, with no more than three of…

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Milwaukee

Some Restrictions

Milwaukee households may keep up to four dogs, cats, or rabbits in any combination without a permit; a fifth requires…

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Milwaukee County

Some Restrictions

Milwaukee County sets no countywide pet limit. In the City of Milwaukee, Code 78-5 caps a household at four dogs, cats…

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Mosinee

Some Restrictions

Mosinee caps most households at two dogs, cats, or a combination of the two over five months old per residential unit…

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Neenah

Some Restrictions

Neenah caps most households at three pet animals of any one kind over five months old, with a hard ceiling of six pet…

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Rothschild

Some Restrictions

Rothschild limits pet ownership to four adult dogs and/or cats combined per single-family home and two adult dogs…

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Sun Prairie

Some Restrictions

Sun Prairie caps household pets at two dogs and two cats, or three animals of a single species, per residential unit…

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Walworth County

Some Restrictions

In the towns under Walworth County zoning, no more than four dogs or four cats can be kept on one premises under Code §…

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Waukesha

Some Restrictions

Waukesha caps dogs over 3 months at two per dwelling unit, cats over 6 months at two per household, and limits any…

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Waukesha County

Some Restrictions

Animal hoarding is addressed through Wisconsin's animal-cruelty and neglect statutes plus local pet-limit and kennel…

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Wausau

Some Restrictions

Wausau caps ordinary households at two dogs and three cats over five months old under Wausau Municipal Code §…

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Wauwatosa

Some Restrictions

Wauwatosa caps any residence, apartment, yard or property at three cats or dogs combined, animals over three months…

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West Allis

Some Restrictions

West Allis limits a dwelling unit to 2 dogs and 4 cats over 5 months old unless an occupant holds an animal fancier…

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Winnebago County

Some Restrictions

Winnebago County zoning defines a private kennel as no more than 3 dogs or other domesticated animals over 6 months old…

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Racine County

Few Restrictions

Racine County's zoning code doesn't set a countywide cap on dogs, cats, or other household pets. Section 20-1018 hands…

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Cat Rules

Rules specific to cats, outdoor roaming, feral cat colonies, leash laws (yes, some cities require them), and licensing requirements.

Appleton

Some Restrictions

Appleton requires an annual license for every dog or cat over five months old, issued under Appleton Municipal Code §§…

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Ashwaubenon

Some Restrictions

Ashwaubenon has no cat licensing requirement, only dogs are licensed under Wis. Stat. ch. 174 as adopted by Section…

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Burlington

Some Restrictions

Every cat in Burlington over five months old must be licensed annually at City Hall under § 104-4, with proof of rabies…

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Fitchburg

Some Restrictions

Fitchburg, Wisconsin requires every cat five months or older kept in the city's urban services area to carry an annual…

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Kenosha County

Some Restrictions

Kenosha County requires any house cat entering a County park or park trail to stay on a leash no longer than 10 feet…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

Madison requires every cat over five months old to carry an annual license and tag under MGO § 9.31, with the fee set…

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Milwaukee

Some Restrictions

Cats over 5 months must be licensed and microchipped under city code, and owners may not let cats run at large…

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Milwaukee County

Some Restrictions

All 19 municipalities in Milwaukee County require dogs and cats to be licensed annually, and Wisconsin law requires…

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Rock County

Some Restrictions

Rock County has no cat-licensing scheme, but it does adopt Wisconsin's rabies-control law for cats: an officer who has…

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Walworth County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Walworth County, a cat that bites someone or is exposed to a rabid animal must be quarantined under…

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Waukesha

Some Restrictions

Waukesha caps household cats at two over 6 months old and requires an annual license once a cat turns 5 months…

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Waukesha County

Some Restrictions

Wisconsin's dog-licensing statute does not require cats to be licensed statewide, so cat rules in Waukesha County are…

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Wausau

Some Restrictions

Wausau caps most residential units at three cats and two dogs over five months old, with a City Clerk pet fancier…

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Wauwatosa

Some Restrictions

Wauwatosa requires every cat over five months old to carry an annual city license, displayed on the collar, and bars…

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Winnebago County

Some Restrictions

Winnebago County extends the state dog-licensing law to cats: anyone who owns a cat must follow the same license and…

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Dane County

Light Restrictions

Dane County does not license cats the way it licenses dogs, but ch. 47.17(3)-(4) requires cats kept in residentially…

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Pet Store Rules

Restrictions on retail pet sales, including bans on commercially bred dogs and cats and rescue-only sourcing requirements.

Appleton

Heavy Restrictions

Since July 1, 2021, no pet store in Appleton may sell, barter, auction or give away a dog or cat, under §3-25(b)…

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Beloit

Heavy Restrictions

Beloit bars every pet store in the city from selling, bartering or giving away cats, dogs or rabbits, a full retail…

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Madison

Heavy Restrictions

Madison bars every retail pet store from selling, bartering or otherwise transferring cats or dogs under MGO § 23.65…

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Waukesha

Heavy Restrictions

Waukesha bans retail pet stores from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits anywhere in the city. Adopted as Ordinance 2022-7…

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Wausau

Heavy Restrictions

Wausau bans pet stores from selling, bartering, or giving away any dog or cat under Wausau Municipal Code § 8.08.115, a…

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Wauwatosa

Heavy Restrictions

Wauwatosa bars every pet store in the city from selling dogs or cats. Section 9.06.020 prohibits pet stores from…

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Green Bay

Some Restrictions

Green Bay requires an animal establishment license before anyone runs a pet shop, grooming service, breeding service…

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Kenosha

Some Restrictions

Kenosha does not ban retail sale of dogs and cats or require adoption-only sourcing. Section 14.015 of the Code of…

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Milwaukee

Some Restrictions

Milwaukee licenses pet shops rather than banning retail sales: stores need a city permit, must vaccinate dogs and cats…

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Neenah

Some Restrictions

Neenah requires an annual operating permit from the Director of Finance to run a pet store, and animals on display must…

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Winnebago County

Some Restrictions

Winnebago County requires a Health Department permit to operate a pet store, plus separate permits for boarding kennels…

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Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Where veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, and emergency animal-care facilities may be located, including overnight-boarding and noise buffers.

Fitchburg

Significant Restrictions

Fitchburg zones veterinary clinics differently by district: Sec. 22-310 lists "animal hospital and kennel" as a…

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Kenosha County

Significant Restrictions

Kenosha County treats animal hospitals, shelters, kennels and veterinary services as a conditional use in the B-2…

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Walworth County

Significant Restrictions

In unincorporated Walworth County, veterinarian facilities are not allowed outright anywhere. Section 74-61(9) lists…

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Waukesha County

Significant Restrictions

In unincorporated Waukesha County towns, animal hospitals, veterinarian clinics and commercial kennels need a…

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Appleton

Some Restrictions

Appleton zones veterinary clinics as a distinct commercial use across four business districts, but only the C-1…

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Ashwaubenon

Some Restrictions

Ashwaubenon's zoning code caps veterinary clinics at twenty boarded animals at any one time, not counting fish, small…

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Burlington

Some Restrictions

Burlington zones veterinary clinics differently by district. City Code § 315-15.C(7) requires a 100-foot setback from…

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Dane County

Some Restrictions

Dane County's zoning code defines a veterinary clinic as an establishment for medical or surgical treatment of animals…

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Waukesha

Some Restrictions

Waukesha allows animal hospitals, veterinary services, and animal boarding as a permitted principal use in its B-5…

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Wauwatosa

Some Restrictions

Wauwatosa permits veterinary clinics by right in its commercial and industrial districts, CO, C1, C2, M1 and M2, plus…

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Winnebago County

Some Restrictions

In towns that have adopted Winnebago County's zoning chapter, general and small-animal veterinary clinics must meet the…

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Wildlife Rescue Permits

CDFW and city permits required to rehabilitate injured wildlife, including the Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit program and approved holding facilities.