11 Wisconsin Cities With Bans Or Restrictions On Dog Breeds

When it comes to owning a dog, the rules can vary pretty greatly across Wisconsin.

There are some general statewide laws that govern certain things across the state. Those statewide laws include specifics about a number of things, like requiring licensing for all dogs older than 5 months old and liability for owners.

Beyond that, it is up to local government bodies if they want to enact any additional rules about dogs, ownership, etc.

One thing several Wisconsin cities, towns, and villages have either explored or enacted is ordinances that regulate the types of dogs people can own.

READ MORE: The 'Prettiest Lake In Wisconsin' Boasts Stunning, Unique Scenery

Most of these ordinances are specifically geared toward only a handful of different dog breeds. Some Wisconsin municipalities previously had ordinances on the books, but have since repealed them or modified them.

Get our free mobile app

Here's a look at some of the Wisconsin cities and towns that have breed-specific bans or restrictions on dog breed ownership, as well as a look at where some of the state's other bigger cities and towns stand on the subject.

So, what about some of Wisconsin's other cities and towns? There was a bit of a trend in the early 2000s among cities enacting breed-specific bans or restrictions. Some of those have since been repealed, while other cities explored ordinances but never enacted them.

Here is how some of the state's other cities handle the subject.

Madison has seen proposals for a ban of certain dog breeds, but the city focuses on general pet population control and measures in the event of a dog attacking another dog or person.

Eau Claire has ordinance verbiage directed toward dogs deemed "dangerous", including those who have attacked, bitten, or injured any human or domestic animal.

Milwaukee requires specific licensing as well as has specific rules about fencing/kenneling, age restrictions for handlers, a requirement for dog behavior classes, and other requirements. South Milwaukee had a pit bull ban that they since got rid of.

Superior has no specific rules about pit bulls, just dogs deemed “dangerous” as declared by a humane officer based on certain criteria.

Wausau has an extensive set of rules governing quite a bit about owning animals (even beyond dogs and cats) in their city code, but nothing banning or restricting any specific dog breed.

Somerset is among a growing number of Wisconsin cities that have reversed or changed their dog breed rules. Somerset did this in 2017.

Green Bay has a "dangerous dogs" section in their city code, which details what defines  what a dangrous dog is (regardless of breed) and what actions should be taken.