Pet Licensing and Ownership

There are many benefits to owning pets. It’s important to be a responsible pet owner.
- Vaccinate Your Pet for Rabies
- Get a Pet License
- Put Identification, License, and Rabies Tags on Your Pet
- Be a Responsible Pet Owner
- Report Bite Incidents
Vaccinate Your Pet for Rabies
This prevents them from getting rabies from a wild animal bite. If your pet bites another animal or person, it helps to stop them from spreading the disease.
Dogs
- Wisconsin law says all dogs must be vaccinated for rabies by the age of five months.
- Rabies vaccines are good for 1 year or 3 years, depending on age at vaccination and vaccination history.
- Check with your vet to be sure your dog stays up to date on rabies vaccination.
Cats
Many areas in Dane County require cats to be licensed. A rabies vaccination is required for licensing. Check with your municipality to see if they require a license for cats.
Even if your cat never goes outside, it could escape, or a wild animal could get into your home. The best way to protect your cat from rabies is to get it vaccinated.
Get a Pet License
Why license your pet?
A pet wearing a license tag is easier to identify if they get lost. Your license fee goes toward helping lost, unwanted, injured, abandoned, and mistreated animals.
Your pet license fees support the following programs:
- Investigations into animal cruelty
- 24-hour animal rescue
- Recovering and returning lost animals to their homes
- Providing food, shelter, veterinary and care for stray or homeless animals
- Help sick, injured, or trapped wild animals
- Education for animal owners
Dogs
- You must license your dog by the age of five months, per Wisconsin state law.
- You must buy a new license for your dog each year.
- A license costs about $10-20 and is cheaper if you dog is spayed or neutered.
- City of Madison: Dog Licensing
- Dane County: County licenses are sold by individual town, city, and village clerks. See the map below for links to information on pet licensing from your municipality.
Once you have your dog license, you can get a dog park permit: