Public Health Madison & Dane County

Pet Licensing and Ownership

Cat wearing collar with tag.

Learn the requirements for owning your dog, cat, or chicken and how to keep them safe and healthy.

Report Bites to Us

  • Even if you own the animal or know the owner, report animal bites to us. We'll help you figure out the risk for rabies or other illnesses from the bite. This includes if your dog or cat bites a person, is bitten by, or fights with a wild animal or stray pet.
  • Report the bite online or call 608-255-2345. 

On This Page:

Requirements for Dogs

Vaccinate Your Dog for Rabies

This prevents them from getting rabies from a wild animal bite. If your dog bites another animal or person, it helps to stop them from spreading the disease.

  • 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.

Get a Pet License

A dog 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.

You Must:

How to Buy a Dog License

  • City of Madison
  • Dane County: licenses are sold by individual town, city, and village clerks. See the map above for links to information on pet licensing from your municipality.
  • A license costs about $10-20 and is cheaper if your pet is spayed or neutered. 

Keep Your Dog On a Leash or Under Control at All Times

  • Dogs are not allowed to run at large anywhere in Dane County.
  • Don't let your dog injure or threaten any person, property, or other animal.

Requirements for Cats

Vaccinate Your Cat for Rabies

This prevents them from getting rabies from a wild animal bite. If your cat bites another animal or person, it helps to stop them from spreading the disease.

  • 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 (see map above).
  • Even if your cat never goes outside, it could escape, or a wild animal (like a bat) could get into your home. The best way to protect your cat from rabies is to get it vaccinated.

Get a Pet License

A cat 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.

  • Click on your municipality on the map above to learn if you're required to get a license for your cat.
  • A license costs about $10-$20 and is cheaper if your pet is spayed or neutered. 

How to Buy a Cat License

  • City of Madison requires cats to have a pet license.
  • Dane County: Licenses are sold by individual town, city, and village clerks. See the map above for links to information on pet licensing from your municipality.

Keep Your Cat on a Leash or in a Secure Carrier When Off Your Property

  • In Madison, cats are not allowed to trespass on public or private property, to run at large, unleashed or unattended.
  • Don't let your cat injure or threaten animals or people.

Owning Chickens

Get a Chicken License

  • You must have an annual chicken license to own backyard chickens in the City of Madison and in the rest of Dane County.
  • Learn how many chickens you can have and how to get a license for the City of Madison or for Dane County.

Protect your Health

Salmonella

  • Chickens can carry Salmonella germs even if they look healthy and clean. These germs can easily spread to anything in the areas where the poultry live and roam and can make us sick.
  • Many Salmonella outbreaks are linked to backyard chickens.
  • Learn how to reduce your risk of Salmonella from chickens.

Lead

  • Lead in contaminated soil can affect chickens. Chickens in affected soil can lay eggs high in lead, which can make us sick if we eat them.
  • The State Lab of Hygiene can test soil and egg yolks for lead. Call 800-442-4618.
  • Use these tips to reduce your risk.

Rat Infestations

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