As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ANIMAL
Includes every living:
A.
Warm-blooded creature, except a human being;
AT LARGE
Any animal shall be deemed to at large when it is off the
property of its owner and not under the control of a competent person.
DANGEROUS/POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOGS (D/PD)
A.
Any dog with a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack,
cause injury or otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or other
domestic animals as evidenced by its habitual or repeated chasing
or snapping, or barking and/or snarling in a threatening manner.
B.
Any dog which attacks a human being or another domestic animal
without provocation.
EXOTIC ANIMAL
Any animal that is not normally domesticated in the United
States or is wild by nature.
EXPOSED TO RABIES
An animal has been exposed to rabies within the meaning of
this chapter if it has been bitten by, or come in contact with, any
animal known to have been infected with rabies.
KENNEL
Any establishment where dogs are kept.
A.
PRIVATE KENNELAny premises as defined in the Town of Pittsfield ordinances on which four or more dogs, over five months or older, are kept or harbored as pets, and not for selling, boarding, showing, treating, grooming, or other commercial purposes.
B.
COMMERCIAL KENNELAny place where the business of keeping, raising, selling, boarding, breeding, showing, treating, or grooming of dogs and other animals is conducted, including pet shops, animal hospitals, and other similar establishment. Restrictions on commercial kennels shall not apply to farm operations.
OWNER
Any person owning, keeping or harboring an animal.
PERSON
An individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation,
association, trust, estate or other legal entity.
POSSESS
To own, control, restrain, transport or keep.
POUND
Any premises designated by the Town Board for the purpose
of impounding and caring for all animals found running at large or
in violation of this chapter.
PUBLIC ZOO OR AQUARIUM
A zoo or aquarium that is operated by the state or city or
that is an accredited member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
RESTRAINT
A animal is under restraint within the meaning of this chapter
if it is controlled by a leash and obedient to that person's commands
on or within the property limits of its owner or keeper.
VETERINARIAN
A person who is licensed in this state to practice veterinary
medicine under Wis. Stats. Chapter 453 and who is certified under
rules promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection.
WILD ANIMAL
Any of the following animals, whether bred in the wild or
in captivity, and also any of their hybrids with domestic species.
The animals listed in parentheses are intended to act as examples
and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list or limit the generality
of each group of animals, unless otherwise specified.
A.
Nonhuman primates and prosimians (chimpanzees, monkeys);
B.
Felids, except domesticated cats;
C.
Canids (wolf, coyotes, foxes) except domesticated dogs;
F.
Crocodilians (alligators, crocodiles);
G.
Marsupials (kangaroos, opossums);
H.
Ungulates (hippopotamus, rhinoceros);
J.
Mustelids (skunks, otters, badgers) except ferrets;
K.
Procyonids (raccoons, coatis);
L.
Dasypodidae (anteaters, sloth, armadillos);
M.
Viverrids (mongooses, civets, genets);
O.
Class Reptilia.
(1)
Order Squamata.
(a)
Family Helodermatidae (Gila monsters and Mexican bearded lizards).
(b)
Family Varanidae (any monitor which will normally grow over
two feet in length).
(c)
Family Iguanaidae (only green iguanas and rock iguanas).
(d)
Family Boidae (boa constrictors, pythons).
(e)
Family Colubridae (boonslangs and African twig snakes).
(f)
Family Elapidae (coral snakes, cobras, mambas).
(g)
Family Nactricidae (only keelback snakes).
(h)
Family Viperidae (copperheads, cottonmouths, rattlesnakes).
No person may treat any animal, whether belonging to the person
or another, in a cruel manner. No person shall cruelly treat, inhumanely
beat, underfeed, overload, or abandon any animal in the Town. No person
shall cause or allow any place where any animal is or may be kept
to become unclean or unwholesome.
No person shall harbor or keep any animal, bird, or reptile
which disturbs the peace by loud noises, including excessive barking
by dogs at any time of the day or night.
Members of the Brown County Sheriff's Department, the Town Animal
Control/Humane Officer, and any peace officer in the Town are authorized
to kill any animal, bird, or reptile when it is necessary to protect
persons or property from physical damage or to prevent the communication
or spread of infection or disease.
Any incident occurring in the Town where any animal bites a
person or is suspected of biting a person shall be immediately reported
to the Town Board, Sheriff's Department, County Health Officer, or
Animal Control/Humane Officer by any person having knowledge of such
incident and the following procedure shall be followed:
A. Any animal which bites a person in the Town, if it can be found,
or any animal which is customarily kept within the Town and which
bites a person, shall be quarantined for a period of 10 days from
the day of the bite for the purpose of observation for the possibility
of rabies. Such quarantine shall be effected as directed by the County
Health Officer or Animal Control/Humane Officer and may be:
(1) Confinement of the animal to a structure or enclosure which is adequate
to constrain the animal on the premises of the owner or agency.
(2) Confinement of the animal with a licensed veterinarian.
(3) Confinement of the animal at a boarding facility approved by the
Town Board. Costs of boarding shall be at the owner's expense.
B. No animal which is known or suspected to have bitten a person shall
be destroyed until after the ten-day quarantine period has elapsed,
unless it cannot be apprehended safely, in which case the destruction
shall be accomplished without damage to the head of the animal, if
possible. The County Health Officer or Animal Control/Humane Officer
shall be immediately notified of such destruction of the animal, and
the dead animal shall not be disposed of until such specimens as the
County Health Officer or Animal Control/Humane Officer shall direct
have been obtained, and permission is given by him/her to dispose
of the dead animal.
C. In case an animal which has been quarantined in accordance with section
dies for any reason during the quarantine period, the person having
custody of the animal shall immediately notify the County Health Officer
or Animal Control/Humane Officer as required in this chapter.
The Town Animal Control/Humane Officer, County Health Officer,
or any police officer shall have authority to enforce the provisions
of this chapter, including but not limited to seizing any animal which
the above officer reasonably believes has been taken, employed, used,
or possessed in violation of this chapter.
Any seized animal under this chapter shall be held by the Town
Animal Control/Humane Officer, County Health Officer, or other police
officer until that animal is identified as to genus and species in
order to ascertain if the animal is an endangered species under § 29.604,
Wis. Stats.
Chickens may be raised in R-1, R-1S and R-2 Zoning Districts
under the restrictions in this section. Chickens are permitted without
the restrictions outlined in this section in the A-1 and AG-FP Zones.
Chickens are not permitted in any other zoning district.
A. Maximum number of chickens allowed per lot:
(1) Two acres or greater: 12 chickens.
(2) Less than two acres: eight chickens.
(3) Less than one acre: four chickens.
B. No roosters shall be kept.
C. Lot must be in single-family use.
D. The chickens are raised on the property of the owner. If the current
resident is a tenant, the tenant must have written permission of the
owner.
E. It is the owner's responsibility to be in compliance with any restrictive
covenant in place for his subdivision.
F. The chickens shall be kept humanely contained at all times in accordance
with Town ordinances and Wisconsin Statutes.
G. The chickens shall be provided with a covered, water-resistant coop
and a fenced run.
H. The coop shall be located at least 15 feet from a lot line and shall
not be located in a front yard.
I. The coop shall be cleaned regularly to ensure a healthy and odor-free
environment with waste contained in sealed container.
J. No chickens over eight weeks of age may be kept in a primary structure.
K. The slaughtering of chickens is allowed only in an enclosed structure.
In addition to the above, the Town of Pittsfield adopts by reference
the following state statutes: