In this chapter, unless the context or subject
matter otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the meaning
indicated:
ANIMAL
Mammals, reptiles and birds.
AT LARGE
To be off the premises of the owner and not under the control
of some person either by leash or otherwise, but a dog or cat within
an automobile of its owner, or in an automobile of any other person
with the consent of the owner of said dog or cat, shall be deemed
to be upon the owner's premises.
CAT
Any feline, regardless of age or sex.
CRUEL
Causing unnecessary and excessive pain or suffering or unjustifiable
injury or death.
DOG
Any canine, regardless of age or sex.
FARM ANIMAL
Any warm-blooded animal normally raised on farms in the United
States and used for food or fiber.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
As appears in § 967.02(5), Wis. Stats., and includes
a humane officer under § 173.03, Wis. Stats., but does not
include a conservation warden appointed under § 23.10, Wis.
Stats.
NEUTERED
As used herein as describing a dog or cat shall mean a dog
or cat having nonfunctional reproductive organs.
OWNER
Any person owning, harboring or keeping a dog or cat and
the occupant of any premises on which a dog or cat remains or to which
it customarily returns daily for a period of 10 days; such person
is presumed to be harboring or keeping the dog or cat within the meaning
of this chapter.
PET
An animal kept and treated as a pet.
The Town Treasurer shall assess and collect
a late fee as set by the Town Board from every owner of a dog five
months of age or over if the owner failed to obtain a license prior
to April 1 of each year, or within 30 days of acquiring ownership
of a licensable dog, or if the owner failed to obtain a license on
or before the dog reached licensable age. Said late fee shall be charged
in addition to the required license fee.
No dog or cat shall be permitted in any public
cemetery. Every dog specially trained to lead blind or hearing-impaired
persons shall be exempt from this section.
Every owner or person harboring or keeping a
dog or cat who knows that such dog or cat has bitten any person shall
immediately report such fact to the Town Constable and shall keep
such dog or cat confined for not less than 14 days or for such period
of time as the Town Constable shall direct. The owner or keeper of
any such dog or cat shall surrender the dog or cat to a law enforcement
or humane officer upon demand for examination.
The owner or person in charge of any dog or
other animal shall not permit solid fecal matter of such animal to
deposit on any street, alley or other public or private property,
unless such matter is immediately removed therefrom by said owner
or person in charge. This section shall not apply to a person who
is visually or physically handicapped.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or
possessing an animal, dog or cat to permit such animal, dog or cat
to go upon any parkway or private lands or premises without the permission
of the owner of such premises and break, bruise, tear up, crush or
injure any lawn, flower bed, plant, shrub, tree or garden in any manner
whatsoever, or to defecate thereon.
It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly
to keep or harbor an dog which habitually barks, howls or yelps or
any cat which habitually cries or howls to the great discomfort of
the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or in such manner as to materially
disturb or annoy persons in the neighborhood who are of ordinary sensibilities.
Such dogs and cats are hereby declared to be a public nuisance. A
dog or cat is considered to be in violation of this section when two
formal, written complaints are filed with the Town within a four-week
period.
No person may take the dog or cat of another
from one place to another without the owner's consent or cause such
a dog or cat to be confined or carried out of the Town or held for
any purpose without the owner's consent. This section does not apply
to law enforcement officers or humane society agents engaged in the
exercise of their official duties, or as otherwise permitted herein.
The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident
resulting in injury to or death of a dog, cat or other animal which
appears to be a pet shall immediately notify the Town Constable or
an animal control agency whose jurisdiction extends into the Town.
[Added 9-6-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-5]
A. In any nonagricultural zoned district, no person shall keep, harbor
or have in his possession or under his control any chickens, or have
any chicken coop or yard within the Town, without first complying
with this section. The keeping of hen chickens is permitted as an
accessory use in all residential zoning districts in accordance with
the regulations prescribed in this section, subject to any private
restrictions, land covenants, homeowners' association and/or
subdivision rules and regulations. The provisions of this section
do not apply to E-1 Estate District, which allows for noncommercial
agriculture use.
(1) There must be an insulated coop enclosed on all sides with a roof
and doors and a connected fenced-in run area that is fully enclosed
to contain the chickens and protect them from predators and the elements.
Free-range chickens are prohibited. Run fences can be no taller than
six feet in height.
(2) No part of the coop structure or fenced-in run shall be located in
the front yard, nor shall it be located closer than 40 feet to the
side or rear property lines. No part of the coop structure or fenced-in
run shall be located closer than 25 feet to the residence or attached
garage. An inspection is required for the coop and run as part of
the license procedure and will occur after all related improvements
are made to ensure they are properly located and installed for the
number of proposed chickens.
(3) The coop must be kept clean, dry and in a sanitary condition at all
times.
(4) The maximum number of hens per premises is six. Adjoining lots having
common ownership shall be considered as one premises.
(5) No person shall keep, possess, allow, or harbor any rooster.
(6) In addition to compliance with the requirements of this section,
no one shall keep, allow, or harbor a chicken that causes any nuisance,
unhealthy condition, creates a public health threat, or otherwise
interferes with the normal use of property and the enjoyment of life
by humans.
(7) Chickens are for personal (noncommercial) use only and not for any
business-related purposes. The selling of eggs, chickens or by-products
is prohibited.
(8) Property owners shall be required to obtain a license with fee per
the Town Fee Schedule to be paid before chickens are kept on the property.
The license shall be renewed annually (license period January 1 to
December 31). Applications for a license to keep chickens under this
section shall be made to, and on a form prescribed by, the Town Clerk.
The license application must include a proposed site plan for the
coop and run area that shows compliance with all applicable requirements
under this section.
(9) The Town shall have the authority, whenever it may deem reasonably
necessary, to enter a structure or property where a chicken is kept
to ascertain whether the permittee is in compliance with this section.
The permittee shall be responsible for all costs associated with inspections.
(10)
A license may be revoked by the Town if the licensee violates
any provision of this section. A new license cannot be issued to the
licensee or the licensee's property until one year after the
date of revocation.