[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Wrightstown as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Nuisances — See Ch. 130.
Parks and recreation areas — See Ch. 135, § 135-16.
Peace and good order — See Ch. 139, §§ 139-9, 139-10 and 139-21A(3).
Solid waste — See Ch. 165.
[Adopted 10-5-1976 by Ord. No. 1-76 as Secs. 12.04 and 12.15 of the 1976 Code]
Every person residing in the village who owns a dog which is more than five months of age on January 1 of any year shall annually, at the time and in the manner prescribed by law for the payment of personal property taxes, obtain a license therefor.
Such owner shall pay to the Village Clerk-Treasurer a fee as set forth in Chapter 102, Fees and Penalties.
Upon payment to the Village Clerk-Treasurer of the required fee, the Clerk-Treasurer shall issue to such person a license to keep such dog for one year, and such person shall, upon procuring the license, place upon the dog a collar with a tag furnished to him or her by the Village Clerk-Treasurer or the County Clerk.
Chapter 174 of the Wisconsin statutes shall apply so far as applicable.
No owner or person in control or having custody of a dog shall allow the same to run at large within the village unless accompanied by and under control of the owner or keeper.
No person shall own, harbor or keep any dog which:
A. 
Habitually pursues any vehicle upon any public street, alley or highway.
B. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B, regarding dogs which assault or attack any person, was repealed 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A.
C. 
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C, regarding vicious dogs, was repealed 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A.
D. 
Habitually barks or howls to the annoyance of any two or more other persons.
E. 
Is required to be licensed, but is not.
No license shall be issued hereunder for any dog unless the applicant exhibits a certificate of a qualified veterinarian showing that the dog has been inoculated for rabies and distemper within the two years prior to application.
A. 
Confinement of dogs. The Police Department or any other officer appointed by the Village Board shall apprehend any dog running at large within the village or which does any of the things prohibited under § 75-6 and confine the same in a suitable dog pound.
B. 
Enforcement. The Chief of Police or his or her qualified assistants shall be responsible for the apprehension and confinement of dogs in a pound as herein provided, and such police officer shall apprehend and confine dogs as provided in this section and may enforce this section, including the right to commence actions for the collection of any forfeiture imposed by this article. Such action shall be brought in the name of the village. Such officer shall be paid such compensation as the Village Board shall determine by resolution.
C. 
Disposition of unclaimed dogs. The keeper of the pound shall keep all dogs apprehended for seven days at the dog pound (unless sooner claimed by the owner or keeper), and if any dog is not reclaimed by the rightful owner within such time, the dog may be sold for the amount incurred in apprehending, keeping and caring of the dog or it may be destroyed in a proper and humane manner.
D. 
Owner or keeper to pay costs. The owner or keeper of any dog so confined may reclaim such a dog at any time before the same is disposed of, upon payment of all costs and charges incurred in apprehending, keeping and caring of the dog. Such costs and charges shall be as set forth in Chapter 102, Fees and Penalties, and may include expenses for inoculations or other medical treatment of the dog. The owner or keeper's payment of costs and charges incurred in apprehending, keeping and caring of the dog shall be made directly to the Village Clerk-Treasurer's office.
[Amended 11-30-1999 by Ord. No. 113099B]
E. 
Owner or keeper to post bail. The owner or keeper of any dog so confined shall, in addition to any costs required to be paid under Subsection D hereof, post bail in the amounts set forth in Chapter 102, Fees and Penalties, prior to reclaiming such dog.
[Amended 1-2-1990 by Ord. No. 010290]
[Added 8-16-1994 by Ord. No. 081694C; amended 5-19-2015 by Ord. No. 05192015]
A. 
Number of dogs. No person, except a kennel licensee, shall own, harbor or keep more than three dogs that are more than five months of age except in a place or places where animals are impounded by the village. If a total of more than three dogs are owned, harbored or kept in or by any one household, the head of the household shall be deemed the person so owning, harboring or keeping such dogs, notwithstanding that the dog license or licenses may be issued to other members of the household as owners of such animals.
B. 
Kennels.
(1) 
Any person having more than three dogs in his or her possession will be required to obtain a kennel license, defined as a business that provides habitation and shelter for up to 12 animals at any one time, and pay the respective annual fee, based on a scale dependent on the number of dogs allowed as set forth in Chapter 102, Fees and Penalties.
(2) 
A kennel license is only allowed in Zoning § 206-23, R-R Rural Residential District, Subsection C, Conditional uses.
(3) 
Operation of kennel is subject to recommendation of the Village Planning Commission and subsequent approval of the Village Board. The County Health Department may inspect and approve the premises prior to the initial occupancy. Operation of a kennel shall be in compliance with Wisconsin State Statutes and county regulations, with required permitting approved prior to municipal approval.
(4) 
The method of collection, treatment, and disposal of animal excrement shall be in accordance with all applicable DNR regulations.
(5) 
The outside area of the kennel shall be adequately fenced to assure no dog escapes to run at large; a suitable privacy barrier shall be put in place to visually block the outside area of the play area of the kennel from passing vehicle or pedestrian traffic on any abutting street, sidewalk, and neighboring residential property to minimize noise, barking, and any other exceedingly annoying circumstances that could occur.
(6) 
Aside from the annual kennel license fee, each dog shall also be individually licensed in accordance with Wisconsin State Statutes.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this article or who shall fail to obtain a license or permit as required hereunder shall, unless otherwise indicated, be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, § 1-18.
[Adopted 5-9-1995 by Ord. No. 050995A]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
HABITUAL
[Added 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
Constant, persistent, frequent, sustained or recurring.
PIT BULL DOG
A. 
The pit bull terrier breed of dog.
B. 
The Staffordshire bull terrier breed of dog.
C. 
The American pit bull terrier breed of dog.
D. 
The American Staffordshire-terrier breed of dog.
E. 
Dogs of mixed breed or of other breeds than listed under Subsections A through D above whose breed or mixed breed is commonly known as pit bull, pit bull dog or pit bull terrier.
VICIOUS DOG
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.
C. 
Any dog owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dogfighting, or any dog trained for dogfighting.
D. 
Any pit bull dog.
[Added 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
No license shall be issued for any dog defined as or determined to be vicious unless and until all of the following additional conditions have been met:
A. 
Insurance. The responsible owner, keeper or harborer of any vicious dog shall, within 30 days of submitting a license application, provide proof of insurance to the Village Clerk/Treasurer of public liability insurance in a single incident amount of $50,000 for bodily injury to or death of any person or for the damage to property owned by any person which may result from the ownership, keeping or maintenance of a vicious dog. The insurance policy shall provide that no cancellation of the policy will be made unless a ten-day written notice is first given to the Police Department.
B. 
The responsible owner, keeper or harborer of any vicious dog shall be provided a copy of this section and will provide the Village Clerk/Treasurer with a signed copy acknowledging that the owner, keeper or harborer of any vicious dog has read, understood and will comply with any and all restrictions for the continued ownership of such dog.
C. 
Signs. All responsible owners, keepers or harborers of vicious dogs shall display in a prominent place on their premises a sign easily readable by the public using the words "Beware of Dog." A similar sign is required to be posted on any kennel or pen of the dog.
[Amended 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
No person owning, harboring or having the care of a vicious dog may allow or permit such dog to go outside its kennel or pen unless the dog is securely leashed with a leash no longer than four feet in length. No person may permit a vicious dog to be kept on a chain, rope or other type of leash outside its kennel or pen unless a person is in physical control of the leash. The dog may not be leashed to inanimate objects such as trees, posts and buildings. A vicious dog on a leash outside the dog's kennel shall be controlled at all times by the responsible owner, keeper or harborer of such dog, in a manner to prevent the dog from biting persons or other animals. A muzzle or muzzling device may be appropriate and is required when the responsible owner, keeper or harborer is unable to control such dog from biting persons or other animals. A vicious dog shall not be required to be muzzled when shown either in a sanctioned American Kennel Club show or upon prior approval of the Police Department.
[Amended 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
All vicious dogs shall be securely confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked outdoor pen or kennel, except when leashed and/or muzzled as provided in § 75-12. The pen, kennel or structure shall have secure sides and a secure top attached to all sides. A structure used to confine a vicious dog shall be locked with a key or combination lock when the dog is within the structure. The structure shall have a secure bottom or floor attached to the sides of the pen, or the sides of the pen must be embedded in the ground no less than two feet. All structures erected to house vicious dogs shall comply with all zoning and building regulations of the Village and are subject to inspection and validation by the Village. All structures shall be adequately lighted and ventilated and kept in a clean and sanitary condition.
[Amended 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
No vicious dog may be kept on a porch, patio or in any part of a house or structure that would allow the dog to exit the building on its volition. Owners, keepers and harborers of a vicious dog are responsible for ensuring that open windows and screen doors are adequately monitored to prevent the dog from exiting the building.
[Amended 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
No vicious dog may be kept within any portion of any multifamily dwelling.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 75-16, Signs, was repealed 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 75-17, Insurance, was repealed 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A.
[Amended 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
The Police Department shall investigate every dog complaint and make a determination as to whether or not such dog is "vicious," as defined in § 75-11. In the event that an officer of the Police Department makes a determination that a dog is vicious, he or she shall so inform the owner, keeper or harborer of such dog and provide such person with a copy of this section.
Any person aggrieved by the determination of the Police Department, as provided in § 75-18, may appeal such determination directly to the Village Board.
Within 10 days of the determination that a dog is vicious, as provided in § 75-18, or 10 days after an unsuccessful appeal under § 75-19, the owner of a vicious dog shall either comply with all provisions of this article or dispose of such dog.
[Amended 4-3-2019 by Ord. No. 04032019A]
Any vicious dog which attacks a human being or domestic animal may be ordered relocated and/or destroyed by a police officer or humane officer when, in the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, the dog represents a continuing threat of serious harm to human beings or domestic animals.
Any person who violates any provision of this article shall, upon conviction, be subject to the payment of a forfeiture, as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, § 1-18. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day on which a violation of this section occurs or continues.