VIOLATION-BASED SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF DOGS.
Madison General Ordinances § 23.47
in effect23.47 - VIOLATION-BASED SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF DOGS.
(1) Purpose. The City has experienced an overwhelming incident of unaltered dogs running at large and causing injury to other animals and residents. These unaltered dogs running at large are at greatest risk for unwanted litters that in turn contribute to pet overpopulation and overcrowding at rescue shelters. Unaltered animals exhibit hormone induced aggression that may increase incidents of attacks. Altering a dog that has a history or running at large or acting aggressive will potentially lower the risk of further running at large incidents and further incidents of aggression. Altering these aggressive animals will also prevent the possibility of aggressive traits being based on by breeding of these animals. (Am. by ORD-17-00030, 3-8-17)
(2) Public Health Madison and Dane County may order any dog to be spayed or neutered within thirty (30) days of receiving notification of any of the following incidents:
(a) A dog found running at large in violation of Sec. 23.31, on three (3) separate occasions;
(b) A dog acting aggressively and running at large in violation of Sec. 23.31;
(c) A dog that has caused injury to a person or another animal in violation of Sec. 23.35; or
(d) A dog that has caused injury to a person on the owner's property.
(3) Any person who fails to comply with an order to spay or neuter a dog under sub. (2) shall be subject to a forfeiture of up to two thousand dollars ($2,000). Each and every day of violation may be considered a separate offense.
(Cr. by ORD-14-00183, 12-10-14; Am. by ORD-15-00009, 1-28-15)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIICH20--31_CH23OFAGPUPO_23.47VISESPNEDOFetched: 11/1/2026