Animals distrained; proceedings
Wis. Stat. § 172.51
in effect(1) The owner or occupant of any lands may distrain any beast doing damage on the premises, either while upon the premises or upon immediate pursuit of the beasts escaping from the premises and before returning to the enclosure of or to the immediate care of the owner or keeper. The person distraining the beasts may keep the beasts upon the premises or in a public pound in the person’s town, city or village of residence until the person’s damages are appraised.
(2) If the owner of the beasts is known to the person distraining the beasts and resides within the same county, the person distraining the beasts shall give written notice to the owner in accordance with whichever of the following applies:
(a) If the owner resides within the same town, city or village as the person distraining the beasts, notice shall be given within 24 hours, Sundays excepted, after the animal is distrained.
(b) If the owner does not reside in the same town, city or village as the person distraining the beasts, notice shall be given within 48 hours, Sundays excepted.
(3) The notice under sub. (2) shall specify all of the following:
(a) The time when and the place where the beasts were distrained.
(b) The number of beasts distrained and the place of their detention.
(c) That at a time, which shall not be less than 12 hours after the serving of the notice nor more than 3 days after distraining the beasts, and place designated in the notice, the person distraining will apply to the town chairperson, village president or city mayor or manager of the municipality where the beasts were found for the appointment of 3 disinterested freeholders of the town, city or village to appraise the damages.
(4) If the owner of the beasts is unknown or does not reside in the same county as the person distraining the beasts, the person distraining the beasts shall, in accordance with sub. (3) (c), apply for the appointment of appraisers without notice and within 24 hours after distraining the beasts.
(5) Upon application, the town chairperson, village president or city mayor or manager shall appoint in writing 3 disinterested freeholders of the town, city or village to appraise the damages. The appraisers shall receive 50 cents for the appointment.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/172.51Fetched: 10/7/2026