POSSESSION OF EXOTIC OR WILD ANIMALS.
Madison General Ordinances § 23.49
in effect23.49 - POSSESSION OF EXOTIC OR WILD ANIMALS.
(1) Definitions.
"Circus" means a scheduled event staged by a traveling company with mobile facilities in which entertainment consisting of a variety of performances by acrobats, clowns or trained animals is the primary attraction or principle business.
"Exotic Animal" means any animal that is not normally domesticated in the United States or is wild by nature.
"Person" means an individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation, association, trust, estate, or other legal entity.
"Possess" means to own, control, restrain, transport, or keep.
"Public zoo or aquarium" means 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.
"Veterinarian" means a person who is licensed in this state to practice veterinary medicine under Wis. Stats. Chap. 453 and who is certified under rules promulgated by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.
"Wild Animal" means 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;
(d) Prairie dogs; (Am. by Ord. 13,380, 8-2-03)
(e) Elephants;
(f) Crocodilians (alligators, crocodiles);
(g) Marsupials (kangaroos, opossums) except sugar gliders; (Am. by ORD-13-00012, 1-30-13)
(h) Ungulates (hippopotamus, rhinoceros);
(i) Hyenas;
(j) Mustelids (skunks, otters, badgers) except ferrets;
(k) Procyonids (raccoons, coatis);
(l) Dasypodidae (anteaters, sloth, armadillos);
(m) Viverrids (mongooses, civets, genets);
(n) Reptilia over ten (10) feet in length (boa constrictors, pythons);
(o) Venomous reptilia.
(2) Intent and Purpose. The Common Council of the City of Madison hereby finds that wild animals are inherently dangerous and do not adjust well to captive environment. It is the intent of the Common Council to protect the public against health and safety risks that wild animals pose and hereby prohibit the possession of wild animals within the City of Madison.
(3) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, sell or purchase an exotic or wild animal.
(4) Exceptions. The following persons or entities may possess exotic or wild animals:
(a) A person licensed by the State under Wis. Stats. Chap. 169.
(b) A veterinarian, for the purpose of providing medical treatment to wild animals.
(c) A public zoo or aquarium.
(d) A circus.
(e) A person authorized by the Department of Natural Resources.
(5) Penalties. Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a forfeiture of not more than five hundred dollars ($500).
(Cr. by Ord. 13,328, 5-28-03)
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_23.49POEXWIANFetched: 11/1/2026