§ 6-26. Issuance of dog licenses.

(a)

The owner of any dog more than five months of age on January 1 of any year, or five months of age within the license year, shall annually, or on or before the date the dog becomes five months of age, pay the dog license tax and obtain a license.

(b)

The tax for a dog license shall be for each neutered male dog or spayed female dog, upon presentation of evidence that the dog is neutered or spayed, and for an unneutered male dog or unsprayed female dog, which tax is in the amount on file in the village clerk-treasurer's office. One-half of such amount is due, if the dog became five months of age after July 1 of the license year. The village board may by ordinance increase the amount of the license tax, but the additional tax shall not exceed the total cost of all dog licensing, regulating and impounding activities for the previous year, less any refunds which may be received pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 174.09(2).

(c)

Upon payment of the required dog license tax and upon presentation of evidence that the dog is currently immunized against rabies, as required by section 6-25, the village clerk-treasurer shall complete and issue to the owner a license for such dog bearing a serial number and in the form prescribed by the state department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection stating the date of its expiration, the owner's name and address, and the name, sex, spayed or unspayed, neutered or unneutered, breed and color of the dog. A duplicate copy of the license shall be kept on file by the village clerk-treasurer. The village clerk-treasurer shall also deliver to the owner, at the time of issuance of the license, a tag of durable material bearing the same serial number as the license, the name of the county in which issued and the license year.

(d)

The owner shall securely attach the tag to a collar and the collar with the tag attached shall be kept on the dog for which the license is issued at all times, but this requirement does not apply to a dog during competition or training, to a dog securely confined indoors, to a dog while hunting, to a dog securely confined in a fenced area or to a dog while actively involved in herding or controlling livestock if the dog is under the control of its owner.

(e)

The fact that a dog is without a tag attached to the dog by means of a collar shall be presumptive evidence that the dog is unlicensed. Any village police officer shall seize, impound or restrain any dog for which a dog license is required which is found without such tag attached.

(f)

Duplicate tags. A new tag with a new number shall be furnished to the owner by the county treasurer in place of the original tag upon presentation of the license. The county treasurer shall then endorse the new tag number on the license and shall keep a record in the file.

(g)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, every dog specifically trained to lead blind or deaf persons or to provide support for mobility-impaired persons is exempt from thedog license tax and every person owning such a dog shall receive annually a free dog license from the village clerk-treasurer upon application therefor.

(Code 1984, § 7-1-3)

State law reference

Rabies control program, Wis. Stats. § 95.21; issuance of license and tag, Wis. Stats. § 174.07; exemption, Wis. Stats. § 174.055.