Any person owning, keeping, harboring or having custody of any dog or cat over 5 months of age within the City of Fond du Lac must obtain a license.

Application for license shall be made to the Fond du Lac City Clerk's Office and shall include name and address of applicant, description of animal, the appropriate fee, information whether the animal is sexed or neutered and a rabies certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian or anti-rabies clinic, illustrating that the animal for which the license is sought has received current immunization for rabies. Written proof is required from a licensed veterinarian that the animal being licensed has been neutered.

Application for a license must be made within 30 days after obtaining a dog or cat over 5 months, except that this requirement will not apply to a nonresident keeping a dog or cat within the City for no longer than 30 days.

License fees shall not be required for seeing eye dogs or governmental police dogs; licenses for the above shall be issued without charge.

Upon acceptance of the license application and fee, the City Treasurer shall issue a durable tag, stamped with an identifying number and the year of issuance. Tags should be designed so that they may be conveniently fastened or riveted to the animal's collar or harness.

Dogs and cats must wear identification tags at all times when off the premises of the owners, except under any organized show or training situation.

All licenses shall be issued for a term of one year, commencing with the first day of January of each year and terminating as of midnight on the last day of the licensing period. Application for licenses may be made from January 1 through March 31 of each year without penalty. Any license issued on or after April 1 of each year shall pay an additional fee unless the owner can conclusively illustrate that the animal has been acquired by him within the last 30 days prior to the application for a license or that applicant has established City residency within the last 30 days prior to the application or that the animal has not reached 5 months of age.

A pet owner may obtain a permit allowing him to keep not more than 4 licensable pets over the age of 3 months, except those breeders of purebred animals who declare they have need of additional time to evaluate the quality of the offspring from a single litter.

Every dog or cat 5 months or older owned or kept in the City shall be vaccinated against rabies. Young dogs and cats shall be vaccinated within 30 days after they have reached the age of 5 months. Unvaccinated dogs and cats acquired or moved in the City must be vaccinated within 30 days after arrival, unless under 5 months of age. Every dog and cat shall be re-vaccinated according to the recommendations of the vaccine used by the veterinarian administering such vaccinations. The certificate of vaccination shall bear the expected duration of the immunity of the vaccine used.

No person shall harbor or keep any dog or any other animal which would be a public nuisance.

The owner, caretaker or custodian must maintain a clean and sanitary condition free from objectionable odor, in all structures, pens, yards and areas adjacent to where any dog or animal is kept.

The owner, caretaker or custodian must keep the dog or animal confined on his own premises or under his immediate control.

No person shall tie, stake or fasten any dog within any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place within the City or in such a manner that the animal has access to any portion of any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place.

Every female dog or cat in heat shall be confined in a building or secure enclosure in such a manner that the female dog or cat cannot come into contact with another animal, except for planned breeding.

 No owner shall fail to exercise proper care and control of his animals to prevent them from becoming a public nuisance. Molesting passersby, chasing vehicles, habitually attacking other domestic animals, trespassing upon school grounds, parks and cemeteries or trespassing upon private property in such manner as to damage property shall be deemed a nuisance.

No person owning, keeping, possessing or harboring an animal as a pet shall allow the animal to soil, defile, defecate on or commit any nuisance on any private or public property. The person responsible for the animal must immediately remove and dispose of all feces so deposited in a sanitary manner.

All dogs and cats shall be kept under restraint. No person shall permit his dog or cat to run at large in the City. Each owner of any such animal shall confine the same within the limits of their premises. For the purposes of this section, the phrase "running at large" embraces all other places within the City except the owner's premises. This includes all streets, alleys, sidewalks or other private property which may be about the owner's premises.

RESTRAINT OF DOGS AND CATS. Any person owning or having charge, custody, care or control of any dog or cat shall keep the animal exclusively upon his own premises, which shall include his automobile, either by personal and direct supervision, such as voice command of such person physically present, or by keeping the animal upon an appropriate chain or tie no less then 6' in length, or in an enclosed yard, either walled or fenced, or in any other appropriate restraining enclosure. However, public access to one entrance of the owner's house must be provided, without interference from the animal. Also, that the dog or cat may be off the premises if it is restrained by an appropriate leash or chain not exceeding 6' in length, and in the hands of the person directly controlling the movement of the animal and provided that the leash or chain be in the hands of a person of sufficient strength to physically control the animal.

No owner shall fail to provide his animals with sufficient good and wholesome food and potable water, proper shelter and protection from the weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and with humane care and treatment. No owner shall fail to provide his animals with sufficient good and wholesome food and potable water, proper shelter and protection from the weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and with humane care and treatment.

For further information contact either the Fond du Lac Police Department (920) 322-3700 or the Fond du Lac Humane Society at (920) 922-8873

info@fdlpolice.com

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