Animal Control

Our Mission 

The City of Appleton has adopted state statutes and created city ordinances concerning animal ownership to protect the public health and safety of its citizens and to promote the general welfare of citizens and animals residing within the city. 

Primary responsibility is placed on the animal owners to properly maintain and secure their animals so as to prevent them from causing injuries and/or creating nuisances. 

Enforcement - Violations of state statutes and city ordinances will be addressed by written warnings and/or citations. Violations of a more serious nature may be referred to the District Attorney’s office for charges. 

Animals must be on a leash when off property- The owner or caretaker of any animal that is off their property limits shall have the animal restrained by a leash not more than eight (8) feet in length and under the control of a responsible person and obedient to that persons command.

Public Nuisance Animals - The owner or caretaker of any animal shall confine, restrain and maintain control over the animal so that the unprovoked animal does not:

• run at large
• attack or injure any person or domesticated animal
• act in an aggressive or threating manner to any person or domesticated animal
• bark/whine/howl in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion
• damages private or public property

Limit allowed - No person or household shall keep more than six (6) animals, the maximum number of dogs being three (3), maximum number of rabbits being two (2). 

Animal Care - No owner or caretaker of an animal shall fail to provide it with adequate food, water, heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation, shelter, and medical treatment when necessary. 

Abuse of animal - No person shall beat, cruelly ill treat, torment or otherwise abuse an animal.

Removal of waste - All pens, yards, structures or areas where animals are kept shall be maintained in a nuisance free manner. Excrement shall be removed regularly and disposed of properly so not to attract insects or rodents, become unsightly or cause objectionable odors. 

Report of animal bites and scratches - All incidents occurring in the city in which any animal bites or scratches a person or another animal, or is suspected of such, shall immediately be reported to the Police Department. 

Licensing/Vaccinations - Licenses and Rabies Vaccinations are required for all cats and dogs by the time they reach 5 months of age.