State guide
Wisconsin
Wisconsin uses a local-control model: animal complaints are usually handled by city, village, town, or county humane officers or animal-services programs, and where no humane officer is appointed, police or the sheriff may handle the case. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources handles injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife through its wildlife-rehabilitator directory, while rabies guidance comes from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who handles animal control locally
- Usually local government handles animal control in Wisconsin through city, village, town, or county humane officers or animal-services programs; if none is appointed, police or the sheriff may handle the case.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- Members of the public should contact their local public health department (county or municipal) and their health care provider; clinicians may report bites to the local public health department or to law enforcement.
- State rabies contact
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health, Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section
Official resources in Wisconsin
Official DNR help page for injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife with the directory map for licensed wildlife rehabilitators.
County-organized statewide rehabilitator list published by the DNR.
State rabies landing page for the public, providers, testing, consultation numbers, and local health department links.
Explains what the public and clinicians should do after bites and where bites should be reported.
Explains how humane officers work for local governments and when police or sheriffs handle animal cases instead.
Key facts for Wisconsin
- DATCP says humane officers investigate animal abuse and neglect complaints for local governments.
- DATCP says local governments are not required to appoint humane officers and may rely on local police or sheriff’s departments.
- DNR says a citizen may possess a wild animal for up to 24 hours to transfer it to a licensed rehabilitator or veterinarian.
- DHS says members of the public should contact their local public health department and health care provider about animal bite or rabies concerns.
- DHS says bite reports for public-health follow-up may be made to the local public health department or to law enforcement.
- DHS says the Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section offers rabies consultation at 608-267-9003.
Local animal control offices in Wisconsin
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health Madison & Dane County Animal Services Dane | Madison | 608-255-2345 | Animal Services responds to animal bites, stray animals, and animal-welfare concerns in Madison and Dane County. |
| City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services Milwaukee | Milwaukee | 414-286-2543 | City page says Milwaukee no longer performs animal capture services; stray dogs and cats should be referred to MADACC. |
| Green Bay Police Department Animal Control & Protection Brown | Green Bay | 920-391-7450 | For same-day or immediate-danger domestic-animal issues, the page directs residents to Brown County Public Safety Communications Center non-emergency and select #8. |
| City of Racine Public Health Department, Environmental Health Division Racine | Racine | 262-636-9203 | Handles pet licenses, animal nuisance and waste complaints, restricted animals, rabies controls, and animal bites. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- After any bite, do not release or destroy the biting animal until you have talked with public health or animal control.
- Use the DNR rehabilitator directory to match the species you found with a licensed rehabilitator before moving wildlife.
- If your municipality has no humane officer, call local police or the sheriff’s department for animal-law enforcement questions.
Not seeing your office or county?
Not every office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Wisconsin's population center, for comparison only):
- Lake County Animal Care and Control, Illinois · about 113 miles
- Chicago Animal Care and Control, Illinois · about 147 miles
- Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control, Illinois · about 150 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Wisconsin DNR Wildlife Rehabilitation Directory and Resources
Website →Phone: (888) 936-7463 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Wisconsin page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.