State law and Portage County ordinance, require all dogs to be licensed, and that rabies vaccinations be current. The owner of any dog more than 5 months of age on January 1st, or 5 months of age within the license year, must annually, or on or before the date the dog becomes 5 months of age, obtain a license for that dog. A dog license is valid from January 1st to December 31st of each year.
There is a mandatory late fee if you fail to obtain a license by April 1st, or after 30 days of ownership of a new eligible dog.
Licenses are available from the Town Treasurer (contact information is found on the application form below) or the Humane Society of Portage County.
The Sheriff's Office takes licensing seriously because of the potential impact on public health and safety. They have teamed up with the Humane Society to enforce licensing and vaccination laws. A citation to the owner of an unlicensed dog can cost between $169.00 and $263.50.
See Wis State statute 174.07(1)(a) for the state law.