Pet Ownership
Village Regulations
Complete regulations for pet ownership in the Village of Stockbridge are contained in Chapter 7 of the Village Code of Ordinances. This Ordinance prescribes that you must:
License your dog on an annual basis – proof of vaccination required
- $10.00 fee for each male or female
- $5.00 fee for each if spayed or neutered
Keep it from chasing vehicles on public streets
Prevent it from assaulting or attacking any person
Prevent it from being at large within Village limits
Curtail barking or howling
Prevent killing, wounding or worrying domestic animals
Provide immediate attention to any danger of rabies
Clean up any waste your animal may leave behind
Not provide unrestricted or unattended outside feeding
Abide by maximum ownership numbers
The Village of Stockbridge no longer contracts with Lisa Martin of Critter Sitters to pick up any stray dogs that are roaming the Village. Please do not contact her, as this is no longer her responsibility.
The Village of Stockbridge contracts with Calumet County Sheriff’s Department for their law enforcement. If there is a dog that is roaming, please report it with the non-emergency number at 849-2335.
The Village also has regulations for farm animal ownership which are established in the Zoning Code. An amendment was adopted on 1/14/2014 to allow for chickens in the Village. The ordinance can be found in Chapter 10 (10.11) of the Code of Ordinances.
Why is licensing my dog necessary?
Being a dog owner requires all sorts of responsibility but one that is often overlooked is getting him/her licensed. The Village Treasurer often gets asked, “why do I need to license my dog, he/she never leaves my yard.” There are several reasons:
It’s Wisconsin law.
In Section 174.052 of the Wisconsin Statutes it’s mandatory that dog owners have their rabies vaccinated and licensed in their municipality.
If your dog goes missing, having him licensed drastically improves your chances of getting him back.
If the Village office receives a phone call indicating that a roaming dog has been found, that license number can quickly identify your dog and get him back to you safely.
Licensing lets the people in our community know that your dog is up to date on its rabies vaccinations.
A dog cannot be licensed unless it is properly vaccinated. A Good Samaritan will be much more likely to want to handle and care for your missing dog. There are 100+ dogs licensed in the Village and it protects you and the community to know that all the dogs harbored here are healthy, seen by a Veterinarian and rabies vaccinated.
The licensing process is simple. There is no application, but you must provide proof of rabies vaccination and a small fee ($5.00 for spayed/neutered dogs or $10.00 for intact dogs). This paperwork and fee can be processed during Village office hours or if you are unable to stop into the office, paperwork and fee can be left in the secure drop box or mailed to PO Box 292, Stockbridge WI 53088 and your dog will be licensed. If you drop off or mail you must include a self-addressed and stamped envelope, your original paperwork and the new license with dog tag will be mailed back to you.
The licenses are renewed annually on January 1st of each year. There is a grace period of four months, until April 1st in which you are allowed to get your dog licensed. After April 1st, the local Treasurer is required to complete what is called the “dog settlement” with Calumet County. All licensed dogs, along with the fees collected during the licensing period are forwarded to Calumet County. A report of all the unlicensed dogs is also printed and sent along with the dog settlement at this time. From a County level, the District Attorney’s office may follow up with letters to owners of unlicensed dogs at that time. To avoid reminder letters or stricter letters from the County level, it is important to let the local Treasurer know if you know longer have the dog in your home. Once that information is passed on to the local Treasurer by calling (920) 439-1700 or by email at clerkatvillageofstockbrdigewi.gov your dog’s information will be taken off the computerized registry.