Statutes
Statute by category |
Citation | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| WV - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes | W. Va. Code, § 7-10-1 to 5; W. Va. Code, § 61-8-19 to 23; W. Va. Code, § 19-33-1 - 5 | These West Virginia statutes comprise the state's anti-cruelty and animal fighting provisions. If any person cruelly mistreats, abandons or withholds proper sustenance, including food, water, shelter or medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or to end suffering or abandons any animal to die, or uses, trains or possesses any domesticated animal for the purpose of seizing, detaining or maltreating any other domesticated animal, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor. If any person intentionally tortures or maliciously kills an animal, or causes, procures or authorizes any other person to torture or maliciously kill an animal, he or she is guilty of a felony. The provisions of this section do not apply to lawful acts of hunting, fishing, trapping or animal training or farm livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife kept in private or licensed game farms if kept and maintained according to usual and accepted standards of livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife or game farm production and management. The section also prohibits animal fighting, making it a felony if the animal is a dog or other fur-bearing animal ("canine, feline, porcine, bovine, or equine species whether wild or domesticated"), and a misdemeanor if not (i.e., cockfighting). |
| WV - Assistance Animal - Assistance Animal/Guide Dog Laws | W. Va. Code, § 5-15-1 to 9; § 19-20-2; § 5-11A-3, 5-11A-5; § 17-29-17 | The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and guide dog laws. |
| WI - Wildlife - Subchapter XII. Wildlife Damage | W.S.A. 29.885 - 29.89 | Under these Wisconsin statutes, wild animals that are causing damage or a nuisance may be removed. These statutes also establish a wildlife damage abatement program and venison processing and donation program. Wildlife control measures in urban communities and management of double-crested cormorants are also provided. |
| WI - Veterinary - Chapter 89. Veterinary Examining Board | W.S.A. 89.02 - .08 | These are the state's veterinary practice laws. Among the provisions include licensing requirements, laws concerning the state veterinary board, veterinary records laws, and the laws governing disciplinary actions for impaired or incompetent practitioners. |
| WI - Vehicle - 895.484. Civil liability exemption; entering a vehicle to render assistance | W. S. A. 895.484 | This Wisconsin law enacted in 2015 makes a person immune from civil liability for property damage or injury resulting from his or her forcible entry into a vehicle to rescue an animal or person. Immunity is provided only if certain conditions were met. The person must have a "good faith belief" that the person or domestic animal was in imminent danger of suffering bodily harm and used no more force than necessary to remove the person or animal. That person must have first determined the vehicle was locked and forcible entry was necessary, and that person must have dialed 911 or other emergency services prior to this action. In addition, the person must have waited with the person or animal until emergency services arrived or left information on the vehicle's windshield as described in the law. |
| WI - Trust - 701.0408 Trust care for an animal | W.S.A. 701.1110; 701.0402; 701.0408 | This statute represents Wisconsin's pet trust law. The former law was not a specific pet trust law, but the new law is. The new provisions allows for a trust to be created for the care of an animal alive during the settlor's lifetime. |
| WI - Slaughter - 95.80. Humane slaughtering | W. S. A. 95.80, .99 | Under this Wisconsin statute, livestock may only be slaughtered by humane methods, such that they are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or shot of a mechanical instrument or by electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut. Religious ritual slaughter practices whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument, are also considered to be “humane.” |
| WI - Research animals - 36.40. Use of animals for research purposes | W.S.A. 36.40 | This Wisconsin law states that the board of higher education for the University of Wisconsin System shall adopt criteria for researchers to follow regarding humane treatment of animals for scientific research purposes. |
| WI - Racing - Chapter 562. Regulation of Racing and on-Track Pari-Mutuel Wagering | W. S. A. 562.001 - 13 | Wisconsin's department of administration is responsible for issuing licenses for occupations of participants in horse racing and dog racing. In order to own and operate a racetrack where pari-mutuel wagering is conducted a license must be obtained. Before a license is obtained, a public hearing must be held and the city in which the racetrack is to operate must adopt the resolution. The Department is required to appoint an administrator that has experience in gaming management and knowledge of animal racing and pari-mutuel wagering. Greyhounds are required to be registered with the National Greyhound Association of Abilene, Kansas in order to enter into a race. This statute also prohibits the use of live lure or bait in the training of race dogs. A dog may not be entered into a race if it was trained with live bait. |
| WI - Rabies - 95.21. Rabies control program | W. S. A. 95.21 | Except as provided in s. 174.054 or sub. (9)(d), the owner of a dog shall have the dog vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian or, if a veterinarian is physically present at the location the vaccine is administered, by a veterinary technician, at no later than 5 months of age and revaccinated within one year after the initial vaccination. The owner of a dog shall have the dog revaccinated against rabies before the date that the immunization expires as stated on the certificate of vaccination or, if no date is specified, within 3 years after the previous vaccination. The owner shall attach the rabies vaccination tag or a substitute tag to a collar and a collar with the tag attached shall be kept on the dog at all times. |
| WI - Ordinances - Subchapter IV. Town Board. 60.23. Miscellaneous powers | W. S. A. 60.23 | This Wisconsin statute provides that the town board may enact and enforce ordinances, and provide forfeitures for violations of those ordinances, that are the same as or similar to ordinances that may be enacted by a county to regulate dogs running at large under s. 59.54(20). |
| WI - Ordinances - 59.54. Public protection and safety | W. S. A. 59.54 | This Wisconsin statute provides that a local board may enact ordinances regulating the keeping, apprehension, impounding and destruction of dogs outside the corporate limits of any city or village, but such ordinances shall not conflict with ss. 174.01 and 174.042, and such ordinances may not apply in any town that has enacted an ordinance under s. 60.23(30). |
| WI - Ordinances - 59.52. County administration | W. S. A. 59.52 | This Wisconsin statute provides a schedule for destruction of obsolete town records, which includes dog licenses after three years. |
| WI - Lost Property - Chapter 170. Strays and Lost Chattels. | W. S. A. 170.01 - 12 | These statutes comprise Wisconsin's lost property provisions. |
| WI - Impound - 173.23. Disposition of animals | W. S. A. 173.23 | This Wisconsin statue provides the necessary elements for an owner needs to retrieve his or her impounded dog. Included are reasonable proof of ownership, licensure if required by statute or ordinance, proof of vaccination as required by ordinance, and payment of charges. If an animal is not claimed, the statute outlines several dispositions, such as adoption, euthanization, and sale of the animal at public auction, including sale at a licensed animal market. |
| WI - Impound - 173.13. Taking custody of animals | W. S. A. 173.13 | This Wisconsin statute provides that a humane officer may take into custody (impound) an animal that he or she has reasonable grounds to believe is abandoned, stray, unwanted, unlicensed/untagged, not in compliance with an ordinance or quarantine, has caused damage, has been a participant in a fight, is the victim of cruelty, or was delivered by a veterinarian under the provisions of this statute. If the owner of the impounded animal is known to the humane officer, then the officer shall promptly notify the owner in writing if he or she can be identified and located with reasonable effort. |
| WI - Import - 95.20. Import and movement of animals | W. S. A. 95.20 | Under this Wisconsin statute, the importation or movement of animals may be prohibited or regulated if it is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of a disease that threatens the health of animals or of humans. |
| WI - Hunting - 951.09. Shooting at caged or staked animals | W.S.A. 951.09 | This Wisconsin statute prohibits the killing or aiding in killing or wounding by use of deadly weapon of any animal that is tied, staked out, caged or otherwise intentionally confined in a man-made enclosure, regardless of size. However, nothing in this section prohibits the shooting of any wild game in its wild state. |
| WI - Hunting - 29.083. Interference with hunting, fishing or trapping | W. S. A. 29.083 | This law reflects Wisconsin's hunter harassment provision. Under the law, no person may interfere or attempt to interfere with lawful hunting, fishing or trapping with the intent to prevent the taking of a wild animal. It is an affirmative defense to the prosecution for violation of this section if the defendant's conduct is protected by his or her right to freedom of speech under the constitution of this state or of the United States. A court may enjoin action prohibited under this statute and may award damages, including punitive and special damages, to a person adversely affected. |
| WI - Horsemeat - 97.45. Labeling of horsemeat | W.S.A. 97.45 (97.45. Repealed by 2015 Act 243, § 59, eff. March 3, 2016) | [97.45. Repealed by 2015 Act 243, § 59, eff. March 3, 2016]. This former statute states that no person shall sell any horsemeat, unless it is conspicuously labeled, marked, branded or tagged “horsemeat.” Violation is a Class H felony. |
| WI - Fur - 29.627. Domestic fur-bearing animal farms | W. S. A. 29.627 | This Wisconsin law states that fur farming constitutes an "agricultural pursuit." Any such animals raised in captivity are domestic animals for purposes of ownership, possession, and taxation. |
| WI - Fur - 100.35. Furs to be labeled | W. S. A. 100.35 | This law represents Wisconsin's fur labeling law. The law states that no person shall sell or offer or display for sale any coat, jacket or other garment made wholly or partially of fur without a label that states in English the species of fur or pelt used. This section does not apply to such garments displayed, offered, or sold at a price of less than $50. |
| WI - Exotic pets - Chapter 169. Captive Wildlife | W. S. A. 169.01 - 46 | The Wisconsin wildlife laws require a license to take a wild animal from the wild or to import one into the state. A license is also required to exhibit, breed, rehabilitate, hunt, and/or purchase wild animals. Violations can result in fines, forfeiture, and/or imprisonment. |
| WI - Equine Activity Liability - 895.481. Civil liability exemption; equine activities | W. S. A. 895.481 | Under this Wisconsin statute, a person is immune from civil liability for acts or omissions related to his or her participation in equine activities if a person participating in the equine activity is injured or killed as the result of an inherent risk of equine activities. Notably, the statute provides that a person whose only involvement in an equine activity is as a spectator shall not be considered to be participating in the equine activity. The statute also requires the visible displaying of warning signs or bold print in a written waiver that alerts participants to the limitation of liability by law. |
| WI - Endangered Species - 29.604. Endangered and threatened species protected | W. S. A. 29.604, 29.977, 29.983 | This Wisconsin statute embodies the legislative view that certain wild animals and wild plants are endangered or threatened and are entitled to preservation and protection as a matter of general state concern. Violation of the Act with regard to protected animal species may result in a $500-2,000 for a taking, and a $2,000-5,000 fine with 9 months imprisonment for an intentional taking. Both incur the suspension of hunting license privileges. Incidental takings may be allowed through permit if steps are taken to establish and file a "conservation plan." |
| WI - Domestic Violence - 813.12. Domestic abuse restraining orders and injunctions | Wis. Stat. Ann. § 813.12, 813.122, 813.123 | These Wisconsin statutes concern restraining orders or injunctions in domestic abuse cases, child abuse cases, and cases filed by "individuals as risk." In each of these laws, there are protections for “household pets,” defined as domestic animals that are not farm animals, as defined in s. 951.01(3), that are kept, owned, or cared for by the petitioner or by a family member or a household member of the petitioner. In both cases of domestic abuse and child abuse, a judge or circuit court commissioner shall issue a temporary restraining order ordering the respondent to refrain from removing, hiding, damaging, harming, or mistreating, or disposing of, a household pet, to allow the petitioner or a family member or household member of the petitioner acting on his or her behalf to retrieve a household pet, or any combination of these remedies requested in the petition. The domestic abuse and child abuse laws then outline the procedures for obtaining an injunction that includes those protections for domestic pets if requirements are met under the laws. In section 813.123, an "individual at risk," may also seek a TRO and injunction that orders the respondent to refrain from removing, hiding, damaging, harming, or mistreating, or disposing of, a household pet and allow the individual at risk or a guardian, guardian ad litem, family member, or household member of the individual at risk acting on his or her behalf to retrieve a household pet. |
| WI - Dog, licenses - Dogs. 174.07. Dog licenses and collar tags | W. S. A. 174.07 | This Wisconsin statute provides for collection of delinquent dog license fees. |
| WI - Dog, licenses - Chapter 174. Dogs. 174.06. Listing | W. S. A. 174.06 | This Wisconsin statute provides that every town, village and city shall annually, by September 1, ascertain by diligent inquiry the dogs owned or kept within the assessment district. The listing official shall enter in the records for personal property assessments, or in a separate record, all dogs in the district subject to tax, to whom they are assessed, the name, number, sex, spayed or unspayed, neutered or unneutered, breed and color of each dog. |
| WI - Dog Bite - Chapter 174. Dogs. 174.12. Actions against owners | W. S. A. 174.12 | This Wisconsin statute outlines the allowance procedure by counties for damage done by dogs after a claim is filed and the county sues to recover from the owner of the damaging dog. The claimant shall first be notified that such action is contemplated and shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to be heard and to offer further evidence in support of the claimant's claim. It also provides that this chapter shall not in any way limit the existing right or authority of any town, village or city to pass ordinances for the keeping and regulating of dogs, or repeal or annul any existing statute or ordinance or local regulation governing the keeping and regulating of dogs. |
| WI - Dog - Consolidated Dog Laws | W. S. A. 1.10; 29.184; 29.921; 29.927; 29.971; 169.20 - 36; 173.01 - 40; 174.001 - 15 | These Wisconsin statutes comprise the state's dog laws. Among the provisions include dog licensing provisions, hunting laws impacting dogs, and seizure of dogs by humane officers. |
| WI - Dangerous dog - 174.11. Claims for damage by dogs to domestic animals including ranch mink | W. S. A. 174.11 | This Wisconsin provides that the owner of any domestic animal, including a ranch mink, which is attacked, chased, injured or killed by a dog may, within 3 days after the owner has knowledge or notice thereof, file a written claim for damages with the clerk of the town, village or city in which the damage occurred. A hearing then occurs where witnesses may be subpoenaed under oath, and testimony relative to the claim is taken. The county board shall allow, as the amount of a claim for a domestic animal, including a ranch mink, injured by a dog, the amount determined to be the total of the costs resulting from the injury including a loss in fair market value but the total amount of the claim may not exceed the fair market value. |
| WI - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes | W. S. A. 951.01 - 18; W.S.A. 944.18 | This section comprises the Wisconsin anti-cruelty section. Under the section, "animal" includes every living warm-blooded creature (except a human being), reptile, or amphibian. The section prohibits "mistreating animals," which is defined as treating any animal, whether belonging to the person or another, in a cruel manner. This section does not prohibit bona fide experiments carried on for scientific research or normal and accepted veterinary practices. This section also prohibits the instigation of dogfights, and has a unique provisions that prohibits the shooting of caged or staked animals. |
| WI - Chickens, transport - 134.52. Shipment of chickens | W. S. A. 134.52 | This Wisconsin statute requires that poultry not be overcrowded and the shipping container must be at least 13 inches in high on the inside and covered at the top in a way that prevents the chickens from getting caught in the top. |
| WI - Cats - Question 62 - DEFEATED | Wisconsin 2005 Question 62 |
This controversial measure would have allowed hunters to hunt any cat that was found free roaming, meaning it did not exhibit a collar or other signs of domestic ownership. At the Monday, April 11, 2005 meeting of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, those in favor of the feral cat hunting proposal approved the measure by a vote of 6,830 to 5,201. This approval was then forwarded to the state Natural Resources Board for consideration. Proponents of the measure suggest feral cats expose domestic animals to disease and endanger native songbirds. Opponents of the measure counter that such a law would be cruel and archaic, putting domestic cats who have escaped from their homes at risk of death. On May 25, 2005 at the Natural Resources Board regular spring meeting, a representative of the Congress indicated that the Executive Committee has declined to pursue the issue any further. (See the official meeting minutes at page 5 at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/minutes/M05/0505%20minutes.pdf ). Feral cat advocates claimed a public relations victory, as the measure gained national and even international criticism. (See Alley Cat Allies at http://www.alleycat.org/wi.html ). (For more on the procedural history of this measure, see the "Long Summary" under the "Statute Details" above). |
| WI - Breed - 95.13. Misrepresenting breed of domestic animal | W. S. A. 95.13 | Under this Wisconsin statute, no person may sell any domestic animal or represent that such domestic animal is a pure bred animal, if the animal is not registered or entitled to be registered, in any pure breed registry for that breed. |
| WI - Assistance Animals - Assistance Animal/Guide Dog Laws | W. S. A. 106.50; 106.52; 346.26; 440.45; 951.01, 951.097, 951.18 | The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and service animal laws. |
| Wales - Fur, mink - The Mink Keeping (Prohibition) (Wales) Order 2012 | 2012 No. (W. ) | An Order imposing an absolute prohibition upon the keeping of mink in Wales. |
| Wales - Dogs - The Microchipping of Dogs (Wales) Regulations 2015 | 2015 No. 1990 (W. 300) | Regulations providing for the compulsory microchipping of dogs and the recording of each dog’s identity and its keeper’s contact details on a database. |
| Wales - Dogs - The Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014 | 2014 No. 3266 (W. 333) | Regulations to license persons breeding dogs in Wales. |
| Wales - Collars, electronic - The Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (Wales) Regulations 2010 | 2010 No. 943 (W.97) | Regulations prohibiting the use of electronic collars on dogs and cats in Wales. |
| Wales - Circus - Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Act 2020 | 2020 asc 2 | This Act prohibits the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Wales. |
| WA - Wolf - Chapter 16.001. Wolf-Livestock Management | West's RCWA 16.76.005 - .030 | These statutes create the northeast Washington wolf-livestock management grant within the department of agriculture. Further, a four-member advisory board is established to advise the department on the expenditure of the northeast Washington wolf-livestock management grant funds. The board must help direct funding for the deployment of nonlethal deterrence resources, including human presence, and locally owned and deliberately located equipment and tools. In addition, the northeast Washington wolf-livestock management account is created as a nonappropriated account in the custody of the state treasurer. |
| WA - Wildlife - 77.15.790. Negligently feeding, attempting to feed, or attracting large wild carnivores to land or a building--I | West's RCWA 77.15.790, 792 | These two Washington laws deal with the unauthorized feeding of large wild carnivores. A person may not negligently feed or attempt to feed large wild carnivores or negligently attract large wild carnivores to land or a building. If a person who is issued a written warning fails to contain, move, or remove the food, food waste, or other substance as directed, the person commits an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW. |
| WA - Veterinary - Chapter 18.92. Veterinary Medicine, Surgery, and Dentistry. | West's RCWA 18.92.010 - 900 | These are the state's veterinary practice laws. Among the provisions include licensing requirements, laws concerning the state veterinary board, veterinary records laws, and the laws governing disciplinary actions for impaired or incompetent practitioners. |
| WA - Vehicle - 46.61.660. Carrying persons or animals on outside part of vehicle | West's RCWA 46.61.660 | This Washington law states that it is illegal to transport any living animal on the running board, fenders, hood, or other outside part of any vehicle unless suitable harness, cage or enclosure is provided that protects the animal from being thrown. |
| WA - Trusts - Chapter 11.118. Trusts--Animals | West's RCWA 11.118.005 - 110 | The purpose of this chapter is to recognize and validate certain trusts that are established for the benefit of animals (nonhuman animal with vertebrae). The trust can be for one or more animals provided they are individually identified or labeled in the instrument so that they may be easily identified. Unless otherwise provided in the trust instrument or in this chapter, the trust will terminate when no animal that is designated as a beneficiary of the trust remains living. |
| WA - Trespass - CHAPTER 16.04. TRESPASS OF ANIMALS-GENERAL | West's RCWA 16.04.005 - 100 | These Washington statutes pertain to trespassing livestock animals. They provide for liability of owners for damage caused by such animals.There are also notification requirements to owners of trespassing animals. |
| WA - Trade - 77.15.260. Unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, or wildlife--Penalty | West's RCWA 77.15.260 | This Washington statute pertains to unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, and wildlife. A person is guilty of unlawful trafficking in the second degree if s/he traffics in such animals with a wholesale value of less than $250 and the animals are unclassified or classified as game, food fish, shellfish, game fish, or protected wildlife. Unlawful trafficking in the first degree occurs when the animals have a value of $250 or more or the animals are classified as endangered or deleterious exotic wildlife. |
| WA - Shark - 77.15.770. Unlawful trade in shark fins--Penalty | RCWA 77.15.770 | Under this Washington statute, it is unlawful to trade in shark fins, with exceptions. A person is guilty in the second degree (gross misdemeanor) if s/he sells, purchases, or processes a shark fin for commercial purposes. A person is guilty of unlawful trade in shark fins in the first degree (class C felony) if the act involves shark fins with a total market value of $250 or more, or acted with knowledge that the shark fin originated from a shark that was illegally caught. |
| WA - Research - 19.86.145. Penalties--Animals used in biomedical research | West's RCWA 19.86.145 | This law provides that any violation of RCW 9.08.070 - 9.08.078 (relating to concealing or taking a pet animal with the intent to deprive or defraud the owner) or RCW 16.52.220 (relating to transfer of mammals other than rats or mice for use in research) constitutes an unfair or deceptive practice. Research institutions that violate this provision face only monetary penalties not to exceed $2,500. |