AB585,6,65 chapter 173
6 Animals; humane officers
AB585, s. 12 7Section 12. Chapter 173 of the statutes is created to read:
AB585,6,8 8173.01 Definitions. In this chapter:
AB585,6,10 9(1) "Department" means the department of agriculture, trade and consumer
10protection.
AB585,6,11 11(2) "Law enforcement officer" has the meaning given in s. 165.85 (2) (c).
AB585,6,12 12(3) "Political subdivision" means a city, village, town or county.
AB585,6,16 13173.03 Appointment of humane officer. (1) Appointment. The governing
14body of any political subdivision may appoint one or more humane officers. The
15governing body of a political subdivision shall report all appointments and
16terminations of appointments of humane officers to the department.
AB585,6,21 17(2) Ordinance. Before, or at the time of, appointing a humane officer under sub.
18(1), the governing body making the appointment shall enact an ordinance that
19designates one or more officials of the political subdivision who may modify or
20withdraw abatement orders issued under s. 173.11 by humane officers appointed by
21the political subdivision.
AB585,7,2 22(3) Jurisdiction. A humane officer appointed by a city, village or town shall
23carry out his or her duties within the boundaries of the city, village or town. A
24humane officer appointed by a county shall carry out his or her duties throughout the
25county, other than within the boundaries of a city or village whose governing body

1adopts a resolution withdrawing from county enforcement of humane laws and
2transmits a copy of the resolution to the county.
AB585,7,7 3173.05 Certification required. (1) Any person appointed as a humane
4officer under s. 173.03 on or after the first day of the 13th month beginning after the
5effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], shall, before appointment
6or no more than 12 months following appointment, complete a course of training
7approved by the department and receive certification under s. 173.27 (3).
AB585,7,14 8(2) (a) A person appointed as a humane officer before the first day of the 13th
9month beginning after the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date],
10shall complete a course of training approved by the department, except as provided
11in par. (b), and shall receive certification under s. 173.27 (3) no more than 12 months
12after the first day of the 13th month beginning after the effective date of this
13paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], or no more than 12 months following
14appointment, whichever is later.
AB585,7,1715 (b) A person to whom par. (a) applies is not required to complete a course of
16training approved by the department if he or she takes an examination given by the
17department and passes the examination on the first attempt.
AB585,7,20 18(3) The governing body of a political subdivision that appoints a humane officer
19who fails to obtain certification within the required time shall terminate the
20appointment.
AB585,7,24 21173.07 Powers and duties of humane officers. (1) Enforcement. A
22humane officer shall enforce s. 95.21, this chapter, chs. 174 and 951 and ordinances
23relating to animals enacted by political subdivisions in which the humane officer has
24jurisdiction under s. 173.03 (3).
AB585,8,3
1(2) Investigation. A humane officer shall investigate alleged violations of
2statutes and ordinances relating to animals and, in the course of the investigations,
3may execute inspection warrants under s. 66.123.
AB585,8,6 4(3) Seek subpoenas. A humane officer may request the district attorney for the
5county to obtain subpoenas to compel testimony and obtain documents in aid of
6investigations.
AB585,8,9 7(4) Issue citations. If authorized by the appointing political subdivision, a
8humane officer shall issue citations under s. 66.119 for violations of ordinances
9relating to animals.
AB585,8,12 10(4m) Request prosecutions. A humane officer may request law enforcement
11officers and district attorneys to enforce and prosecute violations of state law and
12may cooperate in those prosecutions.
AB585,8,14 13(5) Prohibited actions. Unless also a law enforcement officer, a humane officer
14may not in the course of his or her duties do any of the following:
AB585,8,1515 (a) Execute a search warrant.
AB585,8,1616 (b) Carry firearms.
AB585,8,1717 (c) Stop or arrest persons.
AB585,8,1918 (d) Stop, search or detain vehicles, except under an inspection warrant under
19s. 66.123.
AB585,8,2320 (e) Enter any place or vehicle by force or without the consent of the owner,
21except in an emergency occasioned by fire or other circumstance in which that entry
22is reasonable and is necessary to save an animal from imminent death or a person
23from imminent death or injury.
AB585,8,2424 (f) Remove any animal from the custody of another person by force.
AB585,9,5
1(6) Conflict of interest prohibited. No humane officer may take into custody,
2sell or dispose of any animal that came into the humane officer's custody in the course
3of his or her duties in order to obtain a private benefit for the humane officer, a
4member of the humane officer's family or an organization with which the humane
5officer is affiliated.
AB585,9,12 6173.09 Investigations. In the course of investigation of suspected violations
7of statutes or ordinances, a humane officer may enter any building, vehicle or place
8where animals may be present for the purpose of inspection, examination of animals
9or the gathering of evidence. If the building, vehicle or place to be entered is not
10public, and consent of the owner or person in charge is not obtained, entry shall be
11under authority of a special inspection warrant issued under s. 66.123 or a search
12warrant.
AB585,9,19 13173.11 Abatement of violations. (1) Issuance of order. If a humane officer
14or law enforcement officer after investigation has reasonable grounds to believe that
15a violation of a statute or ordinance is occurring to the detriment or injury of any
16animal, the humane officer or law enforcement officer may issue and serve an order
17of abatement directed to named persons. An official designated in an ordinance
18under s. 173.03 (2) may not participate in the decision to issue the order or in any
19activity leading to that decision.
AB585,9,21 20(1m) Content of order. An abatement order issued under sub. (1) shall
21contain all of the following:
AB585,9,2222 (a) The name and address of the person to whom directed.
AB585,9,2323 (b) The statute or ordinance alleged to be violated.
AB585,9,2424 (c) A prohibition on further violations.
AB585,9,2525 (d) A description of measures necessary to correct the alleged violation.
AB585,10,1
1(e) A description of the hearing and appeal provisions under subs. (2) and (4).
AB585,10,6 2(2) Hearing. Any person named in an abatement order issued under sub. (1)
3may, within the 10-day period following service of the order, request a hearing before
4an official designated in an ordinance under s. 173.03 (2). The hearing shall be held
5within 10 days after the request is made, unless the requester agrees to a later date.
6The hearing shall be informal in nature.
AB585,10,9 7(3) Decision. Within 10 days after a hearing under sub. (2), the official who
8conducts the hearing shall affirm the order, modify and affirm the order or withdraw
9the order.
AB585,10,12 10(4) Appeal. Any person adversely affected by a decision under sub. (3) may seek
11judicial review by commencing an action in circuit court within 30 days after the day
12that the decision is issued.
AB585,10,17 13173.13 Taking custody of animals. (1) Intake. (a) A humane officer, on
14behalf of a political subdivision in which the humane officer has jurisdiction under
15s. 173.01 (3), or a law enforcement officer, on behalf of a political subdivision, may
16take custody of an animal if the humane officer or law enforcement officer has
17reasonable grounds to believe that the animal is one of the following:
AB585,10,1818 1. An abandoned or stray animal.
AB585,10,2019 2. An unwanted animal delivered to the humane officer or law enforcement
20officer.
AB585,10,2121 3. A dog not tagged as required by ch. 174.
AB585,10,2222 4. An animal not licensed in compliance with any ordinance.
AB585,10,2423 5. An animal not confined as required by a quarantine order under any statute,
24rule or ordinance relating to the control of any animal disease.
AB585,10,2525 6. An animal that has caused damage to persons or property.
AB585,11,1
17. A participant in an animal fight.
AB585,11,22 8. An animal mistreated in violation of ch. 951.
AB585,11,33 9. An animal delivered by a veterinarian under sub. (2).
AB585,11,54 (b) A humane officer shall accept into custody any animal delivered by a law
5enforcement officer or delivered under a court order.
AB585,11,126 (c) A person other than a humane officer or a law enforcement officer may not
7take an animal into custody on behalf of a political subdivision unless the animal is
8an abandoned or stray animal. If a person other than a humane officer or a law
9enforcement officer takes custody of an abandoned or stray animal on behalf of a
10political subdivision, he or she shall deliver the animal to a person contracting under
11s. 173.15 (1), to a humane officer or law enforcement officer for disposition under s.
12173.23 or to a pound.
AB585,11,16 13(2) Delivery of animal by veterinarian. A humane officer or law enforcement
14officer or a person contracting under s. 173.15 (1) may accept an animal delivered by
15a veterinarian, or his or her employe, if the animal has not been picked up by its
16owner and all of the following apply:
AB585,11,1917 (a) The veterinarian notified the owner of the animal by certified mail, return
18receipt requested, that the animal was ready to be picked up and that the animal
19would be delivered to a humane officer if not picked up within 7 days.
AB585,11,2220 (b) The veterinarian retained the animal for 7 days after the day on which the
21return receipt was signed or until the letter was returned to the veterinarian as
22undeliverable.
AB585,11,2423 (c) The veterinarian certifies in writing to the humane officer or law
24enforcement officer that pars. (a) and (b) apply.
AB585,12,5
1(3) Notification of owner. (a) If a humane officer or law enforcement officer
2takes custody of an animal with the knowledge of the owner, the humane officer or
3law enforcement officer shall explain the procedure by which the owner can recover
4the animal, including the procedure under s. 173.22, and the procedure to be followed
5if the animal is not returned to the owner.
AB585,12,126 (b) If a humane officer or law enforcement officer takes custody of an animal
7without the knowledge of the owner, the humane officer or law enforcement officer
8shall promptly notify the owner if he or she can be identified and located with
9reasonable effort. Upon contacting the owner, the humane officer or law enforcement
10officer shall explain the procedure by which the owner can recover the animal,
11including the procedure under s. 173.22, and the procedure to be followed if the
12animal is not returned to the owner.
AB585,12,1513 (c) If the owner informs the humane officer or law enforcement officer in writing
14that he or she will not claim the animal, it may be treated as an unclaimed animal
15under s. 173.23 (1m).
AB585,12,25 16173.15 Provision of care, treatment or disposal services. (1) Providing
17services.
A political subdivision may provide for the care, treatment or disposal of
18animals taken into custody by a humane officer or law enforcement officer. A political
19subdivision may provide these services directly or by contracting with any other
20person. A political subdivision may establish standard fees for the care, custody and
21treatment of animals in its custody. The political subdivision may establish different
22fees for animals released to their owners and animals released to persons other than
23their owners. If the political subdivision does not establish standard fees, it may
24charge no more than the actual costs of care, custody or treatment to any person
25required to pay for the care, custody or treatment of an animal.
AB585,13,2
1(2) Contract for services. Every person entering into a contract with a
2political subdivision under sub. (1) shall agree to do all of the following:
AB585,13,43 (a) Provide adequate care and treatment of all animals delivered under the
4contract.
AB585,13,55 (b) Maintain adequate records consistent with s. 173.17.
AB585,13,66 (c) Release or dispose of animals under s. 173.23 or as provided in a court order.
AB585,13,10 7173.17 Records. A humane officer or law enforcement officer taking custody
8of an animal on behalf of a political subdivision shall maintain, or require any person
9to whom the animal is delivered under a contract under s. 173.15 (1) to maintain, as
10appropriate, records for each animal of the following information:
AB585,13,11 11(1) A physical description of the animal.
AB585,13,14 12(2) The date that custody was taken of the animal, the date that the animal was
13delivered into the possession of another person and the identity of the person to
14whom delivered.
AB585,13,15 15(3) The reason for taking custody of the animal.
AB585,13,17 16(4) The ultimate disposition of the animal, including the name and address of
17any person into whose custody the animal was ultimately released.
AB585,13,24 18173.19 Animals considered unclaimed. A political subdivision or person
19contracting under s. 173.15 (1) may treat any animal taken into custody under s.
20173.13 (1) (a) 1., 3., 4. or 9. as an unclaimed animal subject to s. 173.23 (1m) if, within
217 days after custody is taken of the animal, it is not claimed by and returned to its
22owner under s. 173.23 (1), except that an animal taken into custody under s. 173.13
23(1) (a) 3. or 4. may not be treated as unclaimed if its owner files a petition under s.
24173.22 (1) within 7 days after custody is taken.
AB585,14,4
1173.21 Holding animals for cause. (1) Grounds. A political subdivision
2may withhold, or direct a person contracting under s. 173.15 (1) to withhold, an
3animal in custody from an owner who makes an otherwise adequate claim for the
4animal under s. 173.23 (1) on any of the following grounds:
AB585,14,65 (a) There are reasonable grounds to believe that the owner has mistreated the
6animal in violation of ch. 951.
AB585,14,87 (b) There are reasonable grounds to believe that the animal poses a significant
8threat to public health, safety or welfare.
AB585,14,99 (c) The animal may be used as evidence in a pending prosecution.
AB585,14,1010 (d) A court has ordered the animal withheld for any reason.
AB585,14,12 11(2) Examination permitted. If an animal is withheld under sub. (1), upon
12request by the owner, a veterinarian retained by the owner may examine the animal.
AB585,14,14 13(3) Costs. The owner of an animal withheld under sub. (1) is not liable for any
14costs of custody, care or treatment except as provided by court order.
AB585,14,18 15(4) Return. A political subdivision or person contracting under s. 173.15 (1)
16having custody of an animal withheld under sub. (1) shall release the animal to the
17owner at the direction of the humane officer or law enforcement officer that took
18custody of the animal if the requirements of s. 173.23 (1) (a) to (c) are satisfied.
AB585,14,23 19173.22 Review of seizure or withholding. (1) Petition. A person claiming
20that an animal that he or she owns was improperly taken into custody under s.
21173.13 (1) (a) 3., 4., 5., 6. or 8. or is wrongfully withheld under s. 173.21 (1) may seek
22return of the animal by petitioning for an order from the circuit court for the county
23in which the animal was taken into custody or in which it is held.
AB585,15,3 24(2) Notice and hearing. The court shall provide notice of a petition under sub.
25(1) to the humane officer or law enforcement officer who took the animal into custody

1or to the political subdivision that withheld the animal and shall hold a hearing on
2the issue of whether the animal was improperly taken into custody or is wrongfully
3withheld.
AB585,15,6 4(3) Order. (a) If the animal was taken into custody under s. 173.13 (1) (a) 8.
5or is withheld under s. 173.21 (1), the court shall order the animal returned to the
6owner unless it determines that one of the following conditions is satisfied:
AB585,15,87 1. There are reasonable grounds to believe that the owner has mistreated the
8animal in violation of ch. 951.
AB585,15,109 2. There are reasonable grounds to believe that the animal poses a significant
10threat to public health, safety or welfare.
AB585,15,1111 3. The animal may be used as evidence in a pending prosecution.
AB585,15,1212 4. A court has ordered the animal withheld for any reason.
AB585,15,1513 (b) If the animal was taken into custody under s. 173.13 (1) (a) 3., the court shall
14order the animal returned to its owner if the court determines that the animal was
15tagged or was not required to be tagged under ch. 174.
AB585,15,1816 (c) If the animal was taken into custody under s. 173.13 (1) (a) 4., the court shall
17order the animal returned to its owner if the court determines that the animal was
18licensed or was not required to be licensed.
AB585,15,2119 (d) If the animal was taken into custody under s. 173.13 (1) (a) 5., the court shall
20order the animal returned to its owner if the court determines that the animal was
21not subject to a quarantine order or was confined as required by a quarantine order.
AB585,15,2422 (e) If the animal was taken into custody under s. 173.13 (1) (a) 6., the court shall
23order the animal returned to its owner if the court determines that the animal did
24not cause damage to persons or property.
AB585,16,4
1173.23 Disposition of animals. (1) Claim and return. Except as provided
2in sub. (4) or s. 173.21 (1), a political subdivision or person contracting under s.
3173.15 (1) shall return an animal described in s. 173.13 (1) (a) 1., 3., 4., 6., 8. or 9. to
4its owner upon the happening of all of the following:
AB585,16,65 (a) The owner claims the animal and provides reasonable evidence of
6ownership.
AB585,16,87 (b) If licensure is required by statute or ordinance, the animal is licensed or
8assurance of licensure by prepayment is given.
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