Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: Yes. Madison requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Madison General Ordinances § 7.322. The set ticket for a first offense is $100, and $200 for a repeat. You are also required to carry a means of removal whenever you walk your dog.
What the Madison ordinance says
| Ordinance | Madison General Ordinances § 7.322, Animal Defecation on Public or Private Property Regulated; cash deposits under MGO § 1.08 |
|---|---|
| Fine | $100 |
| Repeat offense | $200 |
| Must carry a bag | Yes |
| Service animal exemption | No |
How the penalty works
The MGO § 1.08 cash-deposit schedule lists § 7.322(1) and (3) (failing to remove waste; waste from a balcony onto a neighbor's property) at '$100, 1st' and '$200, 2nd/subsqnt.' It lists § 7.322(2) (failure to carry a means of removal) separately at the same $100 and $200. § 7.322(5) sets the forfeiture range at $25 to $200. Park rangers and the Superintendent of Parks can issue these citations as well as humane officers.
The carry rule
§ 7.322(2): no owner or keeper may appear with an animal on any sidewalk, street, park, or other public area, or on private property they do not own or occupy, 'without the means of removal of any feces left by the animal.' Proper disposal is limited to burial where lawful, bagging for the owner's trash or a designated park receptacle, or flushing (§ 7.322(1)).
Service animals
No service-dog exemption. § 7.322(4) exempts only animals 'working in their official police capacity' where safety or professional duties would be compromised.
How Madison compares
Madison is the only one of the largest cities in Wisconsin we checked with a set ticket amount. The others leave the figure to a judge.
In practice
Because Madison requires you to carry a way to clean up, the simplest way to stay on the right side of it is to keep bags on the leash itself, so they leave the house every time the dog does. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
Wisconsin dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Milwaukee dog poop law · Green Bay dog poop law. All 50 states.
Source
Checked 2026-09-10 against the Madison municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
