Chapter 6.11
POSSESSION OF WILD ANIMALS
Sections:
6.11.030 Possession of wild animals prohibited.
6.11.040 Penalty for violation of this chapter.
6.11.010 Definitions.
“Possess” means to own, possess, keep, harbor, or exercise any care, custody, or control of an animal.
“Wild animal” means those species of animal that are not typically domesticated by humans and usually live in nature or outside of one’s residence. Wild animals include, but are not limited to, animals belonging to any or all of the following orders and families:
A. Class Mammalia.
1. Order Chiroptera (bats).
2. Order Artiodactyla (e.g., hippopotamuses, giraffes, camels, deer, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, alpaca, and llama).
3. Order Carnivora.
a. Family Felidae (e.g., lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, ocelots, servals), but not domestic cats.
b. Family Ursidae (e.g., bears).
c. Family Mustelidae (e.g., weasels, skunks, martens, minks, wild ferrets), but not the domestic ferret species, Mustela putorius furo.
d. Family Procyonidae (e.g., raccoons, coatis).
e. Family Hyaenidae (e.g., hyenas).
f. Family Viverridae (e.g., civets, genets).
g. Family Mephitidae (e.g., skunks).
h. Family Herpestidae (e.g., mongooses).
4. Order Edentata (e.g., anteaters, armadillos, sloths).
5. Order Marsupialia (e.g., opossums, kangaroos, wallabies), except sugar gliders.
6. Order Perissodactyla (e.g., rhinoceroses, tapirs), except domestic horses and donkeys.
7. Order Primates (e.g., lemurs, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas), except humans.
8. Order Proboscidea (e.g., elephants).
9. Order Rodentia (e.g., squirrels, beavers, porcupines, prairie dogs), but not guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, and hamsters.
B. Class Reptilia.
1. Order Squamata.
a. Family Helodermatidae (e.g., Gila monsters and Mexican beaded lizards).
b. Family Varanidae (e.g., monitor lizard).
c. Family Elapidae (e.g., coral snakes, cobras, mambas).
d. Family Viperidae (e.g., copperheads, cottonmouths, rattlesnakes).
e. Subfamily Atractaspidinae (e.g., burrowing asps).
2. Order Crocodilia (e.g., crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gavials).
3. Any constricting snake greater than four feet in length or twenty (20) pounds in weight.
4. Any venomous snake.
C. Class Aves.
1. Order Falconiformes (e.g., eagles, hawks, vultures).
2. Order Rheiformes (e.g., rheas).
3. Order Struthioniformes (e.g., ostriches).
4. Order Casuariiformes (e.g., cassowaries and emus).
5. Order Strigiformes (e.g., owls).
6. Order Galliformes (e.g., turkeys, chickens).
7. Order Anseriformes (e.g., ducks, geese).
D. Class Arachnida.
1. Order Scorpiones.
2. Any of the following members of Order Araneae, Family Therididae:
a. Argentina red widow spider: Latrodectus coralinus.
b. Brown widow spider: Latrodectus geometricus.
c. Red-black widow: Latrodectus hasselti.
d. Red widow spider: Latrodectus bishop.
e. Black widow spider: Latrodectus mactans.
f. Western widow: Latrodectus Hesperus.
3. Brown recluse spider: Loxosceles reclusa.
E. Class Chilopoda.
1. Any of the following members of Order Scolopendromorpha, Family Scolopendridae:
a. Amazon giant banded centipede: Scolopendra giganea.
b. Arizona tiger centipede: Scolopendra viridis.
c. Florida Keys centipede: Scolopendra alternans.
2. Any other venomous chilopoda that is not native to Wisconsin.
F. Any species of the class Insecta that is not native to Wisconsin.
G. Any federal or state endangered or threatened species. (Ord. 2729-20 § 1, 2020)
6.11.020 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public against health and safety risks that wild animals pose to the community. By their very nature, wild animals are potentially dangerous and do not adjust well to a captive environment. (Ord. 2729-20 § 1, 2020)
6.11.030 Possession of wild animals prohibited.
No person shall possess a wild animal unless one of the exceptions in subsection (A) of this section applies.
A. Exceptions. This subsection shall not apply to wild animals being kept or harbored on property in compliance with Section 17.28.010(C), persons who are temporarily exhibiting wild animals in the city pursuant to a valid license issued by the state of Wisconsin under Chapter 169, Wisconsin Statutes, institutions accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, veterinarians who possess a valid license from the state of Wisconsin under Chapter 453, Wisconsin Statutes, state licensed veterinary hospitals or clinics, state licensed circuses, state licensed or accredited research or medical institutions, state licensed or accredited educational institutions, an animal certified as having been specially trained to assist an individual with a disability, any government-owned or government-operated facility, volunteers working on behalf of a government-owned or government-operated facility, a person with a valid federal permit to possess a particular wild animal, or a person temporarily transporting a wild animal through the city if the transit time is not more than twenty-four (24) hours and the wild animal is at all times maintained within a confinement sufficient to prevent the wild animal from escaping.
B. Registration. Any person that meets the exceptions listed in subsection (A) of this section shall register each wild animal that he/she possesses within the city of Brookfield with the police department. The registration information shall include: the type of wild animal; a description of the wild animal, including size, color, and name of the animal; and the name and address of the wild animal’s owner or custodian.
C. Escape.
1. If a wild animal escapes the possession of a person, the person shall notify the Brookfield police department immediately of the following information: the type of wild animal; a description of the wild animal, including size, color, and name of the animal; the nature of how the wild animal escaped; the name and address of the wild animal’s owner or custodian; and the location and time where the wild animal was last observed. If the wild animal returns to the possession of a person after notification to the Brookfield police department, the person shall notify the Brookfield police department immediately that the wild animal has returned to the person’s possession.
2. Costs. Upon the escape of a wild animal, any person possessing such wild animal shall be responsible for the costs of the seizure, detention, and disposal of the wild animal and any city response to the report of escape.
D. Prohibition Against Release. No person may permit a wild animal to run at large. Any wild animal running at large shall be subject to seizure, detention, and disposal. (Ord. 2729-20 § 1, 2020)
6.11.040 Penalty for violation of this chapter.
Any person, firm, partnership, or corporation who violates any part of this chapter shall be subject to the penalty and enforcement provisions in Chapter 1.12. (Ord. 2729-20 § 1, 2020)