Wisconsin Service Dog Laws

Definitions

Under cruelty laws:

“Service dog” means a dog that is trained for the purpose of assisting a person with a sensory, mental, or physical disability or accommodating such a disability.

S. A. 951.01

Accommodation Law

Public accommodation:

No person may refuse to permit entrance into, or use of, any public place of accommodation to person with a disability with a service animal, with exceptions.

Provisions only apply to service animal trainer if the animal accompanying the service animal trainer is wearing a harness or a leash and special cape.

S. A. 106.52

Housing:

If an individual’s vision, hearing or mobility is impaired, it is discrimination for a person to refuse to rent or sell housing, cause eviction, require extra compensation, or engage in harassment because he or she keeps an animal that is specially trained to lead or assist the individual with impaired vision, hearing or mobility if all of the conditions listed in the law apply.

S. A. 106.50

Harassment of/Interference with Service Dogs

No person, after receiving a notice, may do any of the following:

Interference with service dog:

• Recklesslyinterfere with the use of the service dog by obstructing or intimidating it or otherwise jeopardizing its safety or the safety of its user (class B misdemeanor).
• Intentionallyinterfere with the use of the service dog by obstructing or intimidating it or otherwise jeopardizing its safety or the safety of its user (class A misdemeanor).

Allow dog to interfere with service dog:

• Recklesslyallow his or her dog to interfere with the use of a service dog by obstructing or intimidating it or otherwise jeopardizing its safety or the safety of its user (class B misdemeanor).
• Intentionallyallow his or her dog to interfere with the use of a service dog by obstructing or intimidating it or otherwise jeopardizing its safety or the safety of its user (class A misdemeanor).

Injure a service dog:

• Recklesslyinjure a service dog or recklessly allow his or her dog to injure a service dog (class A misdemeanor).
• Intentionallyinjure a service dog or intentionally allow his or her dog to injure a service dog (Class I felony).

Kill a service dog:

• Recklesslycause the death of a service dog (Class I felony).
• Intentionallycause the death of a service dog  (Class H felony).

Steal a service dog or take possession:

Take possession of or exert control over a service dog without the consent of its owner or user and with the intent to deprive another of the use of the service dog (Class H felony).

S. A. 951.097

(Penalties are provided in W. S. A. 951.18)

Driving Law

An operator of a vehicle shall stop the vehicle before approaching closer than 10 feet to a pedestrian who is using a service animal, and shall take such precautions as may be necessary to avoid accident or injury to the pedestrian.

S. A. 346.26