Animals
As COVID-19 continues to impact us locally, we will be closing all Public Health Madison & Dane County offices to the public effective Thursday, March 19, 2020.
Although this decision was not arrived at easily, it is a decision that we needed to make. We are prioritizing preserving the health and safety of our staff and clients while continuing to maintain our ability to provide essential services, including our response to COVID-19.
We will continue providing services through alternate avenues, detailed below, but at this time we are reducing our direct contact with the public.
Animal Services is providing only priority services at this time. Specifically:
- Staff will respond to requests from the public when time permits.
- Staff will respond to calls from Dispatch and requests for delivery of COVID-19 supplies.
- Priority areas include Bites, rabies follow-up, dangerous animals, animal welfare, and injured/sick wildlife in public spaces presenting a risk to the community.
We work to ensure a safe and healthy environment between humans and animals in Dane County. Our Animal Services Officers respond to various animal safety issues and provide community education.
Request Animal Services Officer Dispatch
Call (608) 255-2345 to have an Animal Services Officer dispatched by radio to respond to the following complaints:
- Aggressive animals
- Animal bites
- Animal feces accumulation complaints
- Animals in traffic causing safety hazards
- Dogs in unauthorized park areas
- Investigation of cruelty/neglect complaints
- Rabies quarantine (issue orders, ensure owner compliance)
- Sick or injured animals, wild or domestic
- Stray or running at large domestic animals
Animal Services Does NOT Respond to:
- Barking dogs. Please call your local Police Department.
- Madison Police Department: (608) 266-4275
- Wild animal nuisance. Please call a Private Pest Control Service.
Call Animal Services Office
Call (608) 267-1989 (Animal Services Office) for:
- Animal care & health information
- Education about staying safe around animals and preventing rabies
- General information
- Non-emergency complaints
Dead Bird Reporting
West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes get infected with West Nile virus by feeding on infected birds.
Starting on May 1, we collaborate with the WI Department of Health Services to test crows and blue jays for West Nile virus by submitting sick or dead crows and blue jays for testing. This work continues until a bird tests positive for West Nile virus. If you find a sick or dead crow or blue jay in Dane County that you would like to have tested, please do the following:
Sick birds:
- Call the Dead Bird Hotline (800-433-1610) to report the bird.
- Call non-emergency dispatch at 608-255-2345 and ask for an Animal Services officer to respond for a sick bird.
Recently deceased crows or blue jays:
- Call the Dead Bird Hotline (800-433-1610) to report the bird.
- Birds suitable for submission do not show signs of decay or have maggots.
- Call our office at (608) 242-6515 to ask if birds are still being accepted for testing. (After 1 bird tests positive for West Nile Virus, no more tests will be done that year.)
- If birds are being accepted for testing, double bag the bird, complete the testing submission form, and bring to our office at 2300 S Park St, Room 2022, Madison, WI 53713.
After one bird is found to be positive for WNV in Dane County, no more birds from the county will be tested for West Nile Virus.