Public Health Madison & Dane County

Animals

We respond to animal safety calls and provide education to ensure a safe and healthy relationship between humans and animals.

Request Animal Services Officer Dispatch (Urgent)

For help with an animal bite, call (608) 255-2345 or report the bite, below.

Report an animal bite

Your report will be sent to an Animal Services Officer, who will follow up with you as soon as possible.

You can also call (608) 255-2345 to have an Animal Services Officer sent to help with:

• Aggressive animals
• Accumulation of animal feces
• Animals in traffic causing safety concerns
• Investigation of cruelty/neglect
• Rabies quarantines and testing
• Sick or injured animals, either wild or domestic
• Stray animals or domestic animals running at large

Animal Services Does NOT Respond to:

• Barking dogs. Please call your local Police Department.
  • Madison Police Department: (608) 266-4275
• Nuisance wild animals. Please call a Private Pest Control Service.

Call Animal Services Office (Non-Urgent)

Call (608) 267-1989 (Animal Services Office) for:

• Information about animal care and health
• Education about staying safe around animals and preventing rabies
• Non-urgent complaints
• General information

Dead Bird Reporting

Mosquitoes get infected with West Nile virus by feeding on infected birds. West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The WI Department of Health Services no longer collects dead birds for West Nile virus testing and the hotline has been disconnected.

If you find a dead bird, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website for instructions. If you are told to dispose of the dead bird, don’t touch it with your bare hands. Wear gloves or an inverted plastic bag and then put it in your regular trash. Wash your hands after putting the bird in the trash.