Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Natural Resources
NR 1-99 - Fish, Game and Enforcement, Forestry and Recreation
Chapter NR 17 - Dog Trials And Training
Section NR 17.045 - Hound dog training enclosure permit

(a) Conditions. The owner or operator of a hound dog training enclosure shall be at least 18 years of age to apply for and obtain an approved hound dog training enclosure permit from the department prior to using or releasing any captive wild animals or dogs into the enclosure for dog training or trialing purposes. The department shall inspect every hound dog training enclosure for which it has received a permit application. The department shall issue a permit to an applicant if it finds that the facility meets the requirements of this section and s. NR 17.11. Enclosures that do not meet the requirements of this section may not be issued a permit but may reapply for inspection after 30 days. No person may train, trial or otherwise release dogs into an enclosure containing captive wild animals unless a valid hound dog training enclosure permit is possessed by the owner or operator of the enclosure. An owner or operator shall obtain a separate hound dog training enclosure permit for each enclosure they own or operate. A hound dog training enclosure permitted under this section, may not be licensed under s. 169.15, Stats., as a captive wild animal farm, or as a wild fur farm under s. 169.18, Stats.

(b) Initial applicability. Any person operating a hound dog training enclosure prior to July 1, 2007, may continue to operate provided they apply for a hound dog training enclosure permit under this section no later than December 31, 2007. After December 31, 2007, no person may operate a hound dog training enclosure without first obtaining a hound dog training enclosure permit.

(c) Fee. There is no fee for issuance of a hound dog training enclosure permit.

(d) Removal of animals.

(e) Presence of other animals. Captive wild animals, other than the species specifically permitted under this section, may not be maintained in the same enclosure. An enclosure may only be permitted for one species.

(f) Killing of captive animals. A hound dog training enclosure permit authorizes the killing of captive wild animals only by the holder of the permit, or an employee of the permit holder.

(g) Compliance with local regulations. No initial enclosure permit application may be approved unless the application is accompanied by written assurance that the enclosure is in compliance with local ordinances and zoning regulations.

(h) Expiration. A hound dog training enclosure permit shall remain valid until the date indicated on the permit provided the facility remains in compliance with this section. The expiration date of a hound dog training enclosure permit shall be the same as the expiration date of the dog training or trialing license held by the owner or operator or club under sub. (2).

(a) Hound dog training license. Except as provided in par. (b) or (c), the owner or operator of any hound dog training enclosure and every person participating in the training of hound dogs within a hound dog training enclosure shall possess a valid hound dog training license.

(b) Dog club training license. If the owner or operator of the hound dog training enclosure possesses a valid dog club training license, the members of that club are not required to possess individual hound dog training licenses.

(c) Hound dog trial license. If the owner or operator of the hound dog training enclosure or an individual participating in a organized competitive field trial event possesses a valid hound dog trial license, the participants in the event are not required to possess a hound dog training license for that event.

(a) Food, water and cover. All hound dog training enclosures shall provide the necessary natural or artificial habitat and meet the food, water and cover requirements of a coyote, fox or rabbit. Conditions are subject to approval by the department.

(b) Acclimation period. No dogs may be released into an enclosure that is used to train dogs to pursue coyotes or fox until the 7th day following the release of a new coyote or fox into an enclosure. No dogs may be released into an enclosure that is used for training dogs to pursue rabbits until the 2nd day following the release of a new rabbit into the enclosure.

(c) Intent of training.

(d) Supervision. Whenever dogs are released into or present in a hound dog training enclosure, the owner or operator of the enclosure or one or more competent individuals designated by the owner or operator shall be present at the enclosure and actively directing attention to the training activity. For the purposes of this paragraph, competent means that the individuals are knowledgeable of regulations of this chapter and are capable of controlling the dogs released into the enclosure.

(e) Enclosure size.

(f) Fences.

(g) Gates. All gates shall remain closed and secured to prevent escape of captive animals and unauthorized access and opening of the gates, except when authorized persons, dogs or equipment are traveling through the gate.

(h) Refuge areas.

(i) Density of captive animals. No less than 2 coyote or fox may be present in a hound dog training enclosure, and no more than 2 coyote or fox may be present per each full 15 acres in a hound dog training enclosure.

(a) Fees.

(b) Release of diseased animals. The owner or operator may not release or permit the release into a hound dog training enclosure of any wild animals or dogs that are diseased or have been exposed to diseased animals.

(c) Testing. The department may conduct disease testing and take samples of any species of wildlife within the hound dog training enclosure.

(d) Permit suspension. The department may suspend a hound dog training enclosure permit and the operation of any hound dog training enclosure or prohibit by verbal or written notice the release of any coyote, fox, or rabbit into any hound dog training enclosure when the department deems it necessary to prevent the threat or presence of wildlife diseases which may pose a threat to native wildlife populations, domestic livestock or public safety.

(a) Age. All captive coyote and fox released into a hound dog training enclosure shall be at least 9 months of age.

(b) Marking. Coyote and fox may not be released into a hound dog training enclosure unless first individually tagged, tattooed or otherwise permanently marked with a unique individual animal identification number which is recorded in the records required to be kept under s. NR 17.11(2) (d).

(c) Reproduction. When more than one coyote or fox is released into a hound dog training enclosure, all additional animals of the same species that are of a different sex shall be spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian prior to release into the hound dog training enclosure.

Note: Breeding or propagating of captive wild animals is not authorized under a hound dog training, dog trial or dog club training license. However, the unintentional breeding of rabbits within in a hound dog training enclosure is not a violation of this section.

(d) Surgical modifications. Any physical modifications, including the docking of tails, done to a coyote or fox shall be done by a licensed veterinarian. The hound dog training enclosure permittee shall maintain written documentation of veterinary involvement in any physical modification done to a coyote or fox.

(e) Veterinarian of record. The applicant of any hound dog training enclosure permit shall provide the department with a written statement, by a Wisconsin certified veterinarian, which certifies that the veterinarian is the training enclosure veterinarian, having established a valid veterinarian-client relationship with the applicant.

(a) Licensing. Any person that releases a dog or dogs into a hound dog training enclosure shall keep on the dog or have present at the enclosure any tag required for the dog under s. 95.21(2) (f), 174.05, 174.053 or 174.07(1), Stats.

(b) Number of dogs. No person may place or allow the placement of more than 3 dogs into any coyote or fox hound dog training enclosure for each coyote or fox that is present in the enclosure.

(c) Age. No dogs less than 5 months of age are permitted in hound dog training enclosures that contain coyote or fox.

(a) Existing enclosures.

(b) New enclosures. All individuals who were not operating a hound dog training enclosure under the authority of a hound dog training or dog club training license prior to July 1, 2007, shall comply with this section.

(c) Enforcement. Owners or operators of hound dog training enclosures that have applied for a permit under sub. (1) (b) by December 31, 2007 that do not meet the minimum structural or design requirements under this section shall bring their enclosures into compliance by December 31, 2008.