All dogs that reside in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, must be vaccinated against rabies and must be licensed by 5 months of age annually, according to State Statute and County Ordinance.

A dog license can be purchased through your municipal treasurer and needs to be done between January 1st and March 31st to avoid a late fee and citation. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required to license your dog.

• The fee to license your dog is $23 for an unaltered dog and $12 for an altered dog.
• If you live in the Town of Shelby, the fee is $24 for an unaltered dog and $13 for an altered dog.
• If you live in the City of Onalaska, the fee $25 for an unaltered dog and $14 or an altered dog. 
• If you live in the City of La Crosse, please contact the City of La Crosse Treasurer at 608-789-7528 for fees.

If you fail to license your dog by March 31st, you must purchase a dog license from the County Clerk's office and pay a late fee of $25 plus the cost of the dog tag. This also applies if you get a new dog and fail to license it within 30 days, your puppy turns 5 months old and you fail to license it, or if you move into the County with a dog and fail to license it within 30 days.

The tag number, rabies data, and required information on each owner and dog are kept on file in the County Clerk's office. If you find a lost dog with a La Crosse County dog tag, you may call our office at 608-785-9581 for the dog owner's contact information.