Dog parks
Do I need a permit to take my dog to a Dane County dog park?
A common question, answered by the MadisonWI.com editors · November 9, 2026
1 answer
From MadisonWI.com
Yes. Dane County Parks requires a daily or annual dog permit for every dog, including service animals, both at its off-leash dog parks and on leashed hikes elsewhere in the county park system. Your dog must already have a license from your municipality before you can buy one. Dane County Parks sells permits online, by phone and at electronic pay stations, including at its dog parks (pay stations don't take cash or checks), though not every method is offered for every permit type. There's a fee. A pay-station receipt or online receipt works as a daily permit. Annual permits are mailed to you as a tag that must be on your dog's collar whenever you're on county park property. Dogs must also be licensed and vaccinated, wear an ID tag and be leashed entering and leaving off-leash areas. This covers Dane County Parks properties; other park systems set their own rules. Source: Dane County Parks, Dogs in Parks and Where to Purchase Permits (checked November 2026).
Written by the MadisonWI.com editors · November 9, 2026