Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Certification Policy Manual
The following rules address precautionary and health standards regarding pets and animals:
DCF 202.08(2)(m) All of the following regarding pets and animals:
DCF 202.08(2)(m)1. Pets in the home shall be tolerant of children and vaccinated against rabies. The rabies vaccination shall be documented with a current certificate from a veterinarian.
DCF 202.08(2)(m)2. Animals that may pose any risk to the children may not be in any indoor or outdoor areas used for child care when children are in care.
DCF 202.08(2)(m)3. Reptiles, amphibians, ferrets, poisonous animals, psittacine birds, and exotic and wild animals may not be accessible to children.
Note: Psittacine birds are hooked bill birds of the parrot family that have 2 toes forward and 2 toes backward, including macaws, grays, cockatoos and lovebirds.
DCF 202.08(2)(m)4. Indoor and outdoor areas accessible to children shall be free of pet and animal excrement.
DCF 202.08(2)(m)5. Operators shall ensure they are in compliance with all applicable local ordinances regarding the number, types, and health status of pets and animals.
DCF 202.08(4)(g) and (h) A child care provider shall wash his or her hands with soap and warm running water and require children to wash their hands after …handling pets or animals.
A certified child care operator shall report all of the following to the certification agency as soon as possible, but no later than the certification agency’s next working day: DCF 202.08(1m)(b)9. An injury caused by an animal to a child in care.
Pets that are kept in the home shall be tolerant of children. Pets that may pose any risk to the children shall be restricted from indoor and outdoor areas used for child care. The operator should ensure that contact between pets or animals is under the sight and sound supervision of a provider who is close enough to remove the child immediately if the pet or animal shows signs of distress or aggression or the child shows signs of treating the animal inappropriately.
The certification worker may enforce a conditions/stipulation if it has been determined special precautions are warranted or to draw attention to administrative rules pertaining to pets and / or supervision.
Effective 9/1/21 after initial certification is granted certification agencies must monitor for compliance with the rabies vaccination due dates. This means that the certification agency may need to complete a “desk review” to ensure information is verified. If during the BRO certification review the information is not current, this may result in an agency non-compliance/finding and the information will need to be gathered and updated as a part of the Agency Review Correction Plan.
This page last updated 07/2020.