Chapter 170, STRAYS AND LOST CHATTELS

170.01 Who may take up strays. No stray, except horses and mules, shall be taken up by any person not a resident of the town in which it is found nor unless it is found upon land owned or occupied by the person. History: 1993 a. 482.

170.02 Finder to give notice; penalty. (1) Every finder of a stray shall, within 7 days after finding the stray, notify the owner of the stray, if known to the finder, and request the owner to pay all reasonable charges and take the stray away. If the owner is unknown to the find…

170.03 Appraisal. Every finder of a stray of the value of $10 or more, at the time of such taking up, shall within one month cause the stray to be appraised by the chairperson of the town, and a certificate of the appraisal, signed by the chairperson, shall be filed in the town c…

170.04 Charges for keeping. The owner or person entitled to the possession of the stray at any time within one year after the notice is filed with the town clerk may have the stray restored to him or her upon proving his or her right to the stray and paying all lawful charges. If…

170.05 Sale of stray. If no claimant for the stray requests its return under s. 170.04 and if the stray has not been appraised at more than $10 the finder shall become the absolute owner; but if the appraised value exceeds $10 the stray shall be sold at public auction by the sher…

170.06 Removal of stray; neglect to give notice, etc. If any person shall, without the consent of the finder, take away any stray taken up pursuant to this chapter without first paying all the lawful charges incurred in relation to the same the person shall be liable to the finde…

170.065 Exemption. Sections 170.01 to 170.06 do not apply to a humane officer appointed under ch. 173 or a law enforcement officer who takes custody of an animal under ch. 173 or other applicable law. History: 1997 a. 192.

170.07 Lost chattels, notice. Except as provided in ss. 170.105 and 170.12, if a person finds $25 or more or any goods having a value of at least $25 but less than $100, and if the owner of the money or goods is unknown, the finder shall, within 5 days after finding the money or …

170.08 Notice and appraisal. Except as provided in ss. 170.105 and 170.12, the finder of lost goods having a value of $100 or more shall give a written notice of the found goods to the law enforcement agency of the city, village or town in which the goods are found within 15 days…

170.09 Restitution. If the owner of lost money or goods appears within 90 days after notice is given to the law enforcement agency of the city, village or town under s. 170.07 or 170.08 and makes out his or her right to the money or goods, he or she shall have restitution of the …

170.10 Disposition of found goods or money. If no owner of lost money or goods appears within 90 days after notice is given to the law enforcement agency of the city, village or town under s. 170.07 or 170.08, the finder of the money or goods shall be the owner of the lost money …

170.105 Chattels found by public officials, employees or agents. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 170.07 and 170.08, if an official, employee or agent of the state or of a county, city, village or town finds $25 or more or any goods having a value of at least $25 while acting within the s…

170.11 Penalty for neglect. Except as provided in s. 170.12, if the finder of lost money or goods having a value of $3 or more fails to give notice of the found money or goods or otherwise to comply with the provisions of ss. 170.07 to 170.10, the finder shall be liable for the f…

170.12 Sunken logs on submerged state lands. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Board” means the board of commissioners of public lands. (b) “Log” means a portion of the trunk of a felled tree which has not been further processed for any end use, including any portion of a tr…