Michigan does not have statewide preemption of breed-specific local ordinances — cities and townships are free under home rule to adopt breed-specific rules if they choose. Wyoming's current Chapter 6 (Animals) regulates dogs by behavior through nuisance, restraint, and dangerous-dog provisions rather than by an enumerated breed list. Wyoming's dangerous-dog framework is aligned with the state dangerous-dog statute at MCL 287.321 et seq. enforced through Kent County District Court (61st District).
Michigan is one of the larger states without a statewide BSL preemption statute. Unlike Pennsylvania (3 P.S. Section 459-507-A) or New York (Agric. & Mkts. Law Section 107(5)), Michigan home-rule cities may enact breed-specific ordinances if they choose; several Michigan municipalities have done so historically. As of 2025-2026, the City of Wyoming's Code of Ordinances Chapter 6 (Animals) at https://library.municode.com/mi/wyoming/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH6AN does not include an enumerated breed list and regulates dogs by individual behavior — restraint, nuisance, dangerous, and vicious classifications. The state dangerous-dog statute at MCL 287.321 et seq. (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-act-426-of-1988) defines a 'dangerous animal' as a dog or other animal that bites or attacks a person, or that bites or attacks and causes serious injury or death to another dog while the dog is on the property or under the control of its owner. A dog declared dangerous by court order in the 61st District Court is subject to restraint, enclosure, and posting requirements; killing or causing serious injury can elevate the case to a misdemeanor or felony. Because Michigan law does not preempt local BSL, owners should verify the most current version of Wyoming Chapter 6 with City Code Compliance (616-530-7226) before acquiring or moving with restricted breeds, and confirm whether any rental-housing or insurance restrictions apply.
Behavior-based dangerous-dog citations under MCL 287.321 et seq. are typically misdemeanors with fines up to $500 and 90 days jail for an initial unprovoked attack causing injury, escalating to a 4-year felony where the attack causes death. The 61st District Court of Kent County handles dangerous-dog hearings, with potential orders for euthanasia, secure enclosure, microchipping, sterilization, posting, and liability insurance. Local Wyoming Chapter 6 nuisance and at-large citations are municipal civil infractions with fines typically $100 to $500 plus impoundment fees. If the City later amends Chapter 6 to add breed-specific provisions, those would be enforceable because Michigan has no BSL preemption.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Kent County.
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