In Kent County, MI, Section 11(b) of the Kent County Animal Control Ordinance (Ord. No. 06-23-22-82, effective July 1, 2022) requires owners and custodians to restrain dogs on a lead or leash no greater than 6 feet in length any time the dog is off the owner's property. The ordinance applies countywide except within cities, villages, or townships that have adopted their own animal-control ordinance (Section 4, citing MCL 287.289a). Animal Control Officers and Kent County Sheriff's Deputies may capture unrestrained or stray dogs under Section 8(a)(3). Violations are municipal civil infractions: $100 for a first offense and $200 for a subsequent offense within five years (Section 15(a)).
Section 11(b) of the Kent County Animal Control Ordinance reads: "An Owner or Custodian shall, at any time the dog is off that Person's property, restrain the dog with a lead or leash no greater than six (6) feet in length; provided, however, this requirement shall not apply (1) when the dog is inside the boundaries of an established dog park accompanied by the dog's Owner or Custodian where dog park rules allow a dog to be off leash; (2) when the dog is engaged in lawful hunting accompanied by its Owner or Custodian; or (3) as allowed by other applicable law."
Section 11(a) separately prohibits owners/custodians from permitting a dog or animal to "Run at Large." Section 6(r) defines "Stray" or "Running at Large" as "an Animal not under the control of an Owner or Custodian and not on an Owner or Custodian's premises." Section 8(a)(3) authorizes the Animal Control Officer or any Kent County Sheriff's Deputy to capture dogs "which are Running at Large, Stray or which are not restrained with a lead or leash no greater than six (6) feet in length while off the Owner or Custodian's property" (subject to the same dog-park/hunting exceptions as § 11(b)).
Kent County Animal Control is operated under the Kent County Sheriff's Office (Section 7(b)) and is separate from the Kent County Animal Shelter (Section 7(a)). Non-emergency reports go to 616-632-7310; animal attacks in progress should be reported via 911.
The ordinance is authorized by Michigan's Dog Law of 1919 (1919 PA 339, MCL 287.261 et seq.) and MCL 46.11(j) (Section 3). Pursuant to MCL 287.289a, the county ordinance is preempted within any city, village, or township that has adopted its own animal-control ordinance (Section 4). Therefore, the leash rule applies in Kent County's unincorporated areas and in townships such as Gaines Charter Township that have expressly chosen to be covered by the county ordinance, but does NOT apply within the City of Grand Rapids or other municipalities that operate their own animal codes.
A violation of the leash requirement (or any other provision of the ordinance) is a municipal civil infraction. Under Section 15(a), the fine is $100 for an initial infraction and $200 for a subsequent infraction within five years, plus costs of prosecution and other costs determined by the court. Section 15(b) authorizes Animal Control Officers and Sheriff's Deputies to issue civil infraction citations and to order corrective action. In addition, an unrestrained or stray dog may be captured and impounded under Section 8(a)(3); if the dog is licensed, the owner is notified and has a 7-day reclamation window (Section 12(e)). The county may also pursue injunctive relief or other legal remedies under Section 15(c).
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