Grand Rapids, MI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Grand Rapids' park code bars any dog from city parks or playgrounds unless it is on a leash no longer than 8 feet, and separately forbids letting any domestic animal run at large or unrestrained anywhere on grounds under the Parks and Recreation Department's jurisdiction. Owners must also remove their animal's fecal discharges from park property. The rule sits in the Parks and Recreation chapter and applies specifically to city parks, playgrounds, and Department-controlled grounds: it is not written as a general citywide at-large ordinance covering streets or private property. Violations are municipal civil infractions.