Jackson County, MI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

' The rule has two parts. First, 'a person who owns or has custody or control of a dog shall prevent the dog from running at large' anywhere off the owner's own property. ' The ordinance carves out an explicit exception for dogs kept on the owner's own land: dogs that are 'tethered or roaming free behind an approved barrier on private property shall not constitute running astray or be found in violation of this ordinance,' so a securely fenced yard satisfies the law without a leash.

The same Article 9 passage also imposes a companion sanitation duty, requiring an owner to prevent the dog from defecating on public or private property other than the owner's own, or to immediately collect and dispose of any waste the dog leaves while off the owner's property. Enforcement runs through the Sheriff's Department and Animal Control Officers, who under Article 13 can issue a citation describing the specific violation, and, for public-health emergencies, require immediate corrective action. 00, community service, or a combination, plus court costs, with each day of a continuing violation punishable separately.