Kalamazoo, MI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash required
- Off owner's premises, City Code § 7-19
- Covers
- Private roads, shared multifamily/trailer-park areas
- Working dog exemption
- Guide, guard, farm, hunting dogs on duty
- At-large seizure
- Public Safety or county animal control, § 7-26
- Bite presumption
- Off-leash attack presumes lack of control
Summary
City Code § 7-19 makes it unlawful for a Kalamazoo dog owner to let their dog off the owner's premises, including on private roads and the common areas of multifamily complexes and trailer parks, unless the dog is held securely on a leash. Working dogs actively performing their trained job under direct supervision are exempt.
§ 7-19. Dogs running at large. A. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to permit such dog to be off the premises of such owner, including but not limited to private roads open to the general public and the common areas of multiple dwellings and trailer parks, unless the dog is held securely on a leash. B. This section shall not apply to working dogs, such as leader dogs, guard dogs, farm dogs, hunting dogs and other dogs, when accompanied by their owner or his authorized agent, while actively engaged in lawful activities for which such dogs are trained. This section shall not apply to dogs which are under the immediate control of the owner and provided the owner is in the immediate proximity to the dog. Should a dog while not on a leash attack, chase, or bite another human or animal, it shall be presumed that the dog is not under the immediate control of the owner, and that therefore there is a violation of this section.
Full Breakdown
The leash rule reaches any area off the owner's own property, expressly naming private roads open to the public and shared common areas of multiple dwellings and trailer parks. Section 7-19 carves out working dogs, such as leader dogs, guard dogs, farm dogs and hunting dogs, but only while they are accompanied by their owner or an authorized agent and actively engaged in the lawful activity for which they are trained; a dog merely under an owner's immediate control while nearby is also exempt. If an unleashed dog attacks, chases or bites a person or another animal, the ordinance presumes the owner did not have the dog under immediate control, which by itself establishes a violation.
Under § 7-26, the Public Safety Department or the county's animal control officer may seize and hold any dog found off its owner's premises in violation of the article, including pursuing it onto private property, and the dog is then held at the county's dog pound subject to the county shelter's fees, hours and care rules until redeemed.
Violations & Fines
Public Safety officers and county animal control officers may seize an at-large dog under § 7-26 and hold it at the county's dog pound subject to county fees. Because § 7-19 states no separate penalty, a first violation defaults to City Code § 1-7: a fine of not more than $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my dog need to be on a leash in Kalamazoo?
What happens if my off-leash dog bites someone?
Can Kalamazoo seize my dog for running at large?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kalamazoo
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