Kent County's Animal Control Ordinance requires every dog off the owner's property to be restrained on a lead or leash no longer than six feet, and prohibits owners from letting a dog run at large countywide.
Section 11 of the Kent County Animal Control Ordinance governs dog behavior countywide. An owner or custodian may not permit a dog to run at large, and any time the dog is off the person's property it must be restrained by a lead or leash no greater than six feet. Exceptions: inside an established dog park where park rules allow off-leash, during lawful hunting accompanied by the owner, or as otherwise allowed by law. This mirrors the Michigan Dog Law of 1919 (MCL 287.262), which makes it unlawful to let any dog stray unless held properly in leash. Kent County Sheriff's deputies and Animal Control Officers enforce it.
Municipal civil infraction: $100 for a first infraction, $200 for a subsequent infraction within five years, plus prosecution and court costs. Loose dogs may be captured and impounded.
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See how Kent County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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