Royal Oak Township, MI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- No dog at large unless under immediate control of owner or permitted person
- Public places
- Leash of suitable strength and length, or closed automobile
- Owner liability
- Damages for injuries to persons or property on highways or public places
- Impound release
- Fee set by Township Board resolution, plus boarding after one day
- Dog license age
- Four months of age or over (§ 4-56)
- General penalty
- Fine up to $500.00 and costs, or up to 90 days (§ 1-11)
Summary
In Royal Oak Township, Michigan, a dog cannot run at large unless it is under the immediate control of its owner or someone with the owner's permission. On a highway, in a public park, in a public building or in any other public place, the dog must be held securely on a leash of suitable strength and length or be confined in a closed automobile.
No person owning, possessing or harboring a dog shall permit same to run at large in the township unless such dog is under the immediate control of its owner or someone with the owner's permission. No dog shall be permitted at any time to be on a highway, in a public park, public building or any other public place, except when held securely by a leash of suitable strength and length, by the owner thereof or other responsible person, or when confined in a closed automobile; provided, further, that every owner of a dog shall be liable for damages for any and all injuries to persons or property that may be caused by such dog on any public highway or other public place, to be determined and collected in appropriate legal proceedings.
Full Breakdown
The Charter Township of Royal Oak regulates dogs in Chapter 4 of its Code of Ordinances, and § 4-20 is the leash rule. It has two parts. First, nobody owning, possessing or harboring a dog can let it run at large in the township unless the dog is under the immediate control of its owner or someone with the owner's permission. Second, a dog is never permitted on a highway, in a public park, in a public building or in any other public place unless it is held securely by a leash of suitable strength and length by the owner or another responsible person, or is confined in a closed automobile. The section prints no maximum leash length and no fixed measure of strength, so suitable strength and length is the standard an officer applies.
The same section makes every dog owner liable for damages for any and all injuries to persons or property the dog causes on a public highway or other public place, with the amount determined and collected in appropriate legal proceedings.
Who counts as the owner matters. Under § 4-19, the owner is every person in possession of any dog, or who allows the dog to remain about his premises for a period of ten days. A dog allowed to stay about a person's premises for ten days therefore counts as that person's dog.
Enforcement runs through the Township animal shelter. Section 4-23 makes it the duty of the code or animal control officer, or any other person employed for that purpose, to promptly seize and place in the pound every dog found running at large. To get a dog back under § 4-24, the owner pays the impound fee set by Township Board resolution, pays boarding costs if the dog is impounded for more than one day, and shows a license or applies for one. A dog nobody claims is destroyed in a humane manner, although the code or animal control officer can place a worthy and valuable dog with a responsible person. Licensing is separate: § 4-56 requires a license for any dog four months of age or over, and § 4-61 requires a collar carrying the license tag.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 4 prints no separate penalty for the leash rule, so the general penalty in § 1-11 applies unless the code provides otherwise. A person convicted of a violation of the Code commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00 and costs of prosecution, or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by both. For a continuing violation, each day is a separate offense. A seized dog also costs the owner the Board-set impound fee plus boarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a dog need a leash in my own yard in Royal Oak Township?
Is a closed car an acceptable way to bring a dog into a public place?
What happens if the Township impounds my dog?
Am I liable if my dog hurts someone at a park in the Township?
Is this the same rule as in the City of Royal Oak?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Royal Oak Township
Compare Royal Oak Township to another location·View the Michigan animal ordinances overview
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Dog Leash Laws in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle dog leash laws.