Clinton Township, MI Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Potentially dangerous dogs only, not general pets
- Age threshold
- Required if dog is over 12 weeks old
- Paired conditions
- Fencing, 4-ft leash, microchip, $250,000 insurance
- Confirming agency
- Macomb County Animal Control
- Adopted
- Ordinance 484, passed February 27, 2023
Summary
Clinton Township has no general spay/neuter mandate for pet dogs and cats, but it does impose one narrow requirement: before a dog classified potentially dangerous may return to a Township residence, Section 610.19(e)(5)(A)(vii) requires it to be spayed or neutered if the dog is over twelve weeks old, alongside fencing, insurance and training conditions.
(5) Requirements for Possession of a Potentially Dangerous Dog. If the owner of the dog requests that the dog be permitted to return to the Township, its return shall not be permitted until the following requirements have been satisfied: A. Animal Control shall confirm the following: ... (iii) A potentially dangerous dog shall have a microchip implanted by a licensed veterinarian. The microchip shall contain the name and approximate age of the dog, its classification as potentially dangerous, and the name, address, and telephone number of the registered owner. ... (vii) The potentially dangerous dog, if over twelve (12) weeks old, has been spayed or neutered.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Local legislation current through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
19(e). 19(e)(5). 19(e)(5)(A)(vii) requires that the potentially dangerous dog, if over twelve (12) weeks old, has been spayed or neutered before Animal Control will confirm the dog is eligible to come back. That spay/neuter requirement sits alongside several other mandatory conditions in the same list: secure, permitted fencing with self-locking gates at the residence; a four-foot maximum leash whenever the dog leaves the property; a veterinarian-implanted, classification-bearing microchip; at least $250,000 in public liability insurance; current photographs on file with Animal Control; and completion of the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program or an equivalent.
All of these conditions must be satisfied and confirmed by Animal Control before the dog's owner can bring it back to a Township address. 20(h)(1), but that provision governs colony cats, not owned household pets generally. Outside these two narrow contexts, spay/neuter status is not a condition of keeping a dog or cat in Clinton Township.
Violations & Fines
Returning or keeping a potentially dangerous dog in the Township without the required spay/neuter, alongside the section's fencing, leash, microchip and insurance conditions, violates Section 610.19(e)(5) and subjects the owner to the penalties in Section 610.23, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days imprisonment or a $500 fine, plus possible civil penalties and injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Clinton Township require me to spay or neuter my dog?
At what age must a potentially dangerous dog be sterilized?
What other conditions come with the spay/neuter requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clinton Township
Compare Clinton Township to another location·View the Michigan animal ordinances overview
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Mandatory Spay/Neuter in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle mandatory spay/neuter.