Troy, MI Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Section 2.02 defines KENNEL, COMMERCIAL as "the housing or keeping of any number of dogs for training, breeding, grooming or boarding for commercial purposes," which means a stand-alone grooming shop that keeps dogs on site, even briefly between appointments, is regulated the same way as a boarding kennel rather than as an ordinary personal-service business. The Zoning Ordinance's district Use Table lists "Commercial kennels / Pet day care" as not permitted in any residential district, the Community Facilities district or the Employment Park district, and permitted only in the Community Business (CB), General Business (GB) and Integrated Business (IB) districts.

Section 6.13 then sets the operating standards that apply wherever the use is allowed. Animal waste, biohazard material and byproducts must be disposed of as required by the Oakland County Health Department or the Michigan Department of Public Health, kept in leak-proof and odor-proof containers between removals, and can never be buried, incinerated on-site, or allowed to reach groundwater. Any building where animals are kept, plus any dog run or exercise area, must sit at least 100 feet from the nearest occupied dwelling. Outdoor runs and exercise areas are barred from the front yard entirely and must be screened by an opaque fence or wall at least six feet tall. Every principal grooming, boarding or breeding activity other than the outdoor runs themselves has to happen inside a totally enclosed building, so a groomer cannot wash or clip dogs in an open-air pen or a temporary tent.