How Farmington Hills Handles Animal Ordinances: A Practical Guide
Farmington Hills maintains 106 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with animal ordinances. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Farmington Hills falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Beekeeping
Farmington Hills Chapter 6 (Animals) does not contain a dedicated beekeeping ordinance, and Chapter 34 (Zoning) does not list 'apiary' or 'beekeeping' as a permitted accessory use in standard residential districts. Practical residential beekeeping in Farmington Hills therefore depends on (1) zoning compatibility verified through the Planning Department (248-871-2500), (2) Chapter 17 (Nuisances) considerations if hives create nuisance conditions for neighbors, and (3) compliance with the Michigan Bees Act (MCL 286.811 - 286.825) which requires every owner of bees or beekeeping equipment in Michigan to register annually with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD). The Michigan Right to Farm Act does NOT protect new residential apiaries from local zoning. Beekeepers should verify zoning, secure HOA / deed approval, and register with MDARD before installing hives.
Key details: Farmington Hills Ordinance: No dedicated beekeeping ordinance. Zoning Status: Not specifically permitted in residential - Planning Dept determination required. Nuisance Layer: Ch. 17 - Nuisances applies. State Registration: MDARD annual registration required (MCL 286.811). Right to Farm Act: Does NOT shield new residential apiaries from zoning.
Maintaining hives on a parcel where the Chapter 34 Zoning Ordinance does not permit beekeeping as an accessory use is a zoning violation enforceable by Farmington Hills Planning / Code Enforcement, with abatement and Sec. 1-15 penalties up to $500 and/or 90 days. Maintaining hives that constitute a nuisance under Chapter 17 (aggressive bees, frequent swarms, neighbor sting incidents, unsanitary equipment) is independently a violation enforceable by abatement order. Failure to register bees or beekeeping equipment annually with MDARD violates the Michigan Bees Act (MCL 286.811 et seq.) and may result in state-level enforcement action; intentional false registration carries higher penalties. Maintaining hives in violation of a recorded HOA or subdivision deed restriction is enforceable in private contract / property law actions independent of City Code.
Wildlife Feeding
Farmington Hills adopted Ordinance C-5-2017 in 2017 prohibiting the feeding of deer within the city. The ordinance is part of the City's deer-management strategy in response to chronic deer overpopulation in this suburban Oakland County community. The local ban layers on top of Michigan's statewide ban on baiting and feeding deer in the Lower Peninsula (Michigan DNR Wildlife Conservation Order, adopted in 2018 in response to chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis), which categorically bans feeding deer anywhere in the Lower Peninsula regardless of municipal action. Songbird and squirrel feeders are not categorically banned but must not become attractants for deer; Chapter 17 (Nuisances) addresses feeders that draw rats, raccoons, or other vermin.
Key details: Local Ordinance: C-5-2017 - Deer feeding banned. State Ban: MI Wildlife Conservation Order (LP-wide, 2018). State Rationale: Chronic wasting disease + bovine TB control. Banned Items: Corn, salt blocks, mineral blocks, beets, apples, etc.. Bird Feeders: Allowed if not deer-accessible.
Feeding deer within Farmington Hills city limits violates Ordinance C-5-2017 and is enforceable by Farmington Hills Public Safety (248-871-2610) and Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070). Feeding deer is also a violation of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission's statewide bait-and-feed ban in the Lower Peninsula under the Wildlife Conservation Order, enforceable by Michigan DNR Conservation Officers as a state misdemeanor. Maintaining bird or squirrel feeders that become deer attractants - particularly corn, scattered seed accessible at ground level, or feeders deer can reach - can trigger enforcement under either authority. Leaving pet food outdoors that attracts deer, skunks, raccoons, opossums, or coyotes can be cited as a nuisance under Chapter 17. General penalty under Sec. 1-15: up to $500 and/or 90 days in jail per offense; state DNR penalties are independent.
This is one of the stricter rules in Farmington Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.
Breed Restrictions
Farmington Hills has NO breed-specific dog ban. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and other commonly-restricted breeds are legal in Farmington Hills without breed-specific permits, muzzle, or insurance requirements. Enforcement is conduct-based through Chapter 6 Article III (Dangerous Animals): Sec. 6-55 (potentially dangerous animal requirements - including a mandatory obedience class) and Sec. 6-62 (report of dangerous animal classification). Michigan does NOT have a statewide BSL preemption statute, so breed-specific local rules remain a local-option matter; Farmington Hills has chosen not to adopt one. Private restrictions - HOAs, leases, and homeowners insurers - frequently restrict breeds independently of City Code.
Key details: Farmington Hills BSL: None - no breed-specific ban or permit. Oakland County BSL: None. Michigan State Preemption: No statewide preemption - local option. Conduct Framework: Ch. 6 Art. III - Secs. 6-55 / 6-62. Potentially Dangerous: Obedience class + AKC CGC certificate within 75 days.
Farmington Hills has no breed-specific permit, registration, muzzle, or enclosure requirement that can be violated. Once a dog (of any breed) has been formally classified as 'potentially dangerous' under Sec. 6-55, the owner must begin and complete an obedience class within 75 days, verified by a canine good citizenship certificate; failure is a violation enforceable by Oakland County Animal Control and Farmington Hills Code Enforcement. A dog formally classified as 'dangerous' under Sec. 6-62 is subject to the additional restraint, enclosure, and reporting requirements of Article III. General penalty under Sec. 1-15: municipal civil infraction or misdemeanor with fines up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in jail per offense. Michigan state law (MCL 287.351 - Dog causing injury) imposes strict civil liability on the owner of any dog (regardless of breed) that bites a person who has not provoked the dog while lawfully on public or private property.
The rules around breed restrictions in Farmington Hills lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.
Livestock
Farmington Hills Chapter 34 (Zoning Ordinance) restricts the keeping of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and other farm livestock to limited large-lot residential and any remaining agricultural zoning districts - generally parcels of one acre or larger in the city's lowest-density zones. In standard R-1 through R-4 subdivision residential, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial, and industrial districts, livestock keeping is NOT a permitted accessory use and is effectively prohibited. The historic Code accessory-structure setbacks (175 ft from the principal dwelling, 30 ft from neighboring dwellings, 5 ft from property lines) make livestock keeping on a typical 1/4-acre or 1/3-acre subdivision lot physically impossible even if zoning permitted it. Pre-existing operations may be grandfathered as legal nonconforming uses if not expanded. State law (MCL 287.701 et seq. Animal Industry Act) also applies for disease control.
Key details: Zoning Code: Ch. 34 - permitted only in large-lot/agric zones. Typical Min Lot: 1 acre+ in low-density residential zones. Historic Setbacks: 175 ft / 30 ft / 5 ft (own/neighbor/lot line). Subdivision Lots: Effectively prohibited. Nonconforming Use: Pre-1973 ops may be grandfathered (no expansion).
Keeping horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, mules, donkeys, or oxen on any parcel where Chapter 34 of the Farmington Hills Zoning Ordinance does not permit livestock keeping as an accessory use is a zoning violation enforceable by the Farmington Hills Planning Department / Code Enforcement, subject to abatement order and Sec. 1-15 penalties up to $500 and/or 90 days in jail per offense. Expanding or intensifying a legal nonconforming livestock use, or resuming a discontinued nonconforming use, violates the nonconforming-use provisions of Chapter 34. Failing to satisfy the historic setbacks - 175 ft from own dwelling, 30 ft from neighbor dwellings, 5 ft from property lines - where livestock keeping is otherwise allowed is independently a violation. Allowing livestock to run at large violates Chapter 6 and is enforceable by Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070). Failure to comply with MDARD registration, movement, and disease-control requirements for cattle, horses, swine, sheep, or goats is a state-law violation. Maintaining livestock in violation of a recorded HOA or deed restriction is enforceable in private contract / property law actions.
Compared to other cities, Farmington Hills takes a harder line on livestock. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Exotic Pets
Farmington Hills Chapter 6 Article III (Dangerous Animals) regulates possession of dangerous and exotic animals at the local level, allowing the City to classify any animal (not just dogs) as potentially dangerous (Sec. 6-55) or dangerous (Sec. 6-62) and impose registration, enclosure, and restraint requirements. State law preempts most large exotic mammal ownership: the Michigan Large Carnivore Act (MCL 287.1101 - 287.1123, Act 274 of 2000) BANS new acquisition or possession of lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, panthers, cheetahs, bears, and hybrids of these species in Michigan. Only animals owned before the Act's effective date (Apr 1, 2000) could be grandfathered under strict permit conditions including $250,000 liability insurance. Local field enforcement is Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070); state enforcement is MDARD and the DNR.
Key details: Local Framework: Ch. 6 Art. III - Secs. 6-55 / 6-62. Large Carnivore Act: MCL 287.1101 - bans lions/tigers/bears/cougars. Effective Date: April 1, 2000 (Act 274 of 2000). Grandfather Insurance: $250,000 liability per animal. Wolf-Dog Hybrids: MCL 287.1002 - registration + enclosure.
Acquiring or possessing a large carnivore (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, panther, cheetah, hybrid, or bear) without a valid grandfathered MDARD permit violates the Michigan Large Carnivore Act (MCL 287.1101 et seq.) and is a misdemeanor with state-law penalties up to $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail, plus forfeiture of the animal. Failure to maintain $250,000 liability insurance, secure enclosure, microchip, or non-breeding conditions for a grandfathered large carnivore violates MCL 287.1107 - 287.1110. Possessing a wolf-dog hybrid without complying with MCL 287.1002 (Wolf-Dog Cross Act) registration and enclosure requirements is a state violation. Failing to comply with any 'potentially dangerous' or 'dangerous' animal classification order issued by Farmington Hills under Sec. 6-55 / 6-62 of the Code violates Chapter 6 Article III and is enforceable under Sec. 1-15 (general penalty: up to $500 and/or 90 days). Possession of native Michigan wildlife as a pet without a DNR permit violates the Wildlife Conservation Order.
This is one of the stricter rules in Farmington Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.
Chickens & Livestock
Farmington Hills is a fully built-out suburban city and does NOT have a permissive backyard-chicken ordinance comparable to Detroit, Ann Arbor, or Ferndale. Chapter 6 (Animals) of the Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances governs domestic and farm animal keeping, and the Chapter 34 Zoning Ordinance restricts agricultural uses including keeping of fowl and livestock to limited large-lot residential and agricultural districts. As a practical matter, on standard R-1/R-2/R-3 residential lots in Farmington Hills, keeping chickens, roosters, ducks, geese, turkeys, peafowl, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, or swine is not a permitted accessory use. Residents must check with the Farmington Hills Planning Department (248-871-2500) and Zoning Division (248-871-2400) before acquiring poultry or livestock. Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070) enforces field-level animal welfare and at-large issues. Violations are misdemeanors or municipal civil infractions under Chapter 1, Sec. 1-15 of the Code (penalty provisions).
Key details: Animal Code: Chapter 6 (Animals) - Code of Ordinances. Zoning Layer: Chapter 34 - restricts fowl/livestock to large-lot zones. Backyard Chickens: Not permitted on standard residential lots. Historic Coop Setback: 175 ft from own dwelling / 30 ft from neighbors / 5 ft from line (where allowed). Zoning Determination: Required - Planning Dept (248-871-2500).
Keeping chickens, roosters, ducks, geese, turkeys, peafowl, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, or swine on a standard residential lot in Farmington Hills where the Chapter 34 Zoning Ordinance does not permit animal keeping is a zoning violation enforceable by the Farmington Hills Planning Department / Code Enforcement and is subject to abatement orders. Failure to comply with applicable accessory-structure setbacks (historically 175 ft from the principal dwelling, 30 ft from a neighbor's dwelling, 5 ft from the property line where animal keeping is allowed) is independently a Chapter 34 violation. Sale of eggs or animal products from a residential parcel beyond the home-occupation limits is a separate zoning violation. Allowing chickens, fowl, or livestock to run at large violates Chapter 6 and is enforceable by Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070). General penalty under Sec. 1-15 of the Code: municipal civil infraction or misdemeanor with fines up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in jail per offense. Each day of continued violation may constitute a separate offense.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Farmington Hills actively enforces its chickens & livestock requirements.
Dog Leash Laws
Farmington Hills Chapter 6 Article II (Dogs and Cats) requires dogs to be under physical restraint when off the owner's property and prohibits dogs running at large. Annual dog licensing is required at four months of age or within 30 days of moving to Farmington Hills, with proof of current rabies vaccination required. Licensing is administered by Oakland County under the Michigan Dog Law of 1919 (MCL 287.262 et seq.) and can be obtained through DocuPet (online), Oakland County Animal Control, or the Farmington Hills Treasury counter. Fees: $55/year spayed-neutered, $65/year intact (3-year licenses also available). Field enforcement is by Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070) and Farmington Hills Public Safety (248-871-2610).
Key details: Governing Code: Ch. 6 Art. II (Dogs and Cats) + MCL 287.262. Licensing Age: 4 months OR 30 days after move-in. Annual Fee (S/N): $55 (1-yr) or $80 (3-yr) via Oakland County. Annual Fee (Intact): $65 (1-yr) or $110 (3-yr). 3+ Dogs: Kennel license required (Sec. 6-35).
Allowing a dog to run at large off the owner's property without a leash and under control is a violation of Chapter 6 Article II of the Farmington Hills Code, enforceable by Oakland County Animal Control (248-858-1070) and Farmington Hills Public Safety (248-871-2610). Failure to license a dog over four months old, or within 30 days of moving to Farmington Hills, violates Chapter 6 Article II AND MCL 287.262 (Michigan Dog Law of 1919). Keeping more than three dogs six months old or older on one property without a kennel license violates Sec. 6-35. A dog declared potentially dangerous whose owner fails to begin and complete an obedience class within 75 days violates Sec. 6-55. A dog declared dangerous under Article III violates Sec. 6-62 et seq. if not properly registered, confined, and restrained. Penalties under Sec. 1-15 (general penalty) include municipal civil infraction or misdemeanor with fines up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in jail. Impoundment fees and per-day boarding charges apply if Animal Control picks up the dog.
The Bottom Line
Farmington Hills is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Farmington Hills, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.
Keep in mind that Farmington Hills can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.