Animal Ordinances in Clinton Township, MI (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Clinton Township, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Clinton Township lets residential property owners keep up to four hens, never roosters, under a Building Department permit that requires written consent from every adjoining residentially zoned property. Section 610.13 sets coop size, setback and location rules and voids the permit if a chicken enclosure sits within 60 feet of a neighboring home without a waiver.
Clinton Township Permits Up to Four Backyard Hens
Significant RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Code of Ordinances § 610.13
(a) Permit Required. A permit shall be required to keep chickens on premises zoned residential or used for residential purposes which are less than five acres. No permit shall be issued to a person and no chickens shall be allowed to be kept unless the owners of all residentially zoned adjacent properties as defined below, consent in writing, to the permit... (c) General Requirements. A person ...
Dog Leash Laws
Clinton Township makes it unlawful for any owner to let a dog, or any animal other than a domestic cat, run loose on a street, alley, or public place, or trespass onto someone else's property without permission. The owner is strictly liable any time the animal is out of control.
Clinton Township Dogs Running At Large Ban
Some RestrictionsClinton Township Code of Ordinances § 610.02
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any animal or fowl other than domestic cats owned by him or her, or in his or her possession or control, to run at large in any street, alley, or public place, or upon the premises of another without the express permission of the owner or occupant thereof. Lawful hunting occurring compliant with applicable State law and ordinances is an exception. T...
Breed Restrictions
Clinton Township does not regulate dogs by breed. Instead it lets the animal control officer or a court declare any individual animal 'vicious' or 'potentially dangerous' based on its own bite or attack history, then imposes strict housing, muzzling, and leash rules on that specific animal.
Clinton Township Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsClinton Township Code of Ordinances §§ 610.40, 610.41
'Vicious animal' shall mean and include: (a) Any animal which attacks a human being, or domestic animal without provocation. (b) Any animal with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack, to cause injury to, or otherwise endanger the safety of humans or other domestic animals. (c) Any animal declared by animal control officer to be a dangerous animal affirmed by a court order under ...
Exotic Pets
Section 610.06 of Clinton Township's Code bans possessing, breeding or selling a list of exotic or wild animals, from big cats and venomous reptiles to nonhuman primates and constrictor snakes six feet or longer. Owners who already had a listed animal when the section took effect had 30 days to remove it from the Township.
Clinton Township Bans Owning Exotic or Wild Animals
Heavy RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Code of Ordinances § 610.06(c)
(c) Prohibited Animals. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall possess, breed, exchange, buy, sell, or attempt or offer to buy or sell, the following exotic or wild animals: A. Nonhuman primates. B. Venomous cold-blooded reptiles and other cold-blooded animals that, if in contact with humans, are capable of inflicting fatal injury to the average human; ... E. Cats (wi...
Pet Limits
Clinton Township's Code of Ordinances caps every residential, commercial or industrial property at four dogs or cats combined under Section 610.03. Licensed kennels, veterinary hospitals and pet shops are exempt from the count. The same section separately bars keeping any household pet in a way that creates a noise, odor or other nuisance.
Clinton Township Caps Households at Four Dogs or Cats
Some RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Code of Ordinances § 610.03
610.03 PERMITTED NUMBER OF DOGS OR CATS; HOUSEHOLD PETS HARBORED AS A NUISANCE. It shall be unlawful for the owner and/or any tenant or occupant of premises to possess, harbor, shelter or keep more than four dogs or cats, or any combination thereof at any residential dwelling unit, or commercial or industrial premises, excepting kennels, veterinary hospitals and pet shops. It shall be unlawful ...
Cat Rules
Clinton Township directs community cat colonies into Macomb County's Trap-Neuter-Return program under Section 610.20(h), requiring every colony cat to be sterilized, ear-tipped and rabies-vaccinated. Caregivers may feed colonies only twice daily for 30 minutes at a time, only between dawn and dusk, and never within 30 feet of an occupied structure.
Clinton Township Manages Feral Cats Through TNR Rules
Some RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Code of Ordinances § 610.20(h)
(h) Community Cats. The preferred method for controlling the community cat population is through Trap-Neuter-Return ("TNR"). The process involves trapping the cats in a colony, having them spayed/neutered, ear-tipped for identification, vaccinating against rabies, then releasing them back into their original territory. (1) All community cats shall be sterilized, ear tipped and vaccinated in acc...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
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.
Clinton Township Requires Spay/Neuter for Dangerous Dogs
Some RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Code of Ordinances § 610.19(e)(5)(A)(vii)
(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...
Microchipping
Every animal impounded by Macomb County Animal Control must be microchipped and vaccinated before release, at the owner's expense, under Section 610.16(g). Dogs classified as potentially dangerous face a stricter mandate: they must carry a veterinarian-implanted microchip listing the dog's classification and the owner's contact information before returning to the Township.
Clinton Township Requires Microchips for Impounded Pets
Some RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Code of Ordinances § 610.16(g)
(g) Microchipping and Vaccinations. All animals impounded by the Macomb County Animal Control are required to be microchipped and vaccinated prior to release, at the expense of their owner.
Pet Store Rules
Clinton Township bars pet stores from selling dogs, cats, rabbits, long-lived birds, or large reptiles. Stores may only offer adoption space for animals from a shelter, humane society, or rescue agency, and off-site sales at parking lots, flea markets, or swap meets are also banned.
Clinton Township Bans Retail Pet Sales
Heavy RestrictionsClinton Township Code of Ordinances § 610.22(b)
(b) Prohibitions. (1) No pet store shall sell, offer for sale, offer for adoption, trade, barter, auction, give away, deliver, or otherwise transfer or dispose of dogs, cats, rabbits, long-lived birds, or large reptiles. (2) No person or business entity shall offer for sale, offer for adoption, trade, barter, auction, give away, or otherwise transfer dogs, cats, ferrets, long-lived birds, or la...
Pet Groomer Rules
Clinton Township treats pet grooming as a permitted retail service use, not a special land use. Zoning Code Section 1153.01(a)(58)B allows pet groomers without boarding facilities by right in the B-2 Community Business and B-3 General Business Districts, grouped with home appliance repair, printers and upholsterers as workshop-adjunct service establishments needing only a standard zoning certificate.
Pet Groomers Allowed in Clinton Township Business Districts
Few RestrictionsCharter Township of Clinton Zoning Code §1153.01(a)(58)B
Retail businesses and service establishments are permitted in B-2 Community Business District and B-3 General Business District as follows and subject to the regulations in Section 1176.03: ... B. Retail or service establishments, including showrooms of a nature which require a workshop adjunct, including pet groomers (without boarding facilities), home appliance repair, printers and upholste...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Clinton Township's Zoning Code lists veterinary clinics and hospitals, including facilities for overnight keeping of animals, as a permitted use by right in four commercial and office districts: OS-1, B-1, B-2, and B-3. Each grant carries the identical clause and ties the use to Chapter 1153's supplemental use standards. The use is absent from every residential district's permitted list.
Clinton Township Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsClinton Township Zoning Code § 1128.02(j) (identical clause also at §§ 1134.02(l), 1136.02(k), 1138.02(n))
In the OS-1 Office/Service Low-Rise District, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected except for one or more of the following uses, unless otherwise provided in this Zoning Code. These uses may be subject to additional standards as specified in Chapter 1153 Use Standards: ... (j) Veterinary clinics and hospitals, including facilities for overnight keeping of animals.
Bird Protection
It is unlawful in Clinton Township to intentionally or negligently injure, molest, or disturb birds, their nests, eggs, young, or brood, under Section 610.31 of the animal ordinance. The rule does not cover birds legally declared pests.
Clinton Township Bans Disturbing Wild Birds
Some RestrictionsClinton Township Code of Ordinances § 610.31
610.31 DISTURBING BIRDS PROHIBITED. It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally or negligently injure, molest, or disturb in any way birds, their nests, eggs, young or brood of any such birds, except that this provision shall not apply to any birds declared by any law or ordinance to be pests.
Looking for Macomb County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Clinton Township city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Macomb County →