Animal Ordinances in Kalamazoo, MI (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Kalamazoo, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
In the City of Kalamazoo, keeping chickens is a zoning matter, not an animal-code permit: City Code § 50-4.5D allows poultry and rabbit coops in side or rear yards, set back 10 feet from all property lines and 15 feet from a neighbor's primary structure, but bans roosters outright. Backyard swine need a City Commission permit under § 7-4, and horses, cows, goats and other farm animals require a two-acre fenced lot under § 7-6.
Kalamazoo Backyard Chicken and Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code §§ 7-4, 7-6, 50-4.5D
§ 7-4. Permit to keep pet swine. No person shall keep, upon any premises within the City limits, any swine whatever, without a special permit from the City Commission or its designee, which permit shall be granted only upon the written application of the person desiring the permit. ... § 7-6. Keeping of horses and other farm animals. A. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor or o...
Dog Leash Laws
City Code § 7-19 makes it unlawful for a Kalamazoo dog owner to let their dog off the owner's premises, including on private roads and the common areas of multifamily complexes and trailer parks, unless the dog is held securely on a leash. Working dogs actively performing their trained job under direct supervision are exempt.
Kalamazoo Dog Leash and At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code § 7-19
§ 7-19. Dogs running at large. A. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to permit such dog to be off the premises of such owner, including but not limited to private roads open to the general public and the common areas of multiple dwellings and trailer parks, unless the dog is held securely on a leash. B. This section shall not apply to working dogs, such as leader dogs, guard dogs, fa...
Breed Restrictions
Kalamazoo doesn't regulate dogs by breed. City Code § 7-3 defines a "vicious and dangerous animal" as one that attacks, bites or injures a person or another animal without provocation, and § 7-21 flatly bans owning or harboring any dog that meets that definition, whatever its breed.
Kalamazoo Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Heavy RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code §§ 7-3, 7-21, 7-22
VICIOUS AND DANGEROUS ANIMAL Any animal that attacks, bites or physically injures a human being or other animal without provocation. § 7- ... ... 21. Vicious or dangerous dogs. It shall be unlawful for any person to own or harbor any vicious or dangerous dog as defined in § 7-3. § 7-22. Procedure when dog bites person/animal. The owner of any dog which has bitten a human or other animal shall i...
Exotic Pets
In the City of Kalamazoo it's unlawful to keep any exotic or wild animal under City Code § 7-7, unless you're a zoo, licensed circus, accredited school or a licensed medical or pharmaceutical laboratory. § 7-3 defines the category broadly, naming monkeys, big cats, wolves, venomous or constrictor reptiles, alligators, and wolf- or coyote-dog hybrids among the animals covered.
Kalamazoo Exotic and Wild Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code §§ 7-3, 7-7
EXOTIC/WILD ANIMAL Any undomesticated animal or any dangerous animal normally classified as wild. In addition, this specifically includes, but is not limited to, the following animals: non-domestically bred parrots, parakeets or other exotic birds, Canada geese, alligators, bears ... wolves, coyotes, chimpanzees, venomous or constrictor reptiles, and wild felines. In addition, it shall include ...
Pet Limits
City Code § 7-24 caps Kalamazoo households at three dogs at a time on any dwelling unit or its surrounding lot unless the owner holds a state kennel license. A nursing mother may temporarily keep her litter for up to three months, and licensed veterinarians and commercial pet shops are exempt entirely.
Kalamazoo Limit on Number of Dogs
Some RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code § 7-24
§ 7-24. Limitation on number of dogs. It shall be unlawful to own, possess, shelter, keep, harbor or permit to remain on or in a dwelling unit as that term is deemed in the City of Kalamazoo Zoning Ordinance (Appendix A of the Kalamazoo City Code) or on the surrounding lot or premises within the City more than three dogs at any one time unless said owner or owners obtains a kennel license pursu...
Cat Rules
City Code § 7-34 makes it unlawful to harbor more adult cats, meaning cats over six months old, than can be cared for sanitarily and properly, or in numbers that create a § 7-3 nuisance or threaten the surrounding environment and neighboring property. The section sets no fixed numeric cap; it is a care standard.
Kalamazoo Cat Overpopulation Rule
Some RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code § 7-34
§ 7-34. Keeping cats in a greater number than can be cared for in a sanitary and proper manner. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, harbor, shelter, or keep adult cats in a greater number than can be cared for in a sanitary and proper manner, or in a manner that because of the number of such cats, such cats create a nuisance as defined in § 7-3 of this chapter, or in a manner that b...
Pet Groomer Rules
In the City of Kalamazoo, a pet grooming business is zoned under the "Sales and Grooming" use, part of the Animal Service category defined in the Zoning Ordinance at Kalamazoo City Code § 12.3. The classification covers pet stores, dog bathing and clipping salons, and grooming shops, but the code draws a hard line: no overnight boarding of any animal is allowed on-site, distinguishing a grooming shop from a kennel or veterinary hospital.
Kalamazoo Pet Grooming Shop Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code § 12.3
ANIMAL SERVICE. The following are animal services use types: ... SALES AND GROOMING Sales, grooming and day time care of dogs, cats, and similar small animals. Typical uses include pet stores, dog bathing and clipping salons and pet grooming shops. No overnight boarding is allowed.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Kalamazoo's Zoning Ordinance splits animal medical care into two distinct uses at Kalamazoo City Code § 12.3: Veterinary Clinic and Veterinary Hospital. A Veterinary Clinic treats house pets as outpatients only, with no exterior or interior kennels, and can board an animal overnight only for unanticipated complications from treatment. A Veterinary Hospital can keep exterior or interior kennels and overnight lodging as part of routine operations.
Kalamazoo Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsKalamazoo City Code § 12.3
VETERINARY CLINIC A building, or any portion of a building, used for the treatment of house pets as outpatients only and not having exterior or interior kennels and overnight lodgings appurtenant to or as part of the use. Overnight boarding of animals is only permitted when necessary for unanticipated complications from treatment. Typical uses include veterinary offices, pet clinics. ... VETERI...