Excerpts from the Dog Enforcement Ordinance of Grand Traverse County and Compiled State Laws of Michigan

Grand Traverse County Animal Control
2325 Garfield Road North - Suite B
Traverse City MI 49684
231-922-4838

The Reasonable Control and Confinement of Dogs

Section IV, Item 4
As amended and approved May 23, 1972

Reasonable Control

It shall be unlawful for any owner to allow any dog to stray beyond his premises unless under reasonable control of some person or when engaged in lawful hunting, accompanied by his owner or custodian. Reasonable control in residential areas shall mean by a leash not over (6) feet long in length made of leather or other durable material.

Licensing and Vaccination

Section IV, Item 1
As amended and approved July 28, 1999

It shall be unlawful for any person to own any dog four (4) months old or older, unless such dog is licensed as provided for by the laws of the State of Michigan, or to own any dog four (4) months or older that does not wear at all times a collar with a tag approved by the Director of Agriculture attached there-to, except when engaged in lawful hunting accompanied by its owners or custodian. All vaccinations shall conform to the State Law.

Enforcement

Section II, Item 3b, 3c

The Animal Control Officer shall promptly seize, take up and place in the dog pound all dogs found running at large or being kept or harbored any place within the county contrary to this ordinance. The Animal Control Officer shall be legally authorized to have the power to issue violation tickets to those persons owning or harboring dogs contrary to the provisions of this ordinance.

Section VIII, Item 1, 2

Unlicensed dogs or dogs found running at large shall be seized by a duly authorized County Animal Control officer and confined in a humane manner if not claimed by their owners. When dogs are found running at large and their ownership is known to the Animal Control Officer, s/he may cite such owners to appear in court to answer charges.

Cruelty to Animals

752.21 Cruelty to animals; penalty; cropping dog ears
Section 1

Whoever overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, cruelly beats, mutilates, cruelly kills, or causes or procures to be so overdriven, overloaded, driven while overloaded, overworked, tortured, tormented, deprived of sustenance, cruelly beaten, mutilated, or cruelly killed, any animal, and whoever having the charge or custody of any animal, either as owner or otherwise, inflicts unnecessary cruelty upon the same, or willfully fails to provide the same with proper food, drink, shelter, or protection from the weather, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be imprisoned for not more than three (3) months or fined not more than $500.00, or both. The cropping of ears shall be considered mutilation or cruelty to an animal within the meaning of this act, unless such cropping is performed by a registered veterinary surgeon while the animal is under anesthetic.