[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Board of
the Township of Grosse Ile as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 8-11-1980 by Ord. No. 137 as
Ch. 4 of the 1989 Code; amended in its entirety 9-11-2023 by Ord. No. 23-03]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context indicates a different meaning.
The provision of sufficient food, water, shelter, sanitary
conditions, exercise, and veterinary medical attention in order to
maintain an animal in a state of good health.
A space free from health hazards, including excessive animal
waste, overcrowding of animals, or other conditions that endanger
the animals' health. This definition does not include any conditions
resulting from a customary and reasonable practice pursuant to farming
or animal husbandry.
Adequate protection from the elements and weather conditions
suitable for the age, species, and physical condition of the animal
so as to maintain the animal in a state of good health. Shelter, for
livestock, includes structures or natural features such as trees or
topography. Shelter, for a dog, includes one or more of the following:
The residence of the dog's owner or other individual.
A doghouse that is an enclosed structure with a roof and of
appropriate dimensions for the breed and size of the dog. The doghouse
must have dry bedding when the outdoor temperature is or is predicted
to drop below freezing.
A structure, including a garage, barn, or shed, that is sufficiently insulated and ventilated to protect the dog from exposure to extreme temperatures or, if not sufficiently insulated and ventilated, contains a doghouse as provided under Subsection B that is accessible to the dog.
The freedom from disease and illness, and in a condition
of proper body weight and temperature for the age and species of the
animal, unless the animal is undergoing appropriate treatment.
Any person allowing a dog or other animal habitually to remain
and be lodged or fed within his house or on premises owned by him
or which are under his control shall be presumed to be harboring or
keeping the same within the meaning of this article.
It shall be the responsibility of the person harboring or keeping
a dog or other animal to provide adequate care for the animal.
A.
It shall be a municipal civil infraction for any person to own, keep
or harbor any dog, cat, or ferret four months of age or older within
the Township without having a current license therefor.
B.
Application for a dog, cat, or ferret license shall be made to the
Township and shall contain a description of the dog, cat, or ferret
to be licensed, and the name and address of the owner thereof. The
application shall be accompanied by a current certificate signed by
an accredited veterinarian showing that the dog, cat, or ferret has
been vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine licensed by the United
States Department of Agriculture.
C.
The Township shall issue a license with a tag to each applicant.
The license shall contain a number of the license, the year when issued,
and the date of expiration thereof. Any person keeping or harboring
any dog, cat, or ferret shall provide the dog, cat, or ferret with
a durable collar to which shall be securely attached its current tag.
No person shall remove any tag without the consent of its owner.
D.
Fees for licenses shall be as established by the Township Board.
No person keeping or harboring any dog or other animal shall permit the same to run at large. A dog or other animal shall be presumed to be running at large under the provisions of this section when, while off the premises owned by or under the control of the person keeping or harboring said dog or animal, it is not under leash, or securely tied, or confined within an enclosure. (Note: Riding of horses on private property of others is covered by Chapter 255, Trespassing, of this Code.)
No person shall harbor or keep any dog or other animal which
by loud, frequent or habitual barking, yelping or howling shall cause
annoyance to the surrounding neighborhood or to people passing by
on the roadways.
No person shall harbor or keep a vicious dog or animal or a
dog or animal that is known to be rabid.
Every person owning, keeping or harboring any dog or animal
that has been attacked or bitten by any other dog or animal known
to be affected with or having the symptoms of rabies, or which has
bitten any person, or which is suspected to have contacted rabies
shall immediately notify the Township's Police Department and,
upon the demand of such Department, shall immediately produce and
surrender such dog or animal for observation for a period of 10 days;
however, in the discretion of such Department, such dog or animal
may be quarantined for a like period of time on the premises of the
owner or person who is keeping or harboring such dog or animal.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, keeping or harboring
any dog or animal that has been quarantined under the provisions of
this article to allow the same to be on the streets or roads of the
Township or away from the quarantined premises during the time during
which such dog or animal is quarantined.
Members of the Police Department and any other person who may
be appointed by the Chief of Police for that purpose shall have the
authority to promptly seize or impound all dogs or any other animals
that may be found to be running at large or are found to be kept,
harbored or owned contrary to the provisions of this article.
No dog or other animal shall be released from impoundment until
the owner or person entitled to the same shall pay to the Township
an impoundment fee established by action of the Township for the care,
custody, and feeding of such dog or animal while in custody. No such
dog shall be released unless a proper license for such dog has been
procured prior to release in the event that such dog has not already
been duly licensed under provisions of this article, or unless the
Township is satisfied that a proper dog license will be procured for
the impounded dog within a reasonable time after release thereof.
All dogs or other animals not claimed and released within four
days after being impounded shall be placed for adoption. However,
if any such dog or other animal has a collar, is licensed under the
provisions of this article, or has other evidence of ownership, written
notice shall be given to the owner informing such owner of the intended
disposition of such dog or other animal and giving such owner seven
days from the date of mailing of the notice to claim the dog or other
animal as provided for in this article prior to the dog or other animal
being placed for adoption. Any dog or other animal that is sick or
injured to the extent that the holding period would cause undue suffering
may be destroyed as authorized by law.
B.
The lawful practice of veterinary medicine, fishing, hunting, trapping
or wildlife control authorized under state law, pest or rodent control
regulated under state law, lawful killing or use of any animal for
scientific research under state law, the lawful killing or use of
an animal under state law, or the lawful killing of livestock or customary
animal husbandry or farming practice involving livestock shall not
be considered cruelty to animals.
If any person is bitten by a dog or any other animal, it shall
be the duty of that person, or the owner or custodian of the animal
having knowledge of same, to report same to the Police Department
as soon as possible.
No person shall abandon any dog or animal or allow any animal
owned by him or under his control which has escaped or strayed to
remain at large within the Township without taking reasonable steps
to recover possession of same.
It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit, throw or place
any dead or fatally sick or injured animal or part thereof onto any
public or private place, or into or on the banks of any stream, pond,
sewer, or other body of water in or adjacent to the Township.
It shall be unlawful to throw or deposit poisoned meat, or any
poison or harmful substances, in any street, public place, or on any
private premises within the Township for the purpose of destroying
any dog, fowl, or other animal, except vermin.
A.
Judicial proceedings (show cause) in the District Court may be commenced
by the Township to have an animal or dog destroyed if any of the following
exist:
(1)
Whenever a dog or animal has bitten or attacked any person without
provocation;
(2)
The dog or animal has shown vicious habits or tendencies;
(3)
The animal or dog has been found to have been running at large more
than two times in the last year;
(4)
The dog or the animal habitually (more than two times) causes damage
by trespassing on the property of a person who is not the owner.
B.
After a hearing, the District Court Magistrate or Judge may either
order the dog or animal to be destroyed or strictly confined to the
premises of the owner. If, after the court orders the dog or animal
strictly confined to the premises of the owner, the dog or animal
again gets loose, the Court shall order the dog or animal destroyed.
Costs for any of these proceedings shall be borne by the owner of
the dog or animal.
No person shall hinder, obstruct or delay the Animal Control
Officer or any member of the Police Department or any other person
who is engaged in lawfully taking into custody or impounding any animal
pursuant to this article.
No person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of any dog,
cat or ferret shall cause, suffer or allow such dog, cat or ferret
to soil, defile, defecate or to commit any nuisance on any public
thoroughfare, sidewalk, passageway, bypass, play area, park or any
place where people congregate or walk or upon any public property
whatsoever or upon any private property without permission of the
owner of said property unless:
A.
The person who so owns, harbors, keeps or is in charge of such dog,
cat or ferret shall immediately remove all droppings deposited by
such dog, cat or ferret by any sanitary method. The person shall possess
a container of sufficient size to collect and remove the above-mentioned
droppings and exhibit the container if requested by any official empowered
to enforce this article.
B.
The droppings removed from the aforementioned areas shall be disposed
of by the person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of such dog,
cat or ferret in a sanitary method on the property of the person owning,
harboring or in charge of said dog, cat or ferret.
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, maintain, or
keep within Grosse Ile Township any of the following described animals:
A.
All animals and reptiles, including snakes and spiders, whose bite
or venom is poisonous;
B.
Wolves, wolf hybrids or coyotes;
C.
Any animal that is used or has been bred or trained for fighting,
including but not limited to gamecocks, fighting birds or dogs;
D.
Crocodiles, alligators, sharks or piranha;
E.
Any types of apes;
F.
Lions, tigers, constrictor snakes, bears, elephants or similar types
of wild game;
G.
Raccoons or skunks;
H.
Any other type of exotic or wild animal which poses a threat or danger
to the public health, welfare, or safety if such animal was able to
run loose;
I.
Farm animals such as chickens, roosters, hogs, pigs, cows, goats
or sheep (horses not included) if the farm animal poses a nuisance
by running at large, disturbing the quiet of a neighborhood, or causing
an offensive odor to the surrounding property owners.
Any person who currently may possess or maintain an animal prohibited
by this article shall remove said animal from the Township of Grosse
Ile within six months of the adoption of this section, unless it is
determined by the Animal Control Officer that it presents an immediate
danger to the public health, safety or welfare, in which case the
animal shall be removed immediately.
The penalty for violation of § 20-13A(2) shall be a felony as set forth in MCLA § 750.50b. The penalty for violations of the remaining provisions of this article shall be as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, § 1-3. The provisions of Chapter 1, Article II, Municipal Civil Infractions, also apply to violations of this article.
[Adopted 6-28-1993 by Ord. No. 198]
It shall be unlawful for any person to feed
any bird, waterfowl, wildlife or vermin on any public or private property
if such feeding shall cause any of the following conditions to occur:
A.
Cause any bird, waterfowl, wildlife or vermin to congregate
on someone else's property other than the person who is doing the
feeding.
B.
Cause or result in damage to public property or the
private property of others.
C.
Create a danger to or interfere with the public health
or welfare, including but not limited to the accumulation of waste
products or excrement on any property.
Any person who violates this article is responsible
for a civil infraction.
