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Dog Licensing and other Animal Matters
Dog Licenses are required for dogs 4 months old and older. Dog licenses are $10.00, require a rabies certificate, andare valid for 12 months. Licenses may be obtained at the Public Safety Department. More information is availible below on our FAQs.
- Do I need to have my dog licensed?
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Section 8-33 of the City Code states: “No person shall keep or harbor any dog 4 months or older within the city without first obtaining a license from the Public Safety Department”. Also, Section 8-32 states: “Any person who shall permit any dog to remain about any premises owned or occupied by said person for a period of five days shall be deemed the owner of such dog for the purposes of this Code.”
- What are the requirements to obtain a dog license?
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You must obtain and present documentation that shows the dog has been properly immunized for rabies at the time of application for a license. A dog license costs $10.00 and is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
- What is the cost for a dog license?
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You must obtain and present documentation that shows the dog has been properly immunized for rabies at the time of application for a license. A dog license costs $10.00 and is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
- If I discover my dog is missing, what should I do?
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After thoroughly searching your property if you cannot locate your dog call the Public Safety
Department and inquire if we have had contact with or impounded your dog. If the Public Safety Department has no record of interacting with your dog you can call the Grosse Pointe Animal
Adoption Society at (313) 884-1551. There is always the possibility that a neighboring agency found and impounded your dog.
- What happens if you find my licensed dog but cannot make contact with me?
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We will make every effort to contact you and/or re-secure your dog in your yard if possible, weather permitting. If we cannot do so, we will impound the dog. We also try to post a note on our Facebook page when we have a dog.
- If my dog is impounded, how do I reclaim it?
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Your dog will be temporarily kept at the Public Safety Department until it can be transferred to the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society for housing. If your dog is still at the Department, you can claim your dog at the front desk. If your dog has been transferred to GPAAS, you must pick up there dog at their facility and pay the applicable boarding and/or medical fees.
- Are there any fines for having an unlicensed dog or if my stray dog is impounded?
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Yes. They are civil infractions for having an unlicensed dog (section 8-33) and for a dog running at large (Section 8-34).
For each of the above, the first offense is a $50 fine. A second offence within 36 months of the first is a $100 fine. A third offense within 36 months of the first is a $150 fine. A fourth offense within 36 months of the first will be considered a misdemeanor and can carry a fine of up to $500.
- How long do I have to reclaim my dog?
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Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society will hold all unclaimed strays for 4 business days, not including the day the dog arrives, weekends or holidays. After this time has elapsed the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society will assess and determine if the animal will move to an adoption program. If the dog is determined to be too aggressive and a danger to staff, people or other animals will be humanely euthanized.
- What do you mean by “Running at Large”
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Section 8-34 states: “No person owning, possessing or having charge or responsibility of any dog four months of age or older shall permit such dog to be at large, unless it is wearing the dog tag issued for it and is on a leash held by a person capable of restraining the actions of the dog. A dog shall be deemed to be at large, unless it is in a private building or within a completely fenced in area or is in a container or vehicle so closed as to prevent the dog's exit without a person's assistance.” What does this mean? A dog is considered at large unless it is confined in a building, a completely fenced areas, or is in a vehicle or container.
- Can I walk my dog, or play in my front yard?
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Yes, but the dog must be licensed, on a leash, and the leash must be held by a person that can restrain the dog. You may not take your dog for a walk and have the dog running free, even if it is a well trained dog and always listens to commands.
- What do I do with droppings?
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Section 8-35 requires people having charge of a dog to remove and dispose of any dropping from any public or private property in a sanitary manner.
- Can the city impound cats?
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Only cats that have been deemed vicious AND are at large may be impounded. A vicious cat is defined in Section 8-96 as “…a cat with a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury to, or otherwise threaten the safety of human beings or domestic animals, including without limitation any cat which attacks or bites a human being or domestic animal.”
- What are the requirements to obtain a pass for the dog park?
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- Current year dog license obtained from the Public Safety Department.
- Current proof of Rabies vaccination.
- Current proof of DHLPP vaccination.
- Current proof of Bordetella vaccination.
- Dog must be 4 months or older due to need for vaccinations.
- Where can I obtain a pass for the dog park and what does it cost?
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The pass for the dog park can be obtained from Public Safety Administration located on the 3rd floor of our building during normal business hours. The cost for the park pass is $40 per year. The passes expire on December 31st.
- Where can I obtain more information on the dog park?
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You can call the Parks and Recreation Department at (313) 822-2812. The application for the dog park has a list of rules on the backside of the document.