They call them “Man’s Best Friend”. Having a pet dog is part of the American Dream (so much so that young me guilted my parents into getting us a dog by saying “every boy deserves to raise a dog”), but there are some people who are just awful dog owners.
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The thing that really grinds my gears is when your neighbor lets their dog out and will not bring it back in, no matter how much it’s barking. Clearly, if your dog is barking, it either is ready to come back in, needs something, or needs training – either way, it’s incredibly annoying for everyone else.
But is excessive dog barking something you can call the cops about? Here’s what Michigan law says.
Michigan and Grand Rapids Barking Laws
Michigan does not have a dedicated law regarding noise complaints, which is what dog barking falls under. Instead, barking complaints are handled by the local city, village, or township,with local laws determining how they are addressed.
Grand Rapids, for example, does have a dedicated ordinance: Sec. 9. 203 – Barking Dogs
No person shall own any dog which, by loud, frequent, or habitual barking, yelping, or howling, shall cause annoyance to the people in the neighborhood…