Birmingham, MI

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Pet Regulations

Duty to Keep Confined - It shall be unlawful for any owner of any dog to permit the dog to go beyond the premises of such owner unless restrained by a chain or leash and under the reasonable control of some person.

Barking Dog - No person shall harbor or keep any dog which, by loud or frequent or habitual barking, yelping or howling, shall cause a serious annoyance to the neighborhood, or to people passing on the street.

License Required - All dogs and cats four months old or over must have a license. All dogs and cats shall be immunized against rabies, prior to issuance of a license.

Sanitation - It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any animal owned or harbored by him to deposit fecal matter in any place other than the premises where the animal is harbored or kept, unless such fecal matter is immediately collected and removed.

It shall be unlawful for any person to walk any animal on any property not owned by such person, whether public or private, unless such person has an appropriate device for the collection of fecal matter in his immediate possession and an appropriate depository for the transmission of fecal matter to the premises where the animal is harbored or kept.

If you have any other questions regarding the Animal Ordinance you may call the Police Department at 248.530.1889 or the City Clerks office at 248.530.1880

Animal Control

The police department has partnered with the Bloomfield Township Police Department’s Animal Welfare Center to house all Birmingham stray domestic animals. If any Birmingham resident has any questions about the Bloomfield Township Animal Welfare Center, please contact Animal Control Officer Laura Joyce at 248-433-7757 or email her at ljoyce@bloomfieldtwp.org.

The procedure for release of impounded animals is as follows:

Owner must report to Birmingham Police Department (151 Martin Street) and show proof of the animal’s valid license. A $25.00 impound fee will be assessed for the first offense and $50.00 for the second offense in the same year. A receipt will be provided to the animal owner.

The receipt will be taken to the Bloomfield Township Police Department’s Animal Welfare Center during the following business hours:

Monday thru Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Sunday – Closed

For pet owners wanting to retrieve pets after normal business hours, owners must report to the Birmingham Police Department (151 Martin) where an officer will accompany them to Bloomfield Township if available.

*All boarding fees and necessary medical charges will be paid to Bloomfield Township Animal Welfare Center by the animal owner at time of release. The daily boarding fee is $35.00.

What can you do about Stray and Feral Cats?

Many articles published recently have discussed the issue of how man’s best friend, the dog, fits into our community. However, we should not forget about our other four-legged feline friends. There are two basic types of cats, domestic and feral. A domestic cat is a cat that lives indoors with a family and all its life sustaining needs are met by that family (food, water, shelter). A feral cat is a descendant of a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats are born in the wild. The offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild. Generally, humans are unable to touch or handle a feral cat because they are so wild.

The Birmingham Police Department, just like with dogs, will pick up stray and feral cats that have been reasonably contained for transport. A cat crate, live trap or box will work as long as the cat is contained. Also, as stated above, the police department has partnered with the Bloomfield Township Police Department’s Animal Welfare Center to house all Birmingham stray domestic animals.

To have a contained stray or feral cat picked up by the Birmingham Police Department contact our dispatch center at (248) 530-1870. For more information concerning how to deal with stray or feral cats, contact the Michigan Humane Society at 248-852-7420 or visit their website at http://www.michiganhumane.org. The police department can also provide any resident with the name and telephone number of several local private animal control companies to assist in dealing with feral cats.

Wildlife Trapping

To trap or remove wild or nuisance animals, residents should contact a private animal control service. There are several companies who have worked successfully in the City of Birmingham and surrounding areas for a number of years. They include: A&D Animal Control (248) 693.7966, Anytime Animal Control (248) 895.2687, and Critter Control (734) 397.4800.

Coyote Information

People and Coyotes Can Coexist!

People are most likely to see and hear coyotes during their breeding period, which typically occurs January through March. If there is a den nearby, people may also see the adults throughout the summer as they care for their pups. As fall approaches, pups begin dispersing from the den site to establish home ranges of their own. These young dispersing animals are sometimes more visible. Coyotes are active day and night; however, peaks in activity occur at sunrise and sunset.

In urban or suburban areas, coyotes will take advantage of the small mammals and birds that bird feeders and gardens often attract. They may even eat some of the fruits and veggies too. Coyotes are opportunistic feeders and have a keen sense of smell. Garbage or pet food that is left out overnight may also draw their attention. If there are coyotes in the area, eliminating these potential food sources may make the area less appealing to them.

For your safety, NEVER intentionally feed or try to tame coyotes -- it is in your and the coyote’s best interest! It is critical that they retain their natural fear of people. Keep small pets indoors, or accompany them outside and keep them on a leash.

If you see a coyote in your area, try to scare it off by yelling, clapping or making other loud noises. Most coyotes are naturally afraid of people and will leave if you frighten them.

Remember, coyotes, like any wild animal, can act unpredictably and should be treated with respect and enjoyed from a distance. Learn more by downloading information from the Michigan DNR.

Animal Control & Pet Regulations