A Dog The County Calls Dangerous
MCL 287.322 — a sworn complaint, a summons to show cause, and the orders after a hearing
A sworn complaint. On a sworn complaint that an animal is dangerous and has caused serious injury or death to a person or a dog, a district court magistrate, district court or municipal court issues a summons ordering the owner to appear and show cause why the animal should not be destroyed.
Until the hearing. The court orders the owner to turn the animal over immediately to an animal control authority, humane society, veterinarian or boarding kennel, at the owner's option, and the owner pays for boarding. The animal is not returned without a current rabies vaccination and license.
After the hearing. If the animal is found dangerous and caused serious injury or death to a person or a dog, the court orders its destruction at the owner's expense. If it was previously adjudicated dangerous, or did not cause serious injury or death but is likely to in the future, the court may order destruction.
Short of destruction. Where the animal is found dangerous but caused no serious injury or death to a person, the court notifies the county's animal control authority of the finding, the owner's name and the address, and orders the owner to take one or more of the measures the section lists.
Cities and counties often add their own dangerous dog rules on top of these, and those are not on this page. What a particular designation means for a particular dog is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 287.322 — Sworn complaint; summons; surrender of animal; destruction of animal; orders to the owner
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.