Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: Yes. Detroit requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Detroit City Code Sec. 42-2-26. The set ticket for a first offense is $200, and $300 for a repeat.
What the Detroit ordinance says
| Ordinance | Detroit City Code Sec. 42-2-26 (Animal and fowl excrement; blight violation), civil fines in Secs. 42-1-22 and 42-1-23; also Sec. 6-1-7(a)(4) and (e) (animal nuisance), penalty in Sec. 6-1-3(f) |
|---|---|
| Fine | $200 |
| Repeat offense | $300 |
| Must carry a bag | No |
| Service animal exemption | No |
How the penalty works
Sec. 42-2-26(b) (animal waste must be removed immediately from public property, rights-of-way or surface waters, and within 24 hours from private property) is a blight violation with civil fines under Sec. 42-1-22: $200 first offense, $300 second, $500 third, $1,000 fourth or subsequent, plus the city's removal costs. Sec. 42-2-26(a) (pet excrement "shall not be left on public or private property" and must be bagged before going in approved containers) falls under Sec. 42-1-23: $1,500 first, $2,500 second, $5,000 third, $10,000 fourth or subsequent. Under Sec. 42-1-9(c), a fine paid before the hearing date is reduced 10 percent and one paid after is increased 10 percent. Separately, the animal nuisance rule in Sec. 6-1-7 is a misdemeanor under Sec. 6-1-3(f): up to $500 and up to 90 days per violation. Municode text is codified through Ord. No. 2024-32 (effective June 25, 2024); ordinances adopted since then and not yet codified were not reviewed.
The carry rule
No provision requires carrying bags while walking a dog. Sec. 42-2-26(a) requires pet excrement to be bagged before it is placed in approved containers.
Service animals
The rule carrying the recorded fines, Sec. 42-2-26, has no exemption. The separate animal nuisance rule makes it lawful for "a blind or disabled person with a service animal" not to collect and dispose of waste (Sec. 6-1-7(e)), so that exemption applies only to a charge under Sec. 6-1-7.
How Detroit compares
Detroit is the only one of the largest cities in Michigan we checked with a set ticket amount. The others leave the figure to a judge.
In practice
Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.
Elsewhere in Michigan
Michigan dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Grand Rapids dog poop law · Warren dog poop law. All 50 states.
Source
Checked 2026-09-10 against the Detroit municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
