[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Mount Kisco as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fees — see Ch. A112.
[Adopted 11-7-1988 by L.L. No. 6-1988[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed former Art. I, General Regulations, adopted 12-1-1975 by L.L. No. 10-1975, as amended.
As used in this article, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:
DANGEROUS DOGS
A. 
Any dog:
B. 
Which, when unprovoked, approaches any person upon the streets, sidewalks or on any public grounds or places in a vicious or terrorizing manner or in any apparent attitude of attack;
C. 
With a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals;
D. 
Which bites, inflicts injury, assaults or otherwise attacks a human being or domestic animal without provocation on public or private property; or
E. 
Which has been ordered confined pursuant to the provisions of § 121 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
F. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, except pursuant to Subsection A(4) above, no dog may be considered to be a "dangerous dog" by reason of:
G. 
Any injury or damage sustained by a person when such person was teasing, tormenting, abusing or assaulting the dog or was committing or attempting to commit a crime;
H. 
Any injury or damage sustained by a domestic animal which, at the time such injury or damage was sustained, was teasing, tormenting, abusing or assaulting the dog; or
I. 
Any injury or damage caused by the dog in protecting or defending a human being within the immediate vicinity of the dog from an unjustified attack or assault.
DOG
Any animal of the species Canis familiaris.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL
Any animal of a species commonly used or known as a "household pet," including dogs, cats, birds, fish and the like.
OWNER
Any person or legal entity having a possessory property right in an animal or who harbors, cares for or exercises control over an animal or knowingly permits an animal to remain on premises occupied by him.
SERVICE ANIMAL
An animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. As per Title II and Title III of The Americans with Disabilities Act, government entities must permit service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed to go.
[Added 3-17-2014 by L.L. No. 1-2014]
UNCONFINED
Outside the confines of a residence or commercial structure commonly occupied by human beings or an enclosure of at least six feet in height with secure sides, top and bottom or, if there is not a bottom, with sides which extend at least one foot underground and which shall be locked and designed to prevent the escape of the animal or the entry of young children.
VICIOUS DOG
A. 
Any dog owned, harbored or trained primarily or in part for the purpose of dogfighting; or
B. 
Any dog owned, harbored or trained primarily or in part for the purpose of attacking a human being or domestic animal upon command.
No owner shall suffer, permit or allow any dog to run at large on any of the streets or public places of the Village of Mount Kisco or upon the premises of anyone other than the owner, unless the owner or occupant of such premises grants permission, and no dog shall be permitted in any public place or street within the Village unless it is effectively restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and unless it is attended by a person of adequate age and discretion to properly control its actions.
No person shall suffer, permit or allow any dangerous dog to remain unconfined on property within the Village of Mount Kisco or to go beyond the boundaries of such property unless such dog is securely muzzled and restrained with a chain having a minimum tensile strength of 300 pounds and not exceeding three feet in length and is under direct control and supervision of the owner of the dog. The owner or keeper of a dangerous dog shall post conspicuous notices on the perimeter of the property where such dog is kept to warn persons of the nature of the dog confined therein.
No person shall permit, keep, maintain or allow any vicious dog in any building or on any property within the Village of Mount Kisco, nor breed, attempt to breed, buy or attempt to buy any vicious dog.
A. 
No owner of any animal shall permit such animal continuously or frequently to bark, howl or emit other audible sounds which shall unreasonably disturb the comfort, peace or repose of any person in the vicinity.
B. 
The owner of any animal shall take all reasonable measures to keep such animal from becoming a nuisance. For the purpose of this section, "nuisance" means any animal which:
(1) 
Molests or interferes with persons in the public right-of-way;
(2) 
Damages public or private property by its activities or with its excrement;
(3) 
Scatters refuse that is bagged or otherwise contained; or
(4) 
Causes any condition which threatens or endangers the health or well-being of persons or other animals.
[Amended 8-24-1992 by L.L. No. 9-1992]
A. 
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this article shall be punishable as provided in § 1-17B of this Code.
B. 
Any police officer, Animal Control Officer or Code Enforcement Officer of the Village of Mount Kisco is authorized to issue an appearance ticket or uniform appearance ticket for the violation of any provision of this article.
C. 
Any animal which is observed running at large in violation of the provisions of this article may be picked up or captured by a Dog Warden, Animal Control Officer, police officer or by any other person or agency duly designated by the Village of Mount Kisco to perform such service. Any such Dog Warden, Animal Control Officer, police officer or other authorized person or agency who picks up or captures such animal shall be empowered to exercise such degree of force as shall be necessary to effect such pickup or capture without intentionally injuring or harming the animal.
D. 
When the animal seized is a dog, it shall be held, cared for and disposed of in a manner consistent with § 118 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York.
E. 
Every reasonable effort will be made by the Village of Mount Kisco to locate and notify the owner of the pickup or capture of his or her animal. Upon such location and notification to the owner, the Village will return the animal to its owner within a prompt and reasonable period of time, provided that such return of the animal is not contrary to the provisions of this article. The Village may require reasonable proof of ownership. The fact that the animal returns to such person shall be deemed proof of ownership, unless such animal has a valid license tag pursuant to the provisions of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York, in which case such tagging shall be deemed proof of such ownership. The owner shall be subject to the penalties provided in this article.
Sections 55-2 through 55-5 shall not apply to:
A. 
The Village of Mount Kisco;
B. 
An officer of any duly authorized police agency of the State of New York or any political subdivision thereof who is acting within the scope of his official duties; and
C. 
Any veterinarian duly licensed to practice in the State of New York, who maintains a practice in the Village of Mount Kisco, and is keeping such animal within his business premises for the purpose of treatment or to humanely euthanize it.
[Amended 3-17-2014 by L.L. No. 1-2014; 9-15-2025 by L.L. No. 5-2025]
A. 
In accordance with the provisions of § 110 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, the owner of any dog requiring a license pursuant to law shall pay to the Village/Town of Mount Kisco, at the time of the issuance of such license, in addition to any licensing fee required by the State of New York, an additional fee, the amount of which is provided in Chapter A112, Fees.
B. 
Where the owner of a dog is 60 years of age or older, the fee required in Subsection A above shall be reduced to an amount as provided in Chapter A112, Fees.
C. 
Where no licensing is required by the State of New York, the fee required in Subsection A shall be waived.
D. 
Any dog found running at large in violation of this article may be seized by any Animal Control Officer, peace officer, or other designated representative of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets of the State of New York, exercising such degree of force as shall be necessary to effect such seizure without intentionally injuring or harming such dog, and shall be impounded and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 or other applicable provisions of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
E. 
After any such seizure, the record owner of such dog or an adult member of the family, if the owner is ascertainable from the dog's license tag, shall be notified.
F. 
The owner of any dog impounded by the Village/Town of Mount Kisco shall be entitled to redeem that dog within five business days, excluding the day the dog is impounded, from the day the dogs is impounded, provided that the owner produces proof the dog is licensed and identified, and shall pay a fee set forth in Chapter A112 as approved by resolution of the Village Board of Trustees.
G. 
No action shall be maintained against the Village of Mount Kisco, any duly designated Animal Control Officer, or any other agent or officer of the Village to recover the possession or value of any dog or for damages for injury or compensation for the destruction of any dog seized or destroyed pursuant to the provisions of this article.
[Adopted 10-2-1984 by L.L. No. 6-1984]
This Article is enacted to enhance the beauty and cleanliness of the streets, sidewalks, parks and other public property of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco by enforcing certain regulations and restrictions on the activities of animals.
Except as provided and regulated by § 55-3 hereof, no person owning, harboring, keeping, walking or having the custody or control of a dog shall cause, permit, suffer or allow such dog to soil, defile, defecate on or commit any nuisance on any common thoroughfare, sidewalk, passageway, bypath, play area, park or any other public property. These restrictions shall likewise apply to any private property unless such person shall have the express written permission of the owner of said property.
The prohibition set forth in § 55-11 above shall not apply to those portions of a street lying between curblines, which such portions may be utilized to curb a dog, subject however to the following conditions:
A. 
Any person who so curbs a dog shall immediately remove all feces deposited by such dog in the following manner: feces shall be picked up with a scoop, shovel, broom, tong or other similar implement and be deposited immediately thereafter in a container, plastic or otherwise, and then subsequently deposited in a container used for the disposal of refuse.
B. 
In no event shall any feces be deposited in sewers or drains, whether storm or sanitary.
[Amended 8-24-1992 by L.L. No. 9-1992]
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this article shall be punishable as provided in § 1-17C of this Code.
Any police officer or dog control officer of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco is hereby authorized and empowered to enforce this article. In addition thereto, the Village Manager shall have the power to designate such other persons as he deems necessary in his discretion to enforce this article.
Any prior ordinance, law, rule or regulation inconsistent herewith is hereby repealed.