[Derived from Art. VIII of Ch. VI of the Charter and Ordinances, 1974; amended in its entirety 6-1-1999, effective 6-14-1999]
A. 
There shall be established and maintained by the City of Buffalo a public pound in which shall be detained and impounded all untagged and unlicensed dogs and in which shall be impounded all lost, strayed or homeless dogs found running at large within the City.
[Amended 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
B. 
The pound so established shall be maintained and operated under and by direction of the Commissioner of Street Sanitation, who is, together with any person in his Department designated by him, hereby charged with performing all the duties required for the seizure and impounding of such dogs and for the destruction or sale thereof in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
C. 
The pound is hereby authorized to impound and shelter lost, stray or homeless cats and to arrange for spaying or neutering of such cats. Fees for the adoption of such cats and any necessary shots or treatment shall be as provided in Chapter 175, Fees.
[Amended 7-8-2003, effective 7-21-2003; 11-3-2004, effective 11-4-2004]
The seizure of dogs, the redemption periods and the impoundment fees shall be governed by Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York and as provided in Chapter 175, Fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City of Buffalo shall maintain a redemption period of no less than three days, except that, where notice to the owner of record is given by mail, the redemption period shall be no less than seven days.
All dogs as to which title has been forfeited to the City pursuant to Article 7, § 118, of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York shall be made available for adoption in the discretion of the Commissioner of Street Sanitation. The City shall collect an adoption fee as provided in Chapter 175, Fees, at the time the custody of the dog is transferred; provided, however, that the new owner of the dog, upon furnishing satisfactory proof to the Commissioner of Street Sanitation that such dog has been spayed or neutered within 60 days after adoption, shall be entitled to a refund as provided in Chapter 175, Fees. The adoption fee may be waived for senior citizens upon the presentation of satisfactory proof of residency and identification as a senior citizen to the Commissioner of Street Sanitation.
[Amended 11-3-2004, effective 11-4-2004]
Before any dog is redeemed from such pound, the Commissioner of Street Sanitation shall require proper and sufficient proof that the individual redeeming the dog is the owner of record of said dog.
[Added 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
The purpose of this article is to provide for the licensing and identification of dogs, the control and protection of the dog population, and the protection of persons, property, domestic animals and deer from dog attack and damage.
[Added 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
Any dog harbored within the City of Buffalo which is owned by a resident of New York City or licensed by the City of New York or which is owned by a nonresident of New York State and licensed by a jurisdiction outside of the State of New York shall, for a period of 30 days, be exempt from the licensing and identification provisions of this article.
[Added 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
A. 
All dogs within the City of Buffalo four months of age or older, unless otherwise exempted, shall be licensed. The owner of each dog required to be licensed shall obtain, complete and return to the City Clerk, at 1304 City Hall, 65 Niagara Square, Buffalo, New York 14202, a dog license application, together with the license application fee, any applicable license surcharges and such additional fees as may be established by the City of Buffalo. Each license application shall be accompanied by proof that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies or a statement from a licensed veterinarian that such vaccination would endanger the dog's life, in which case vaccination shall not be required. Each license issued shall be valid for a period of one year and shall not be transferrable.
B. 
The City of Buffalo authorizes the Buffalo Animal Shelter, acting by its manager, to provide, accept and grant an application for a dog license made by a resident of the City of Buffalo at the time of the adoption of a dog from the Buffalo Animal Shelter, provided that such application is made in accordance with § 78-15.3A of this article, and the license fee, any additional fee and surcharge shall be remitted to the City Clerk of the City of Buffalo on or before the third day of the month following the month in which the license fee and additional fee and surcharge was received.
[Added 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
The City of Buffalo hereby establishes the fee for a dog license issued pursuant to § 78-15 as set forth in Ch. 175, Fees.
[Added 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
Excepted from payment of the license fee are applications submitted for a dog license for any guide, hearing, service, war, working search, detection, police and therapy dogs.
[Added 12-28-2010, effective 1-12-2011]
A. 
The licensee shall receive an oblong tag with a seven-digit number on it. This tag must be attached to the dog's collar. This is the only tag issued. If the tag is lost, a replacement tag must be obtained from the City Clerk's office for a fee of $10.
B. 
Any dog four months of age or older must be vaccinated for rabies and carry a license tag on its collar on or off the premises of the license holder. This tag has a number issued for that particular dog for its entire life. The license number relates to ownership, current rabies status, and a description of the dog. Any dog found in the City of Buffalo on or off the owner's premises, leashed or unleashed, and not wearing a license tag, is considered a stray or stolen dog and is subject to seizure under Article 7 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.
C. 
A dog participating in a dog show shall be exempt from the identification requirement of this section and § 111 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law during such participation.