[Adopted 11-17-1980 by L.L. No. 5-1980 (Ch. 11 of the 1971 Code)]
[Amended 4-4-2011 by L.L. No. 10-2011]
This article shall be known and cited as the "Dog Control and Licensing Law of the Village of Buchanan, New York."
[Amended 4-4-2011 by L.L. No. 10-2011]
This article is enacted pursuant to the provisions Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York, the Village Law of the State of New York and the Code of the Village of Buchanan, New York.
[Amended 4-4-2011 by L.L. No. 10-2011]
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Buchanan finds that the running at large and other uncontrolled behavior of dogs have caused physical harm to domestic animals and persons, damage to property, and have created nuisances within the Village. The purpose of this article is to provide for the licensing and identification of dogs, to control and protect the dog population, and to protect the health, safety and well-being of persons, property, and other animals by imposing restrictions and regulations upon the keeping or running at large of dogs and the seizure thereof within the Village of Buchanan.
[Amended 4-4-2011 by L.L. No. 10-2011]
As used in this article, all terms shall have the same meanings as set forth in Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, except that the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AT LARGE
Any dog that is unleashed and on property open to the public or is on private property not owned or leased by the owner of the dog, unless permission for such presence has been obtained. No dog shall be deemed to be at large if it is a police work dog in use for police work or accompanied by its owner or other responsible person and is actively engaged in hunting or training for hunting on unposted land or on posted land with the permission of the owner of the land.
CONFINED
Any such animal securely confined or restrained or kept on the owner's premises within a building, kennel or substitute enclosure or securely fastened on a chain, wire or other restraint or on the premises of anyone with permission of the owner or occupant of such premises, restrained by leash or under the control of the owner or occupant or, if the animal is being transported by the owner, securely confined in a crate or other container or so restrained in a vehicle that it cannot escape therefrom.
DOG CONTROL OFFICER
The person appointed by the Village of Buchanan to assist in the enforcement of this article or contracted for with a person who is appointed with another municipality as a dog control officer and contracted for by the Village of Buchanan for this service.
HARBOR
To provide food or shelter to any dog.
OWNER
Any person who harbors or keeps any dog. In the event that any dog is owned by a person under 18 years of age, the owner shall be deemed to be the parent or guardian of such person or the head of the household in which said person resides.
[Added 4-4-2011 by L.L. No. 10-2011; amended 4-1-2025 by L.L. No. 2-2025]
A. 
Application and fees.
(1) 
All dogs in the Village of Buchanan must be licensed with the Town of Cortlandt by the age of four months and shall be accompanied by the license application fee and are required to present a current certificate of rabies at the time of licensing or the renewal of an existing license.
(a) 
Exemption from identification and license. Any dog harbored within the Village and owned either by a resident of any city having a population of over 2,000,000 or by a nonresident of this state is exempt from the identification and licensing provisions of this article for a period of 30 days, provided such dog is licensed pursuant to the provisions of law of the area of residence.
(2) 
Validity of license, transferability. Each dog license issued hereunder shall be valid for a period of one year; provided, however, that no license shall be issued for a period expiring after the last day of the 11th month following the expiration date of the current rabies certificate for the dog being licensed.
(3) 
Fees for licensing dogs. The fee for a spayed or neutered dog will be $10, (which includes the assessment of a surcharge of $1 for the purpose of carrying out animal population control) and the fee for an unspayed or unneutered dog will be $18 (which includes the assessment of a surcharge of $3 for the purpose of carrying out animal population control) with such fees being reviewed by the Cortlandt Town Board periodically and may be changed by a resolution of the Town Board, if deemed necessary.
(4) 
Enumeration fee. When the Board determines the need for dog enumeration, a fee of $5 will be assessed to all dogs found unlicensed or renewed at the time the enumeration is conducted.
(5) 
Purebred license. The Town of Cortlandt will not be issuing purebred or kennel licenses. All dogs will be licensed individually as per fee system stated above.
(6) 
Service dogs. No license is required for any guide dog, service dog, hearing dog or detection dog.
(7) 
All dog licenses may be purchased by visiting the Town offices or by regular mail. If licensing or renewing a license by mail, the appropriate fee must accompany the forms. There will be no refund of fees.
(8) 
Violations. In addition to the violations set forth in Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, any noncompliance with any provision of this section shall be a violation punishable as provided in § 118 of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
No person being the owner or agent of the owner of any dog shall permit such dog to commit any nuisance within the Village of Buchanan. The following are defined to be nuisances:
A. 
A dog engaged in loud howling or habitual barking, crying or whining or so conducting itself in such a manner so as to unreasonably or habitually disturb the comfort or repose of any person other than the owner of such dog.
B. 
A dog chasing and/or animals barking at motor vehicles or persons on a street or highway or on public or private property other than the property of the owner or harborer of such dog.
C. 
A dog jumping upon, chasing, barking at or otherwise harassing any person in such a manner as to unreasonably cause intimidation or fear or to put such person in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm or injury.
D. 
A dog found upon the grounds of any school in the Village of Buchanan in the time of year as such schools are open and between one hour prior to commencement of the school day or one hour after the end of the school day or upon the playground within said Village of Buchanan at any hour during the time of the year when playground activities are conducted.
E. 
Dogs running together in a pack or in any way forming a pack of dogs. (For the purpose of this article, the word "pack" is hereby defined to mean three or more dogs.)
F. 
A dog defecating, urinating, digging or otherwise damaging public or private property other than the property of said owner.
G. 
A dog upsetting or otherwise interfering with garbage receptacles.
H. 
A dog found in any commercial establishment without the consent or permission thereof.
I. 
A dog kept or placed by its owner under cruel and unsanitary or otherwise inhuman conditions or being abandoned by the owner.
J. 
A dog causing damage to property of persons or others.
Any dog which shall attack any person or domestic animal within the meaning of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York may, in the alternative, be dealt with in accordance with Article 7 of said law.
A. 
Any person who observes or has knowledge of a dog's violating any provision of this article may file a complaint, under oath, with the Village Police specifying the objectionable conduct of the dog and the name and address of the owner or the person harboring said dog.
B. 
Upon receipt by the Village Police of any such complaint or in the event that any dog is found by the Dog Control Officer to be in violation of any provision of this article, the Dog Control Officer shall, if possible, seize and take into custody said dog and make a statement to the Village Police with respect to the same, and the Police Department shall issue and deliver to the owner of said dog an appearance ticket detailing the violations and instructing the owner to appear before the Justice of the Village of Buchanan, or to answer such appearance ticket by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, within five days of such violation. If said appearance ticket is disregarded by such person, the complainant or the Village Police may file an information in such Court, which Court may then issue a warrant for the arrest of such person.
C. 
Any person thereafter convicted of a violation of this article shall be punished for a first offense by a fine not to exceed $50; for a second offense by a fine not to exceed $100 or two days in prison, or both such fine and imprisonment; for a third offense by a fine not to exceed $150 or 10 days in prison, or both such fine and imprisonment.
[Amended 12-6-2016 by L.L. No. 4-2016; 8-1-2017 by L.L. No. 5-2017]
[Amended 4-4-2011 by L.L. No. 10-2011]
A. 
Any dog found in violation of the provisions of this article may be seized pursuant to the provisions of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
B. 
The owner may redeem a seized dog by producing proof of licensing and identification pursuant to the provisions of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law and by paying the impoundment fees set forth in this article.
C. 
If the owner of any unredeemed dog is known, such owner shall be required to pay the impoundment fees, whether or not such owner chooses to redeem his or her dog.
D. 
Impoundment fees. The owner shall pay the following impoundment fees:[1]
(1) 
For the first impoundment of any dog owned by that person: as set by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
(2) 
For the first 24 hours or part thereof and for each additional 24 hours or part thereof for the second impoundment, within one year of the first impoundment, of any dog owned by that person: as set by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
(3) 
For the first 24 hours or part thereof and for each additional 24 hours or part thereof for the third and subsequent impoundments, within one year of the first impoundment, of any dog owned by that person: as set by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
[1]
Editor's Note: As directed by the Village, specific fee amounts have been removed pursuant to Ch. 90, Art. I, Fees, adopted 2-7-2011 by L.L. No. 9-2011.
A. 
This article shall not apply to the dogs exempt from the provisions of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York by virtue or to dogs exempt from the provisions of the Conservation Law, where applicable.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B, regarding provisions for a person who employs, uses, or trains a dog for hunting purposes, which immediately followed, was repealed 12-6-2016 by L.L. No. 4-2016.