[Adopted 12-14-2010 by L.L. No. 2-2010]
The purpose of this article is to provide for the licensing
of dogs within the Town.
This article is enacted pursuant to the provisions of Article
7 (L.2010, c. 59, Part T) of the Agriculture and Markets Law and the
Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York.
The title of this article shall be "Dog Licensing Law of the
Town of Walton."
As used in this article, the following words shall have the
following respective meanings:
Male and female, licensed and unlicensed, members of the
species canis familiaris.
Person entitled to claim lawful custody and possession of
a dog who is responsible for purchasing the license for such dog unless
the dog is or has been lost, and such loss was promptly reported to
the Dog Control Officer and a reasonable search has been made. If
a dog is not licensed, the term "owner" shall designate and cover
any person or persons, firm, association, or corporation who or which
at any time owns or has custody or control of, harbors, or is otherwise
responsible for any dog which is kept, brought or comes within the
Town.
The Town of Walton.
A.
All dogs in the Town of Walton must be licensed with the Town Clerk
by the age of four months and are required to present a current certificate
of rabies at the time of licensing or the renewal of an existing license.
B.
Each license issued pursuant to this article shall be valid for a
period of one, two or three year(s) and shall expire on the last day
of the last month of the period for which it was issued.
C.
Fees for licensing of dogs. The fee for a spayed or neutered dog
will be $6 (which includes the assessment of a $1 surcharge for the
purpose of carrying out animal population control) and the fee for
an unspayed or unneutered dog will be $15 (which includes the assessment
of a $3 surcharge for the purpose of carrying out animal population
control), with such fees being reviewed by the Town Board periodically
and may be changed by a resolution of the Town Board, if deemed necessary.
D.
Enumeration fee. When the Town Board determines the need for a dog
enumeration, a fee of $5 will be assessed to all dogs found unlicensed
or renewed at the time the enumeration is conducted.
E.
Purebred license. The Town of Walton will be issuing purebred or
kennel licenses.
F.
Service dogs. The Town of Walton will not require a license for any
guide dog, service dog, hearing dog or detection dog.
G.
The Town of Walton does not allow the licensing of dogs by a shelter.
The shelter must send the adoptive dog owners to the Town Clerk of
the town or city in which the dog will be harbored for licensing or
to the Town Clerk of the Town of Walton, where the shelter is located,
for the purchase of the license for adoption purposes.
H.
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.
I.
All fees will be used in funding the administration of the Dog Licensing
Law of the Town of Walton.
This article shall be effective January 1, 2011, after filing
with the Secretary of State.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. I)]
Except as otherwise provided in Article 7 of the Agriculture
and Markets Law, any person who violates any provision of this article
shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $250, imprisonment
for up to 15 days, or both such fine and imprisonment.
