[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Appearance tickets — See Ch. 6.
Noise — See Ch. 143.
Animals in parks — See Ch. 153.
[Adopted 10-14-1969 by L.L. No. 3-1969; amended in its entirety 12-9-2014 by L.L. No. 2-2015]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Dog Licensing Law of the Town of Richmond."
All dogs in the Town of Richmond, unless otherwise exempted by New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, must be licensed with the Town Clerk of the Town of Richmond by the age of six months.
The owner of each dog required to be licensed shall, for new applications and renewal applications, obtain, complete and return to the Town Clerk:
A. 
A dog license application;
B. 
The license application fee;
C. 
Any applicable license surcharges;
D. 
Such additional fees as may be established by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond;
E. 
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;
F. 
In the case of a spayed or neutered dog, a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian or an affidavit signed by the owner, showing that the dog has been spayed or neutered, provided such certificate or affidavit shall not be required if the same is already on file with the Town Clerk. In lieu of the spay or neuter certificate, an owner may present a statement certified by a licensed veterinarian stating that he or she has examined the dog and found that, because old age or other reason, the life of the dog would be endangered by spaying or neutering. In such case the license be for the dog shall be the same as for a spayed or neutered dog.
Each dog licensed pursuant to this article shall be assigned, at the time the dog is first licensed, a municipal identification number. Such identification number shall be carried by the dog on an identification tag which shall be affixed to a collar on the dog at all times. No tag carrying an identification number shall be affixed to the collar of any dog other than the one to which that number has been assigned.
All dog licenses will be for a period of one year and will expire at the end of the month one year from the date of issue.
Any license issued pursuant to this article shall not be transferable. Upon the transfer of ownership of any dog, the new owner shall immediately make application for a new license for such dog.
The Town of Richmond will not issue purebred licenses.
The Town of Richmond will not issue a special tag for identifying any guide dog, service dog, hearing dog or detection dog.
The fees and surcharges for issuing dog licenses shall be fixed by the Town Board. Such fees and surcharges may from time to time be changed as the Town Board may determine. These fees and surcharges may include:
A. 
The license fee for a spayed or neutered dog;
B. 
The license fee for an unspayed or an unneutered dog (such fee having to exceed the fee for a license for a spayed or neutered dog by such amount as mandated by the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law);
C. 
In addition to the license fee authorized by this article and established by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond, a surcharge if the dog to be licensed is altered (such surcharge shall be, at a minimum, such amount as mandated by the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law);
D. 
In addition to the license fee authorized by this article and established by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond, a surcharge if the dog to be licensed is not altered (such surcharge shall be, at a minimum, such amount as mandated by the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law);
E. 
In addition to the license fee authorized by this article and established by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond, a surcharge to recover and defray the cost of an enumeration of dogs living with the Town of Richmond;
F. 
In addition to the license fee authorized by this article and established by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond, a surcharge offsetting costs associated with the provision and replacement of identification tags.
A. 
Excepted from payment of the license fee are applications submitted for a dog license for any of the following dogs, provided written documentation is provided with such application that certifies such dog as being any of the following:
(1) 
Guide dog;
(2) 
Hearing dog;
(3) 
Service dog;
(4) 
War dog;
(5) 
Working search dog;
(6) 
Detection dog;
(7) 
Police work dog; and
(8) 
Therapy dog.
B. 
A dog participating in a dog show within the Town of Richmond shall be exempt, during such participation only, from the requirement contained in § 92-4 of this article and in § 111, as amended, of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, of wearing its identification tag.
A violation of this article shall be punishable by:
A. 
A fine of $25 for a first violation;
B. 
A fine of $50 for a second violation within five years of the first violation; and
C. 
Where the person was found to have committed two or more such violations within the preceding five years, either a fine of $100 or imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both.
[Adopted 6-12-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001; amended in its entirety 12-9-2014 by L.L. No. 2-2015]
A. 
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Dog Control Law of the Town of Richmond."
B. 
The purpose and intent of this article shall be to preserve the public peace and good order in the Town of Richmond and to contribute to the public welfare and the preservation and protection of the property and residents of the Town by declaring and enforcing certain regulations and restrictions on activities of dogs and owners of dogs within the Town of Richmond which supplement and complement the regulations and restrictions heretofore enacted by the Legislature of the State of New York, Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 7.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AT LARGE
Any dog shall be deemed to be at large if not accompanied by a person who:
A. 
Is in full control of the dog;
B. 
Is providing restraint of the dog by secure leash or lead; or
C. 
Has confined the dog to an enclosure, such as a cage or motor vehicle, in such a manner that the dog may not roam freely upon public or private lands elsewhere than on the premises of the owner or on the premises of another responsible person who has knowledge of the dog's presence and who assents thereto.
ATTACK
Any action by a dog that might cause reasonable apprehension of harm or injury to a person or a domestic animal; together with the apparent ability of the dog to inflict such harm. An actual bite by the dog is unnecessary to meet the qualifications of this definition.
DOG
Any member of the species Canis familiaris.
HARBOR
To provide food and shelter for any dog.
LEASH, LEASHED or RESTRAINED BY A LEASH
The dog is equipped with a collar or harness to which is attached a leash of sufficient strength to restrain the dog.
MINOR
A person under 18 years of age, unless emancipated.
OWNER
Includes any person who owns, keeps, harbors or has the care, custody or control of a dog. Dogs owned by minors shall be deemed to be in the custody and control of the minor's parents or other head of the household acting in loco parentis where the minor resides, as well as in the custody and control of the minor. Any person harboring a dog for a period of one week prior to the filing of any complaint charging a violation of this article shall be deemed to be the owner of the dog for the purposes of this article.
TOWN
The Town of Richmond.
VICIOUS DOG
A. 
Any or all of the following, excepting police dogs, squad dogs or guard dogs acting under the supervision of a police officer or prison guard:
(1) 
A dog which is trained to attack or cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals.
(2) 
Any dog which bites, inflicts injury on, assaults (which assaults shall include dogs at large approaching any person upon the streets, sidewalks or other public grounds or places in a threatening or terrorizing manner without provocation) or otherwise attacks a human being without provocation.
(3) 
Any dog which is deemed a dangerous dog under and pursuant to § 123 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 7.
B. 
Notwithstanding the provisions detailed above, no dog may be declared a vicious dog for inflicting injury or damage on any person committing a willful trespass or other tort upon premises occupied by the owner of the dog or teasing, tormenting or abusing or assaulting the dog or committing or attempting to commit a crime. No dog may be declared vicious for taking any action to defend or protect a human being within the immediate vicinity of the dog from an attack or assault.
WITHOUT PROVOCATION
The dog was not teased, tormented or abused by a person or the dog was not coming to the aid or the defense of a person who was not engaged in illegal or criminal activity and who was not using the dog as a means of carrying out such activity.
A. 
No person shall permit a dog to be at large within the limits of the Town of Richmond.
B. 
No dog shall be at large within the limits of the Town of Richmond.
C. 
Every female dog in heat shall be confined in a building or secure enclosure in such a manner that such female dog cannot come into contact with another animal except for a planned breeding.
D. 
No dog shall:
(1) 
Howl, bark habitually, cry and whine continuously or regularly for periods in excess of 30 minutes so as to disturb the peace, quiet, health or well-being of other persons.
(2) 
Uproot, dig or otherwise damage any vegetables, lawns, flowers, garden beds or other property not belonging to the owner of such dog.
(3) 
Chase or otherwise harass any person in such a manner as reasonably to cause intimidation or to put such person in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm or injury.
(4) 
Habitually chase or bark at motor vehicles.
E. 
No person shall permit an accumulation of dog feces on a property, private or public, which results in a hazard to health or that makes travel or residents in the vicinity uncomfortable or which attracts flies or other insects or animals, thereby creating, in the judgment of the New York State Department of Health or such other qualified agency or agent as may in advance be designated to exercise such judgment by the Town, an unsanitary condition which may facilitate the spread of disease and endanger health or which renders soil, water or food impure or unwholesome or which endangers public comfort and repose.
F. 
Any person owning or in charge of any dog which soils, defiles, defecates on or commits any nuisance on any common thoroughfare, sidewalk, passageway, play area, park or any place where people congregate or walk or upon any private property, without the permission of the owner of said property, shall immediately, in a sanitary manner, remove all feces deposited by any such dog.
G. 
Vicious dogs confined outdoors must have a pen or structure with sides and a secure top. Pens must have bottoms secured to the sides or be embedded in the ground no less than two feet. Under all circumstances when a vicious dog is outside such confinement and outdoors, the dog must be securely leashed and muzzled.
Except as provided in § 200-41, Zoning, no dwelling unit shall keep more than four dogs of licensing age, as defined by the New York Agriculture and Markets Law, within the limits of the Town of Richmond.
A. 
Any person who observes a dog causing damage or destruction to property of a person other than its owner or committing a nuisance upon the premises of a person other than its owner or who is subjected to habitually loud or annoying barking or who shall be subject to or observe a dog otherwise harassing any person or persons or otherwise acting in violation of this article may file a signed dog nuisance complaint with the Town Clerk of the Town of Richmond specifying the objectionable conduct of the dog, the date thereof, the damage caused, a description of the dog and the name and residence, if known, of the owner or other person harboring said dog.
B. 
The Town Clerk of the Town of Richmond will file the complaint with the dog control agency designated to serve the Town of Richmond or the Richmond Code Enforcement Office.
A. 
Enforcement officers. The provisions of this article may be enforced by the dog control agency designated by the Town of Richmond, the Richmond Code Enforcement Officer or Deputy Code Enforcement Officer, the Ontario County Sheriff's Department or a Richmond Town Justice. The Richmond Town Board shall have the power to designate such other person as it deems necessary to enforce this article.
B. 
Appearance tickets and process. Any person or entity authorized to enforce this article may issue appearance tickets therefor, pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Law, for any violation of this article and Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York, and is hereby authorized to serve any process relating to any proceeding, whether civil or criminal in nature, in accordance with the provisions of this article. In the event an appearance ticket is unanswered, the Justice Court shall permit the filing of information from the appropriate enforcement person and issue a warrant of arrest for the alleged violator.
C. 
Seizure. Any dog found to be at large in the Town of Richmond shall be seized and properly fed and cared for until redeemed or disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Agriculture and Markets Law. Each such dog shall be held for a period of five to nine days, in accordance with the provisions of § 117 of the Agriculture and Markets Law. Upon presentation of a valid license and upon payment of the impoundment fees established by the aforesaid section, an owner may redeem such dog. In the event a dog is not redeemed within the statutory time period, an owner forfeits title to said dog, which shall then be made available for adoption or euthanized in accordance with law. The seizure of any dog shall not relieve any person of prosecution for violation of this article.
D. 
Commencement of proceedings. Any person found to have permitted any dog to be at large in the Town of Richmond shall be issued an appearance ticket for violation of this article and shall be prosecuted pursuant to law.
A. 
Any person violating any provision of this article shall be guilty of an offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $50, except that where the person was found to have violated this article within the preceding five years, the fine may not be more than $100, and where the person was found to have committed two or more such violations within the preceding five years, it shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both.
B. 
The remedies provided herein shall be cumulative and shall be in addition to any other remedies provided by the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, or other law.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to blind persons who may use dogs as guides.