City of Saratoga Springs, NY Article IV Animals at Large; Cruelty and Abandonment

§ 101-14 Animals at large prohibited; penalties for offenses.

A. No person who owns, keeps or controls any animal shall permit the same to be at large upon a highway or other public place.

B. Every person violating this section shall, upon conviction, be punishable by a fine not to exceed $50 for each offense.

[Amended 9-3-2019]

§ 101-15 Carrying animals in cruel manner; penalties for offenses.

A person who carries or causes to be carried in or upon any vehicle or otherwise any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner or so as to produce torture is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both.

§ 101-16 Abandonment; penalties for offenses.

A person who owns, keeps or controls an animal who abandons such animal or leaves it to die in a street, road or public place or who allows such animal, if it becomes disabled, to lie in a public street, road or public place more than three hours after he receives notice that it is left disabled is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than $500, or both.

§ 101-17 Failure to care for animals; penalties for offenses.

[Amended 9-3-2019]

A. No person who owns, keeps or controls any animal shall fail to provide proper food, water or shelter for said animal, taking into account the existing weather conditions, whether current or anticipated. "Food" shall mean food necessary to maintain the good health of the animal. "Water" shall mean water which is clean, in sufficient quality to sustain the animal, and not frozen. "Shelter" shall mean not only the place where the animal may get out of the weather, to include temperature, but also shall include an adequate size area for exercise, taking into account the size and activity of the animal.

B. No person shall fail to provide urgent veterinary care to any animal that he or she owns, keeps or controls.

C. Any police officer or animal control officer in the City of Saratoga Springs is authorized to assess the condition of any animal to determine whether, based upon that officer's reasonable information and belief, the owner of said animal has provided it with proper urgent veterinary care, and whether he or she has complied with the other provisions in this section.

D. Upon a determination by a police officer or animal control officer that an owner has not provided an animal with proper urgent veterinary care, the officer may issue to the owner a notice of violation under this section that specifies a time by which the owner must provide such urgent veterinary care. Such notice of violation may be issued in addition to and not in limitation of any other notice or notices of violation issued under this chapter. Any owner receiving such a notice stating a specified time to provide urgent veterinary care shall, within the time so specified, file with the Department of Public Safety a written confirmation signed by a veterinarian that such urgent veterinary care has been provided. Failure to file such written confirmation shall constitute a separate violation of this chapter.

E. Penalties.

(1) A person who violates Subsection A of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 for each offense.

(2) A person who violates any other subsection of this section shall, upon conviction, be punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 for each offense.