Dennis Buczkowski - Dog / Animal Control Officer

Wende Mulawka - Assist. Dog / Animal Control Officer

Phone Number - 662-6440

For emergencies or after hours, call the Orchard Park Police Department at 662-6444.

The Orchard Pak Dog Shelter is located at 4350 South Taylor Road near the corner of Big Tree Road (Route 20A). The department hours of operation are 7:30am to 11:30 pm, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. On Wednesday the hours are 7:30am to 11:00 am, excluding holidays. To visit us, please call for an appointment to be sure someone is at the shelter.

If your call requires attention after these hours, please call the Orchard Park Police Department at 662-6444.

The following information is provided to help residents protect their pets and to comply with applicable state laws and local ordinances.

Dog Licenses:

New York State requires the owner of any dog over the age of four (4) months to obtain a license (Agriculture and Markets Law, article 7, section 19). Dog licenses can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s Office in the Municipal Center. For first-time licenses, bring your dog’s rabies certificate and, if applicable, spaying or neutering papers. Upon licensing your dog, you will receive an oblong tag with a seven-digit number on it. This tag then should be attached to your dog’s collar. if your dog is lost anywhere in the state, this tag can be used to trace the pet owners information for contact. This is the only tag your dog will receive. If the tag is lost, a replacement can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s Office for a small fee.

Dog licenses are good for one (1) year and are renewable annually in the same month in which they were originally issued.

Dog License Fees:

Spayed or neutered - $10.00

Un-spayed or un-neutered - $18.00

For a preview of state laws

For a preview of local laws

Orchard Park Town Code - Pertaining to dogs

Chapter 58

58-1. Dogs running at large prohibited

58-2. Seizure: violations enumerated

58-3. Impoundment fees: redemption

58-4. Penalties for offenses

58-6. Minor as owner

58-7. Presumption of evidence

58-8. Filing of complaints

58-9. Violation of Public Health Law

58-10 Dog License fees

58-11. Dog Limit per household.

§ 58-1. Dogs running at large prohibited.

A. No person owning or harboring a dog, whether licensed or not, shall permit the same to be at large within the Town of Orchard Park outside the municipal boundaries of the village of Orchard Park unless such dog is effectively restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in charge of a competent person.

B. “At large” means 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:

(1) A guide dog actually leading a blind person

(2) A hearing dog actually aiding a deaf person.

(3) A police work dog in use for police work.

(4) Accompanied by its owner or other responsible person and is actively engaged in hunting or training for hunting on posted and/or unposted land with the permission of the land owner of the land.

§ 58-2. Seizure; violations enumerated.

A. Any control officer or peace officer in the employ of or under contract to a municipality shall seize any dog found to be in violation of any provision of this chapter.

B. It shall be a violation for any owner of or any person harboring a dog in the Town of Orchard Park to permit or allow such dog to:

(1) Engage in habitual loud howling or barking or to conduct itself in such a manner as to habitually annoy any person other than the owner or person harboring such dog.

(2) Cause damage or destruction to property or commit a nuisance upon t he premises of a person other that the owner or person harboring 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 or bicycles.

(5) Run at large while in heat if such dog is a female dog.

C. Dangerous dogs.

(1) No person who owns or has control of a dog shall permit such dog to attack or bite any person peacefully conducting himself in any place where such person shall lawfully be. For the purpose hereof, when any dog is at large contrary to the provisions of this chapter and commits any of such acts, the owner or person in control shall be deemed to have permitted the dog to commit such acts.

(1)  Any person may make a complaint of any attack upon a person or an attack, chasing or worrying of a domestic animal to a Dog Control Officer. Such officer shall immediately inform the complainant of his right to commence a proceeding as provided in §121, subdivision of the Agriculture and Markets Law. If there is a reason to believe the dog is a dangerous dog, the Dog Control Officer shall forthwith commence such proceedings himself.

(1) Any person owning or harboring a dog deemed dangerous by a Judge or Justice pursuant to Agriculture and Markets Law § 121 will muzzle the dog at all times when the dog is outside its proper enclosure. The muzzle shall be approved by the Dog Control Officer.

§ 58-3. Impoundment fees; redemption.

A. Any dog, idenifide or unidentifide, found to be at large and seized pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be held and cared for by the town and redeemed by the owner or disposed of pursuant to the provisions of § 118 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York. The owner may redeem the dog, if the owner pays the following impoundment fees:

(1) Twenty dollars for the first 24 hours or part thereof and $6 for each additional 24 hours or part thereof for the first impoundment of any dog owned by that person.

(2) Thirty-ive dollars for the first 24 hours or part thereof and $6 for each additional 24 hours or part thereof for the second impoundment within on year of the first impoundment of any dog owned by that person.

(3) Fifty dollars for the first 24 hours or part thereof and $6 for each additional 24 hours or part thereof for the third and subsequent impoundment within one year of the first impoundment of any dog owned by that person.

B. The seizure of any dog shall not relieve any person from any penalty for by § 58-4 of this chapter or § 119 of the agriculturs and markets Law of the State of New York.

C. Veterinary care for seized dogs.

(1) Any dog seized or impounded by the Dog Control Officer of the Town of Orchard Park pursuant to Agriculture and Markets Law § 118 and this chapter that may require veterinarian treatment for injuries or sickness shall receive such veterinary care when such care is necessary in the judgement of the Dog Control Officer.

(2) The owner of such dog shall pay for said veterinary fees in addition to the impoundment fees upon redemption of the dog or, if the dog is deceased, not later that 30 days after said veterinary care is rendered and the owner notifide, in writing, of such amount.

(3) If such amount is not paid within 30 days after notification, the Town shall proceed to collect the amount in a civil action.

§ 58-4. Penalties for offenses.

A. Any violation as set forth in this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Subsection B of this section.

B. Violations of this chapter shall be punishable by a maximum fine of $250.00 or imprisionment for not more that 15 days, or both.

§ 58-5. Enforcement.

A. It shall be the duty of the Dog Control Officer of the Town of Orchard Park to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

B. The Dog Control Officer of the Town of Orchard Park shall have all the powers of a peace officer in enforcing the provisions of this chapter. In addition, the Dog Control Officer may serve any process relating to any proceedinging, whether criminal or civil in nature and including an appearnance ticket, undertaken in accord with the provisions of this chapter.

§ 58-6. Minor as owner.

If any dog violation of this chapter is owner or harbored by a person under 18 years of age, the owner of record as defined in Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law shall be deemed to be the parent or guardian of such person, and said parent or guardian shall be responsible for the acts of said dog for the pupose of this chapter. The definitions of the words “owner,” “harbor” and “person” as used in this chapter are those set forth in Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.

§ 58-7. Presumption of evidence.

The fact that a dog is at large in the Town of Orchard Park elsewhere that on the premises of the owner or person harboring such dog shall be presumptive evidence that the dog has been permitted to be at large with the knowledge of the owner or person harboring such dog.

§ 58-8. Filing of complaints.

Any person who observes a dog in violation of any acts prohibited by this chapter may file a signed complaint, under oath, with a town Justice of the Town of Orchard Park, specifying the objectionable conduct of the dog, the date thereof, the damagecoused or the acts constituting a violation of this chapter and including the place or places where such conduct occurred and the name and residence, if known, of the owner or other person harboring such dog.

§ 58-9. Violation of Public Health Law.

Any person owning or harboring a dog and who shall permit such dog to be at large in violation of the provisions of Article 21, Title IV, of the Public Health Law, is guilty of a violation punioshable by a fine of not more that $250.00 or impriosnment for not mare that 15 days, or both.

§58-10. Dog License fees.

Pursuant to § 110, subdivision 4, of the Article 7 of the agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York, an annual dog license fee of $7.50 for each dog license issued and an annual license fee of $10 for each purbred license issued by the Town of orchard Park, New York, under § 109, Subdivision 1, of the Agriculture and Markets Law will be added to the fees established by § 110, subdivision 1, of the agriculture and Markets Law. This annual dog license fee shall be charged for all licenses becoming on or after January 1, 2004.

§58-11 Certain Actions Prohibited.

No action shall be maintained to recover the possession of value of a dog for damages for injury or for compensation for destruction of a dog destroyed or otherwise disposed of pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

§ 58-12 Dog limit per household.

A. No household shall keep more that three dogs, four months of age or older on any residence in the Town of Orchard Park.

B. Exceptions. Subsection A shall not apply to any person who secures a multiple housing permit subject to the following conditions:

(1) Any premises with more than three dogs must secure a multiple dog housing permit. The Dog Control Officer shall issue a Multiple Dog Housing Permit after inspection of the premises. The Orchard Park Dog Control Officer shall apply the following criteria for issuance of a Multiple dog housing Permit:

(a) Capacity of the owners to provide sufficent food and water for the dogs.

(b) Capacity of the owner to limit barking by the dogs.

(c) Sufficient housing for the dogs.

(d) Capacity of the owner to maintain the dogs in a clean manner.

(e) Capacity of the owners to provide necessary veterinary care for the dogs.

(f) Capacity of the owners to provide housing which does not subject the dogs to extreme tempratures.

(2) In the event the number of dogs at a premises increases, additional permits shall be required.

(3) The Dog Control Officer can revoke a permit if, after granting the permit, the owner does not comply with the criteria set forth above. The permit holder shall be notifide, in writing, of the criteria with which the owner has failed to comply. the permit holder shall be provided 60 days to correct the noted violations. in the event that the owner fails to correct the violations of the criteria, the permit shall be revoked.

(4) In the event that more than three dogs are housed without a multiple dog housing permit, the individual maintaining the dog shall have 30 days to remove the dogs.

(5) Failure to comply with this Multiple Dog Housing Permit section shall subject the responsible party to a fine of $250 per day.

(6) A fee in the sum of $50 will be due annually for the multiple dog housing permit.