Union, NY Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Chapter 148 of the Town of Union Code sets the rules for every person entering or using a Town park. Section 148-15(A) is the wildlife provision: no person within the confines of the park can hunt, pursue with dogs, trap or in any way molest any wild bird or animal found there. The word "molest" is not defined, so the rule reaches more than shooting or trapping and covers chasing or harassing a bird on park ground. Subsection (B) separately ties fishing in park waters to the rules and regulations of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The rule applies only where the chapter's definition of "park" reaches: land or physical structures owned or controlled by the Town of Union and run by its Parks and Recreation Department, including parks, picnic areas, nature reserves and other special use areas. Parks owned by the Villages of Endicott or Johnson City are under their own codes, not this chapter. The "Commissioner" who administers the chapter is the Deputy Commissioner of Public Works for Parks or his authorized personnel.

Several neighboring park rules back this one up. Section 148-16 prohibits dogs in all parks and park facilities, so pursuing wildlife with dogs is doubly barred. Section 148-6 bars firearms in the park, and section 148-4 bars injuring or disturbing any plant or other property of the park. Section 148-25 lets the Commissioner, park rangers and other designated agents, along with local, county or state police, enforce the rules, including by issuing appearance tickets.