Union, NY Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Article II of Chapter 71 of the Town of Union Code, adopted 4-21-2010 as L.L. No. 4-2010, governs animals other than dogs. Section 71-13 makes it unlawful for any owner of a cat or domestic animal to permit it, in the Town of Union outside the two villages, to do four things: engage in habitual loud howling, barking, crying or whining that unreasonably and habitually annoys any person; cause damage or destruction to property or commit a nuisance by defecating or urinating on the premises of a person other than the owner; chase or attack any person peacefully in a place where that person can lawfully be, or chase or attack any cat or domestic animal in a place it can lawfully be; and soil or commit any nuisance on any commonfare or place where the public congregates or walks.

Ownership is defined broadly. Section 71-12 defines HARBOR as providing food or shelter to any cat or domestic animal, and OWNER as any person who harbors or keeps one. Under that wording a person who feeds or shelters a cat is treated as its owner for this article. When the animal belongs to a person under 18, the owner is the parent or guardian or the head of the household in which that person resides.

The curbing exception in § 71-13(D) lets a person walking or exercising a cat or domestic animal curb it in the part of the street between the curblines. That person must immediately remove all feces left by the animal, deposit them directly into an airtight container, and then place that container in a container used for refuse. Feces can never be deposited in sewers or drains, whether storm or sanitary.

Article II consists of §§ 71-12 through 71-14 and sets nuisance standards only. It contains no cat license requirement, and the licensing rules in § 71-4.1 are written for dogs. The dog complaint procedure in § 71-9 is part of Article I, which covers dogs.