Troy, NY Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Troy City Code § 124-1, Article I Farm Animals and Snakes
- Animals covered
- Horses, cattle, sheep and swine
- Who is bound
- Any person who owns, possesses or has charge of the animal
- Enforcement
- Police seize the animal and place it in a livery stable
- Keeper's remedy
- Lien for care under the New York State Lien Law
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 124-1(C)
Summary
In the City of Troy, New York, § 124-1 of the City Code makes it unlawful for horses, cattle, sheep or swine to run or be at large in any part of the City. The ban also binds any person who suffers or permits an animal in his charge to roam. Police seize strays, and a violation is a misdemeanor.
A. It shall be unlawful for any horses, cattle, sheep or swine to run or be at large in any part of the City, or for any person to suffer or permit any horses, cattle, sheep or swine, owned or possessed by him or of which he shall have charge, to run or be at large in any part of the City. B. Any member of the police force of the City shall take and seize any such animal found running or being at large in any part of the City, and place the same in any livery stable, or other proper place, for the keeping of such animal, and the person in whose custody such animal is so placed shall have a lien upon such animal for the care thereof, which shall be enforced as provided for the enforcement of liens on animals, by the Lien Law of the State of New York. C. Any person violating the provisions of Subsection A shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
The Troy City Council placed livestock control in Chapter 124 (Animals), Article I, titled Farm Animals and Snakes, for the City of Troy in Rensselaer County, New York. Section 124-1(A) names four animals: horses, cattle, sheep and swine. None of them can run or be at large in any part of the City. The duty also falls on people: no person can suffer or permit any of those animals, owned or possessed by him or of which he has charge, to run or be at large. Because the rule reaches anyone with charge of an animal, not only its title owner, a person who boards or tends the animal is inside it.
Subsection B gives the police the removal power. Any member of the police force of the City shall take and seize any such animal found running or being at large in any part of the City and place it in any livery stable or other proper place for the keeping of the animal. The person in whose custody the animal is placed has a lien on it for its care, enforced as provided for liens on animals by the Lien Law of the State of New York. The cost of getting an animal back is therefore tied to the keeper's care charges.
Subsection C sets the penalty: a person violating Subsection A is guilty of a misdemeanor. Section 124-1 does not mention chickens or other poultry. The one poultry reference in Chapter 124 is the pet day-care definition in § 124-26, where a pet is a companion animal commonly kept in or around the home, "not including poultry." That definition governs day-care facilities and does not create a keeping rule for backyard flocks.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 124-1(A) is a misdemeanor under § 124-1(C). That subsection prints no fine amount or jail term; it states the classification only. Separately, any police officer who finds a horse, cattle, sheep or swine at large seizes it and places it in a livery stable or other proper place, where the keeper holds a lien for its care that is enforced under the New York State Lien Law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in the City of Troy, New York?
What happens if police find a loose horse or cow in Troy?
Is letting livestock roam a crime in Troy?
Who is responsible if someone else's animal gets loose on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
How Troy compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·New York rules heatmap·Compare Troy to another location·View the New York animal ordinances overview
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