Clay, NY Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Chapter 69, Article I, the Animal Population Control and Dog Licensing Law, was adopted November 15, 2010 by L.L. No. 4-2010 under Article 7 of the state Agriculture and Markets Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law, replacing the Town's 1981 dog control law. Section 69-4 defines AT LARGE as an unleashed dog off its owner's premises or on another's premises without that owner's knowledge, consent and approval, and defines LEASHED or UNDER LEASH as a dog on a collar or harness attached to a leash no longer than eight feet, strong enough to restrain the dog and held by a person able to control it.

Section 69-9A then bars any dog owner from permitting the dog to be at large in the Town unless it is under that leash or accompanied by its owner or another responsible person able to control it; dogs hunting with hunters count as accompanied. Section 69-9B separately bars leashed or unleashed dogs from restaurants, grocery stores, food establishments, cemeteries and public buildings, except seeing-eye or therapy dogs. Every dog four months or older must also be licensed and identified under Sections 69-5 through 69-8, with the license obtained from the Town Clerk, a rabies certificate on file, and renewal every year.

Animal Control Officers enforce the leash law under Section 69-10 and may issue an appearance ticket returnable to Justice Court, and Section 69-11 lets the Town seize an at-large dog, holding an identified dog for seven to nine days and an unidentified dog for five days before it is forfeited for adoption.