Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Saratoga County, NY Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Restricted season
December 1 through May 1 annually
Requirement
Dogs confined or under owner's control
Adopted
Nov. 18, 1986, Res. No. 339-86
State authority
Agriculture and Markets Law § 122(1)
Scope
Countywide, every town and village

Summary

Saratoga County orders all dogs confined or under an owner's control from December 1 to May 1 each year, a countywide deer-protection measure the Board of Supervisors adopted under state Agriculture and Markets Law authority.

City-specific rules exist: Saratoga Springs has its own dog leash laws rules that differ from Saratoga County's county-level regulations. If you live in Saratoga Springs, check the city-specific page instead.

Pursuant to Subdivision 1 of § 122 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, the County of Saratoga, by its Board of Supervisors, does hereby order that henceforth during the period December 1 to May 1 of the following year, all dogs in the County of Saratoga shall be securely confined or accompanied by or under the control of each dog's owner.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4649512; v10 updated 2025-11-18; through 11-18-2025).

Full Breakdown

Under a local order adopted November 18, 1986 (Res. No. 339-86), Saratoga County's Board of Supervisors declared that 'during the period December 1 to May 1 of the following year, all dogs in the County of Saratoga shall be securely confined or accompanied by or under the control of each dog's owner.' The county acted under Subdivision 1 of § 122 of the state Agriculture and Markets Law, which lets counties impose seasonal confinement rules to keep dogs from running loose and harassing deer. The order applies countywide, in every town and village, alongside any local leash law already in force.

Violations & Fines

This section names no fine of its own for noncompliance; enforcement of an unconfined or unaccompanied dog during the restricted season falls to local dog control officers under state law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this rule apply year-round?
No. The confinement requirement runs only December 1 through May 1 each year, the window the county targeted for deer protection; it does not apply the rest of the year.
Does my town's own leash law still apply too?
Yes. This county order supplements, not replaces, any leash or dog-control law a town, village, or city in Saratoga County already enforces.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Saratoga County

All Saratoga County rules

New York rules heatmap·Compare Saratoga County to another location·View the New York animal ordinances overview

Get notified when Dog Leash Laws in Saratoga County, NY changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Dog Leash Laws in Cities Across Saratoga County