Hamburg Village, NY Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Section 109-2 of the Code of the Village of Hamburg sorts animals into two groups: household pets, and everything else. Subsection A bars anyone from keeping or housing horses, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry or any animals other than household pets within the village without a permit from the Board of Trustees. The section draws its line at household pets and does not publish a list of species, so any animal that is not a household pet needs the Board's permit first.

The approval process is public. After a completed application arrives, the Board of Trustees considers it at a regularly scheduled meeting, and notice goes to every property owner within 100 feet of the property. That notice must be issued not fewer than 15 days and no longer than 30 days before the meeting, and it tells recipients they can appear in person or submit a written response. A permit is granted for one year. It is not safe from complaints: the Board looks at whether the animals are objectionable or offensive by reason of noise, smell or other cause, and the permit is revocable at any time by the Board of Trustees. The Hamburg Village Agricultural Committee fields and attempts to mitigate complaints, and unresolved ones go to the Code Enforcement Department.

Subsection D requires multiple housing unit residents and single-family tenants to obtain a landlord or property owner's signature on the permit application. Subsection E bans butchering or breeding of animals or fowl. Under § 109-3F every permit application is reviewed by the Code Enforcement Department for compliance with the Building Code, and § 109-3A makes it unlawful to let odors disturb neighbors or to leave animal waste unremoved. The Appendix fee schedule (§ A255-1) lists the permit for keeping certain animals at $25 per year. Section 109-1 separately bars horses, cattle, sheep, swine and poultry from running at large in the village. The section was last amended 10-7-2024 by L.L. No. 3-2024.