Amherst, NY Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

The Town of Amherst regulates veterinary clinics as a commercial use standard, not as a standalone use category. Zoning Ordinance § 6-4-1, titled "Animal Grooming, Cat Boarding Facility, Animal Hospital or Veterinarian," states that these uses are "permitted in accordance with the district use tables in Part 4 or Part 5," meaning a veterinarian may only locate where the applicable nonresidential district (Part 4) or special purpose/overlay district (Part 5) use table lists the use as allowed, such as the General Business, Neighborhood Business or Community Facilities districts, or within a New Community District's Local Center classification.

The Local Center classification of the Town's New Community District (NCD), at § 5-2-5A(3), separately enumerates "veterinary clinics or cat boarding facilities with kennel in enclosed building" as one of the retail and service uses allowed alongside hospitals, medical buildings and clinics in that classification. " That means exercise yards, kennel runs, boarding cages and any animal holding areas tied to a veterinary practice cannot be operated outdoors, even if the underlying use is otherwise allowed on the lot. The provision was amended by Local Law No.

1-2008. Where a veterinary practice also keeps dogs in a kennel arrangement, the separate Kennels standard at § 6-8-7 requires kennels and outdoor runs to sit back a minimum of 200 feet from the front lot line and 100 feet from side and rear lot lines, and to be screened with an opaque buffer at least six feet high, though an enclosed-building veterinary use under § 6-4-1 is the controlling standard for the clinic itself. A veterinarian proposing a new location works with the Commissioner of Building and, for special use permit districts, the Zoning Board of Appeals to confirm the use table lists the use and that the site plan shows the enclosed-building requirement.