Animal Ordinances in Buffalo, NY (2026)
17 verified animal ordinances for Buffalo, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Buffalo allows backyard chickens with a permit from the Department of Permit and Inspection Services. Maximum 5 hens per parcel, no roosters, and coops must be 25 feet from any dwelling. Annual permit fee applies.
Animals: Chickens Backyard
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Buffalo requires dogs to be leashed at all times when off the owner property under Chapter 341. Delaware Park and LaSalle Park have designated off-leash dog areas. Violations carry fines from $50 to $250 and repeat offenses may trigger dangerous-dog proceedings.
Animals: Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Buffalo has no breed-specific legislation. NY Agriculture and Markets Law section 107(5) preempts local breed bans statewide since 1997. Dangerous-dog determinations are based on individual behavior, not breed.
Animals: Breed Restrictions
Few RestrictionsBeekeeping
Backyard beekeeping is legal in Buffalo with hives registered with the NY Department of Agriculture and Markets. Hives must be set back from property lines and a flyway barrier is required near neighboring yards. No city-level permit fee applies.
Animals: Beekeeping
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Buffalo Code Chapter 341 prohibits keeping wild or exotic animals within city limits, including big cats, primates, venomous reptiles, crocodilians, and wolf hybrids. NY Environmental Conservation Law section 11-0512 reinforces the state ban. Violators face seizure and fines up to $500.
Animals: Exotic Pets
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Feeding deer is prohibited statewide under NY DEC regulation 6 NYCRR 189. Buffalo Code Chapter 341 also prohibits feeding feral cats and wildlife in a way that creates a nuisance. Bird feeders are allowed but must be squirrel- and rat-resistant.
Animals: Wildlife Feeding
Some RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Buffalo Code Chapter 49 caps household pet numbers and authorizes the Buffalo Animal Shelter and BPD to investigate hoarding complaints, seize neglected animals, and refer cases for cruelty prosecution under New York Agriculture and Markets Law Section 353.
Buffalo Animal Hoarding Enforcement
Heavy RestrictionsPet Limits
Buffalo limits households to 3 dogs and 3 cats over 4 months of age without a multiple-animal permit. Combined totals cannot exceed 6 animals. Breeders and rescues must obtain separate kennel licenses.
Animals: Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Buffalo Chapter 49 treats cats as companion animals subject to rabies vaccination, identification, and nuisance rules; owners must keep cats from damaging neighbor property, and the Buffalo Animal Shelter handles trap-neuter-return for community cat colonies.
Buffalo Cat Licensing and Confinement
Some RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
New York Agriculture and Markets Section 117-a requires every dog and cat adopted from the Buffalo Animal Shelter to be sterilized before release or under a binding deposit-backed contract, with proof of compliance returned within thirty days.
Buffalo Shelter Sterilization Requirement
Some RestrictionsMicrochipping
Buffalo does not mandate microchipping for owned pets, but the Buffalo Animal Shelter chips every adopted animal and uses scans to redeem strays faster, while New York dog licensing law requires a city-issued tag at all times outdoors.
Buffalo Microchip and ID Practices
Few RestrictionsCoyote Management
New York Department of Environmental Conservation classifies coyotes as game with a regulated season; Buffalo prohibits firearm discharge citywide, so urban coyote conflicts are handled through hazing, trapping permits, and removal by licensed nuisance wildlife control operators.
Buffalo Urban Coyote Coexistence
Some RestrictionsNYSDEC, Coyote Conflicts (Nuisance Wildlife Species) - Coyote Encounters and Make your Yard Less Hospitable
The Eastern coyote is firmly established in New York. They live in New York as an integral part of our ecosystems. People and coyotes can usually coexist if coyotes' natural fear of people is maintained. [...] A coyote that does not flee from people should be considered dangerous. Coyotes in residential areas can be attracted to garbage, pet food, and other human-created sources of food. [...] ...
Pet Store Rules
New York General Business Law Article 35-D as amended by the 2024 Puppy Mill Pipeline Act bars Buffalo pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits sourced from breeders, allowing only adoptions through partnerships with shelters and registered rescues.
Buffalo Retail Pet Store Sourcing
Heavy RestrictionsPet Groomer Rules
New York does not license pet groomers, so Buffalo grooming shops operate under Chapter 745 zoning, Erie County Health sanitation guidance, and Buffalo Code Chapter 49 cruelty rules; mobile groomers must add a peddler-style permit through the City Clerk.
Buffalo Pet Grooming Establishments
Few RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic Zoning
Buffalo Green Code Chapter 745 allows veterinary clinics in mixed-use and commercial transects with a special-use permit when overnight boarding is provided; New York Education Law Article 135 governs veterinary licensure separately through the State Board.
Buffalo Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Some RestrictionsBird Protection
Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and New York Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-0535 protect nearly all wild birds in Buffalo; nest disturbance during breeding season can trigger DEC enforcement, and Buffalo lighting and window rules support Lake Erie flyway safety.
Buffalo Migratory Bird Protections
Heavy RestrictionsNYSDEC Osprey species page - Status and Management and Research Needs (Pandion haliaetus, New York Status: Special Concern)
Species Type: Bird. Scientific Name: Pandion haliaetus. Conservation Status: Special Concern. New York Status: Special Concern. Federal Status: Not Listed. [...] The decline of this species was caused by DDT-induced eggshell thinning, which reduced the reproductive output of breeding pairs. In turn, the breeding population declined from an estimated 1,000 active nests in the 1940s between New Y...
Wildlife Rescue Permits
Anyone caring for injured wildlife in Buffalo must hold a New York DEC wildlife rehabilitator license under Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-0515; unlicensed possession of native birds, mammals, or reptiles is prohibited even with rescue intent.
Buffalo Wildlife Rehabilitation Licensing
Some RestrictionsLooking for Erie County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Buffalo city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Erie County →