Animal Ordinances in Smithtown, NY (2026)
6 verified animal ordinances for Smithtown, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Smithtown allows residents to keep poultry, including chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks and pheasants, but only in rear yards, enclosed to prevent escape, and capped at 15 birds per 500 square feet of yard used for that purpose. Added by Local Law No. 3-2025.
Smithtown Backyard Poultry Keeping Rules
Some RestrictionsSmithtown Code §§ 135-12, 135-13
§ 135-12. Keeping of poultry. Any person may keep, maintain, or house poultry, provided that such poultry does not constitute a nuisance or create a hazard to public health. § 135-13. Nuisance or health hazard. Poultry shall be deemed to constitute a nuisance or to create a hazard to public health, in the absence of compliance with the following conditions: A. Poultry shall be kept or maintaine...
Dog Leash Laws
Smithtown bars any dog owner from letting a dog run loose off its own residential property unless the dog is under full control on a leash no longer than six feet, and unlicensed or at-large dogs can be seized by Animal Control.
Smithtown Dog Leash & At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 135-3
It shall be and hereby is declared to be unlawful for any person owning, possessing or harboring any dog to allow such dog, whether licensed or not, to run loose or be at large in any territorial limits of the Town of Smithtown, except upon any real property owned, leased or lawfully occupied as a residence or on private lands with the permission of the owner, unless such dog is under the immed...
Cat Rules
Smithtown does not license cats or restrict them from running at large, but a cat picked up by the Animal Shelter cannot go home unaltered. Town Code Chapter 135 requires sterilization before release to an owner, with narrow exemptions for show or breeding-registered cats.
Smithtown Cat Sterilization Before Redemption
Some RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 135-7.1
After a seized animal has been in the custody of the Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center for a period of not less than three days, or, if notice to the owner was sent by mail, for a period of not less than seven days, the Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter shall not release a dog or cat to a person claiming ownership thereof, unless such dog or cat has been sterilized by a licens...
Microchipping
Smithtown does not require pet owners generally to microchip their animals, but every animal adopted from the Town's Animal Shelter and Adoption Center must be implanted with a microchip at no extra cost before it goes home. Residents can also pay to have their own pets chipped.
Smithtown Shelter Animal Microchipping Rule
Light RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 135-9C
All animals adopted from the Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center shall be implanted with a microchip and receive any age-appropriate vaccinations, as determined by the Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center veterinarian, at no additional cost to the adopter. [Amended 7-12-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Animal boarding, kennels, veterinarians, animal hospices, and animal hospitals need a special exception permit from the Board of Appeals in Smithtown, and outdoor pens are confined to the WSI zone with 100-foot and 200-foot setbacks. In business districts, treatment rooms and kennels must be fully enclosed in a soundproof building.
Smithtown Veterinary Hospital Zoning Rules
Significant RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 322-82C(1)
Animal boarding; kennel; veterinarian; animal hospice; animal hospital. The following requirements shall be met: (a) Outside pens or exercise runs shall be maintained in the WSI Zone only, provided that such runs are located at least 100 feet from all property lines and at least 200 feet from any residence district. Such runs shall be enclosed on all sides by a wall or solid fence between five ...
Bird Protection
Smithtown Code Section 101-4A prohibits hunting, trapping, killing, harming, frightening or molesting any bird, or possessing its nest, eggs or young, anywhere in a Town park or beach. Section 101-4B separately bans feeding tobacco, alcohol, drugs or other noxious substances to park wildlife. Chapter 101's general penalty applies to both.
Smithtown Bars Harming Bird Nests, Eggs and Young in Parks
Heavy RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 101-4A
No person in a park or beach shall: A. Hunt or trap, or otherwise willfully kill, harm, frighten or molest or have in his or her possession the nest, eggs or young of any mammal or bird.
Looking for Suffolk County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Smithtown city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Suffolk County →