New York does not implement a statewide law pertaining to the number of dogs you may keep at once, but your individual municipality may have its own laws.

Written by Abbey Orzech

Reviewed by Melanie Reiff

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

Does New York have laws limiting how many dogs you can own?
Are there any dog breeds outlawed in New York?
What are the leash laws in New York?
Where to find affordable insurance in New York

The number of dogs you can have as a New York resident depends on the regulations laid out by your local municipality.

Dogs can provide so much light and love in our lives that it’s no wonder when some people want to own as many as they can. Aside from the fortune you’d spend on vet bills and food, having a big pile of fluffy friends to come home to may sound like the dream. You may even ask, is there even such a thing as too many dogs?

For most places in the U.S., the answer to that question is yes. While the Big Apple doesn’t implement a state-sweeping law regarding the number of pooches at your pad, your local municipality likely will. So to help you decipher the dog laws in New York, the super app for

home

and car owners,

Jerry

, has created this guide on the need-to-know regulations.

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Does New York have laws limiting how many dogs you can own?

The total number of dogs you’re allowed to keep in your New York place of residence depends on where you live. The individual municipalities are given the authority to set the limits and regulations on dog ownership for their residents.

For example,

New York City does not have laws that regulate the number of dogs one can keep in a dwelling.

Buffalo limits single- and double-family homes, and commercial properties to no more than three dogs over the age of four months.

Rochester won’t allow more than four dogs over the age of four months if you live in a dwelling with three or fewer home units, and won’t allow more than one dog if you live in a dwelling with four or more units.

Glens Falls doesn’t let residents keep four or more dogs unless the dogs have an outside kennel.

Some municipalities require you to have a special license to own more dogs than their regulations allow. Check with your City Clerk or local animal control for more information on licensing and the specific limits of your area.

Are there any dog breeds outlawed in New York?

Most New York municipalities don’t outlaw specific breeds of dogs. The state has actually recently

passed a bill

to make it easier for owners of traditional “bully breeds” (Pit Bulls, Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds, etc.) to get

homeowners insurance

that they would previously be denied or charged much more for if they owned one of these breeds.

There are still some areas that place regulations on specific breeds, though. In the Town of LaGrange, for example, there is a ban on Pit Bulls and American Bulldogs in off-leash parks.

New York State does, however, regulate “dangerous dogs”. A “dangerous dog” in New York is identified if:

The dog attacks and physically injures or kills a person, companion animal (like a dog or cat), farm animal, or domestic animal (like protected species under environmental conservation) without justification.

The dog behaves in a way that poses an immediate, unjustified threat of physical injury or death to a person that can reasonably believe this to be the case.

The dog attacks and physically injures or kills a service dog, hearing dog, or guide dog without provocation.

If your dog is involved in an incident like any above and is found to be a “dangerous dog”, you will be court-ordered to neuter or spay, and microchip your dog. You may also be ordered to leash and muzzle your dog whenever in public or to take out a liability insurance policy up to $100,000.

MORE: Tips for driving with your dog

What are the leash laws in New York?

No matter how hard we dog owners try to make leash time a good time, some dogs just hate the leash and will try to escape. But the leash laws in New York apply to the owners and can result in civil penalties if not adhered to.

New York doesn’t apply a single set of leash laws to the whole state, so again, the specific leash laws that apply to you will come down to your local municipality.

In Glens Falls, all dogs must remain on a strong enough leash to restrain them while in public. New York City does not allow does to be in a public place or open field without a leash no longer than six feet in length. In Ithaca, unless you’re at an established off-leash dog park, your dog must have an adequately strong collar and leash attached to them when not on the property of the owner or current person in custody.

Penalties for breaking dog laws in New York

The penalty you face for breaking dog laws in New York depends on the severity of the accused situation. Off-leash infractions, if they don’t involve injury to another, will most likely result in a fine from the city.

However, if your dog is involved in the physical injury or death of a person or animal, the punishment will be more severe:

Up to a $400 fine if your dog bites a person, companion animal, farm animal, or domestic animal.

Up to a $1,500 fine if your dog causes serious injury to a person, companion animal, farm animal, or domestic animal.

Up to $1,000, 90 days in prison, and a misdemeanor charge if your dog was a registered “dangerous dog” and caused serious physical injury to a person, companion animal, farm animal, or domestic animal.

MORE: Tried and true ways to get rid of pet odor in your car

Where to find affordable insurance in New York

Although New York residents will not be required to get special

homeowners insurance

renters insurance

for their dogs under the new breed bill, you may still want to think about taking out an insurance policy to cover any damage your pet may do to someone else's property.

As the top-rated insurance super app in the country,

Jerry

can help you find the coverage you’re looking for at a price that will make you want to wag your tail.

Jerry contacts your insurance company to get the details of your current coverage so you don’t have to scale a mountain of questions. You get all the best prices and coverage with none of the legwork. And if that isn’t enough for you, Jerry can even help cancel your old policy.