Dog Licenses

The administration of Article 7, Dog Licensing, identification and control law, Sections 113, 114, & 117, and inspections of animal care and records of municipal dog shelters and dog control officers is the responsibility of New York State's Department of Agriculture & Markets, Division of Animal Industry. 

New York State law requires that all owned dogs 4 months of age or older must be licensed. Dog owners may be fined for violation of this law. Licensing is an important element in animal control and the protection of the public health. Information about licensed dogs assists in the human medical follow-up of persons potentially exposed to infected dogs.

Licensing also helps to reunite lost dogs with their owners and enforces the New York State spay/neuter law. This law mandates a surcharge on the license fee for unaltered dogs. Spaying or neutering a pet reduces the stray animal population. Besides being in the best interest of the animals, this also reduces the chance that people will become ill or injured from contact with a stray dog or cat. 

For Massena's current codes covering Dog Control & Licensing, please click here. 

Getting Your Dog Licensed
All dogs in the Town and Village of Massena must be licensed with the Town Clerk by the age of four months and are required to present a valid certificate of rabies vaccination at the time of licensing or renewal of an existing license.

• Dog licenses can be issued for a period of one year and will expire on the last day of the last month of the period for which it is issued. 
• Massena does not issue purebred or kennel licenses. Each dog will be licensed individually.
• No dog will be licensed without a valid rabies vaccination certificate.
• Dog licenses are not transferable. If you give or sell your dog to another owner, the new owner needs to immediately apply for a new license for the dog.
• In the case of a dog's death, the owner of the record shall so notify the Town Clerk either prior to renewal of the license or upon the time of such renewal.
  

Visit the Town Clerk's Office to obtain or renew your dog license.

License Fees
The fees for licensing dogs in Massena are set by the Town Board which has established the following, pursuant to the Ag & Markets Law:

1. The fee for altered (spayed/neutered) dogs will be $10.
2. The fee for unaltered (unspayed/unneutered) dogs will be $18.
3. The fee for altered dogs includes a surcharge of $1.
4. The fee for unaltered dogs includes a surcharge of $3.
5. Dog license fees will be set by the Town Board by resolution hereon after.
6. No dog license fee will be refunded.
7. If a tag is lost, a new tag will cost $3.
8. Any dog found unlicensed during a Town enumeration period shall be subject to an enumeration surcharge of $5, payable at the time of licensing.

Exceptions

There shall be no fee for any license issued for the following, as defined in Article 7 of the State Agriculture and Markets Law: guide dog, hearing dog, service dog, war dog, working search dog, detection dog, police work dog, or therapy dog. The license application shall define why the exemption is appropriate by the issuing Clerk.

Dog Control Officer
The Dog Control Officer, in addition to all other powers and duties prescribed by law, has the authority to issue appearance tickets in accordance with Article 150 of the Criminal Procedure Law. Every dog seized by the Dog Warden shall be maintained, redeemed, sold, or destroyed in accordance with Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York.

Violations of Massena's Dog Control laws should be brought to the attention of the Dog Control Officer. 

If you observe a dangerous dog that is not properly leashed/restrained, please call the Village Police at 315-769-3577 or 9-1-1.