118. Violations. 1. It shall be a violation, punishable as provided in subdivision two of this section, for:
(a) any owner to fail to license any dog;
(b) any owner to fail to have any dog identified as required by this article;
(c) any person to knowingly affix to any dog any false or improper identification tag, special identification tag for identifying guide, service, therapy or hearing dogs or purebred license tag;
(d) any owner or custodian of any dog to fail to confine, restrain or present such dog for any lawful purpose pursuant to this article;
(e) any person to furnish any false or misleading information on any form required to be filed with any municipality pursuant to the provisions of this article or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto;
(f) the owner or custodian of any dog to fail to exercise due diligence in handling his or her dog if the handling results in harm to another dog that is a guide, hearing or service dog;
(g) any owner of a dog to fail to notify the municipality in which his or her dog is licensed of any change of ownership or address as required by section one hundred twelve of this article.
2. It shall be the duty of the dog control officer of any municipality to bring an action against any person who has committed within such municipality any violation set forth in subdivision one of this section. Any municipality may elect either to prosecute such action as a violation under the penal law or to commence an action to recover a civil penalty.
A violation of this section shall be punishable, subject to such an election, either:
(a) where prosecuted pursuant to the penal law, by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars, except that (i) where the person was found to have violated this section or former article seven of this chapter within the preceding five years, the fine may be not less than fifty dollars, and (ii) where the person was found to have committed two or more such violations within the preceding five years, it shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars or imprisonment for not more than fifteen days, or both; or
(b) where prosecuted as an action to recover a civil penalty, by a civil penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars, except that (i) when the person was found to have violated this section or this article within the preceding five years, the civil penalty may be not less than fifty dollars, and (ii) where the person was found to have committed two or more such violations within the preceding five years, the civil penalty may be not less than one hundred dollars.
3. A defendant charged with a violation of any provision of this article or any local law or ordinance promulgated pursuant thereto may plead guilty to the charge in open court. He or she may also submit to the magistrate having jurisdiction, in person, by duly authorized agent, or by registered mail, a statement (a) that he or she waives arraignment in open court and the aid of counsel, (b) that he or she pleads guilty to the offense charged, (c) that he or she elects and requests that the charge be disposed of and the fine or penalty fixed by the court, (d) of any explanation that he or she desires to make concerning the offense charged, and (e) that he or she makes all statements under penalty of perjury. Thereupon the magistrate may proceed as though the defendant had been convicted upon a plea of guilty in open court, provided however, that any imposition of fine or penalty hereunder shall be deemed tentative until such fine or penalty shall have been paid and discharged in full. If upon receipt of the aforesaid statement the magistrate shall deny the same, he or she shall thereupon notify the defendant of this fact, and that he or she is required to appear before the said magistrate at a stated time and place to answer the charge which shall thereafter be disposed of pursuant to the applicable provisions of law.
4. Any person who intentionally refuses, withholds, or denies a person, because he or she is accompanied by an on-duty police work dog, working search, war, or detection dog as defined in section one hundred eight of this article, any accommodations, facilities, or privileges thereof shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to two hundred dollars for the first violation and up to four hundred dollars for each subsequent violation.
5. Any person who for the purpose of participating in the animal population control program shall falsify proof of adoption from a pound, shelter, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society or duly incorporated dog or cat protective association or who shall furnish any licensed veterinarian of this state with inaccurate information concerning his or her residency or the ownership of an animal or such person's authority to submit an animal for a spaying or neutering procedure pursuant to section one hundred seventeen-a of this article, and any veterinarian who shall furnish false information concerning animal sterilization fees shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars where prosecuted pursuant to the penal law, or where prosecuted as an action to recover a civil penalty of not more than two hundred fifty dollars.
Last modified: February 3, 2019