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The perception most people had that the Town of Lansing had a leash law turned out to be false until Wednesday night when the Town Board unanimously passed a revision to it's dog law.  While past laws had leash provisions, the 2009 revision had inadvertently removed the ability of the Town to exact fines for nuisance dogs.  Town Attorney Guy Krogh said the new law corrects problems that arose when a new law was put in place to comply with changes in New York State law.

"We have amended it periodically -- in 2004, 2006 and 2009 was the most recent," he said.  "That was because New York State dumped all the licensing as a giant unfunded mandate downhill on municipalities -- technically counties and towns, but not Villages.  So the Town adopted a local law in 2009 that was based upon a generic template.  It had some substantial infirmities beyond due process, it had some problems.  It first came back to the Town in 2009 and then last year from the Parks Department because they weren't able to write tickets for nuisance dogs in the parks because the dog law didn't actually apply to dogs that weren't on a leash."

The new law retains the licensing requirements, but now includes a requirement that any dog must be on a leash unless it is on the property of its owner.  An exemption is made for hunting dogs.  It also includes special rules for purebred dogs, kennels, and prohibits cruelty to dogs and requires reasonable confinement when a dog is in heat.. 

It can be expensive for dog owners who do not comply with the new law.

"Any person found guilty of any violation of this local law shall be subject to the following penalties," the law reads.  "(i) for a first violation, not less than $50.00 nor more than $150.00; (ii) for a second violation, being any violation committed within 2 years of any first violation, not less than $100.00 nor more than $250.00; and (iii) for any third or subsequent violation, being any violation committed within 2 years of any second violation, not less than $200.00 nor more than $500.00, or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 15 days, or both."

There are also fines of $200 for the first violation and up to $400 for subsequent violations when a person withholds "any accommodations, facilities, or privileges because he or she is accompanied by any statutorily listed Special Service Dog".

Once local laws are passed by the town government they go into effect as soon as they are filed with the New York State Comptroller's Office.

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