The City of Ithaca and Tompkins County Whole Health are urging dog owners to practice responsible pet ownership, especially in densely populated areas like downtown.
Officials say urban environments require extra care when it comes to managing pets, due to limited green space and close interactions between people and animals. To help ensure the safety and well-being of both, the city enforces several animal-related codes.
The City of Ithaca and Tompkins County Whole Health offered these safety tips for pets in the city:
- Bag Your Pet’s Waste and Throw It Away in the Trash. Bags for waste collection are available for free in locations on the Commons, outside City Hall, in Stewart and Cass Park, and in several private green spaces around the city. Trash bins are also located in multiple locations throughout the City.
- Keep Your Pet Close to You on a Leash. Leashes help to keep your pet from chasing, leaping on, or harming people or other animals. Consider using a harness as well as a short leash that gives you better control and keeps your animal close.
- Give Your Pet Time in Green Space. Bring your dog outside for exercise and fresh air as much as possible. It is recommended to do so at least three times a day. Find grassy areas for your dog to use. Consider walking to a park or other green space near where you live. There is a dog park located at 805 Taughannock Blvd (Cass Park/Treman Marina area).
- Train Your Animal to Follow Commands. Teaching simple commands like: “sit, stay, heel, leave it, and come” can keep your dog safer and close to you.
- Respect Service Animals Supporting People with Disabilities. Respect the service animal handler’s instructions. Speak to the handler, not the animal. Give service animals space, avoid blocking their path or distracting them, and ask before petting. Keep your dog close and under control when near a service animal.
To maintain a safe environment for people and pets, the City of Ithaca enforces several codes related to dogs and other animals. Non-compliance with City Code related to pet ownership may result in ticketing and fines. Tompkins County Animal Control and the Ithaca Police Department conduct enforcement on behalf of the City.
- Dog licenses are required for all dogs and must be renewed annually (https://ithacacityny.portal.opengov.com/categories/1086)
- Dogs must be leashed while in public spaces
- Dogs may not chase, leap on, or otherwise harm other people or animals (owners can be held responsible for injuries caused by their dogs)
- Barking should not cause disruptions beyond your property line
- “Pooper Scooper” law requires dog owners to bag and throw away dog feces
- In New York, all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies by the time they are four months old. A second vaccination is required within one year of the first dose, with booster shots needed annually or every three years, depending on the vaccine used.
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