Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: Yes. Buffalo requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Buffalo City Code § 78-19.1(C). The city does not publish a set fine amount.
What the Buffalo ordinance says
| Ordinance | Buffalo City Code § 78-19.1(C) (Chapter 78, Animals, Article IV, Control of Dogs) |
|---|---|
| Fine | Could not verify |
| Must carry a bag | No |
| Service animal exemption | Yes |
How the penalty works
Not resolved from the code text. § 78-19.1(F) says violations of that section 'shall be punishable pursuant to Chapter 137,' but the Chapter 137 fine schedule (§ 137-7, last amended 7-9-2024) does not list § 78-19.1, and Chapter 137's Parking Violations Bureau jurisdiction list names only Chapter 78, Articles I and II. The Article IV penalty section, § 78-21, sets $15 for a first violation, $25 for a second and $50 for a third or subsequent violation of 'any provision of this article,' and § 78-16 sends Article IV cases to the Parking Violations Bureau. Which amount applies to a dog-waste ticket could not be confirmed from an official source, so no figure is recorded. Text read on Internet Archive copies of the official ecode360 pages because ecode360 blocks automated access (Article IV snapshot 2026-01-04, code current through 2025-09-02; Chapter 137 snapshot 2025-03-14). PHL § 1310 does not apply to Buffalo.
The carry rule
§ 78-19.1(C) requires removing the feces and depositing them in a sealed container lawfully used for refuse; it does not require carrying bags or equipment.
Service animals
The duty does not apply to a person who is disabled as defined in Agriculture and Markets Law § 108 and has custody of a guide, hearing or service dog as defined in that section.
How Buffalo compares
Unlike New York City ($250), Buffalo has no set ticket, so the amount is decided when a citation is heard.
In practice
Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.
Elsewhere in New York
New York dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: New York City dog poop law · Yonkers dog poop law. All 50 states.
Source
Checked 2026-09-10 against the Buffalo municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
