Animal Complaints

Most wildlife concerns are governed and handled by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources. The animal shelter will only pick up injured wildlife for humane purposes. Residents are encouraged to call the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at (877) 457-5680 or (631) 444-0250 in Stony Brook with any issues and concerns regarding wildlife. In most cases, a licensed wildlife handler will need to be called out to your property to remove any wildlife that are roaming, trapped, threatening or injured on or near your property. Babylon Animal Shelter will assist Town residents with injured wildlife concerns if it poses a threat or of an immediate concern.

Licensed trappers are qualified to assist residents with concerns involving raccoons, opossums, and squirrels. Contact information for licensed trappers can be found listed in the Yellow Pages under either "pests", "trappers", or "wildlife specialists." For additional information, you can contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at (631) 444-0310.

Residents are encouraged to call Volunteers for Wildlife at (631) 423-0928 or the Star Foundation at (631) 736-8270 for concerns involving birds, ducks, geese and other fowl wildlife.

Town code states that no household should have more than four (4) dogs residing in the home at the same time. New York State law dictates that all dogs must be licensed, be current on their rabies vaccinations and leashed when off of their property. The Shelter recommends all dogs and cats be spayed/neutered.

Victims of dog bites are urged to contact the Suffolk County Police Department to file a police report, if warranted. Their direct number is (631) 854-8100. Otherwise, for health concerns related to a dog bite, questions should be directed to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services at (631) 843-0421. Reports of dog bites should also be referred to the Suffolk County Board of Health at (631) 852-5900 as well as the Animal Shelter at (631) 643-9270.

An affidavit must be filed for all barking dog complaints. Residents are encouraged to call the Animal Shelter at (631) 643-9270 and a representative will walk them through the process.

The Shelter accepts all breeds of dogs.

For full details, contact the Animal Shelter at (631) 643-9270. All dangerous dog incidents should be recorded with contact information, addresses and phone numbers. If police reports and witness reports exist, those should accompany the complaint to the Animal Shelter. Witness reports and neighbor statements should be notarized. Dangerous dog complaints are heard at the Second District Court located at 30 East Hoffman Avenue, Lindenhurst, NY. The phone number is (631) 854-1121. There is a filing fee for all complaints brought to the Court.

If an animal violation is not witnessed by an Animal Control Officer, all complaints need to be filed through an affidavit and submitted to the Animal Shelter. Affidavits are available for pick up at the Shelter or can be mailed when requested. Call (631) 643-9270 for details.

In the State of New York, cats are considered free roaming animals and, as such, are not labeled as "stray" animals. As a result, the Shelter does not pick up stray cats. The Town does not set a limit to the number of cats a household can own. The Shelter acknowledges and supports Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) programs. Currently, there is a low cost TNR program for town residents and businesses caring for feral cats. For more information, call the Animal Shelter at (631) 643-9270.

Feral cats are an international problem as well as a local problem. Understanding and solving the feral cat problem on a local level here in Babylon involves several key factors: Cats: Feral cats are the offspring of domestic cats that have not been socialized or domesticated. Cats in general are highly territorial and they will not roam very far from where they were born. Community: Feral cats are a community problem and likely occur because of neglect and miscommunication. When cats who are not spayed or neutered are allowed to be outdoors for long periods of time roaming a community, the likelihood of feral cats increases. The Town of Babylon's Department of Animal Control provides its community with several resources to curtail the feral cat population: • Supplies residents and caregivers state of the art traps for the TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return) of the feral cats • Supplies low cost $35 TNR vouchers so there is no cost to the residents and caregivers • Hosts regular seminars on the TNR program Circumstances: Each colony of feral cats is unique, as are the dynamics and circumstances of the location. Feral cats also generally don't leave a community because of lack of food, on the contrary removing the food source will force the cats to roam further for food, cause them stress, and make them quite unhealthy. Communication: Civil communication between parties affected by feral cats is a key factor in resolving the inevitable differences caused by the presence of feral cats. The caregiver cannot assume that everyone has the same devotion to cats as they do. It helps in the longterm to acknowledge the caregivers right to provide proper care for the cats as well as understanding that some neighbors to not share the same devotion. If all neighbors communicate and share a common plan to solve the feral cat problem, results will be swifter and tangible. Cooperation: All people in a neighborhood are affected by feral cats; if the entire community works together to control the problem, results can be that much more swifter and tangible. Time: It takes time to control a feral cat problem in a neighborhood. Please be patient as the community and TOB representatives work together towards a common solution.