AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MAYOR, BOT AND VILLAGE MANAGER

An open letter to the Mayor, BOT and village manager,

Your proposed domestic and farm animal laws would clearly make it illegal for one to house small pet reptiles and amphibians in tanks in the house because they have a very small piece of property and many people are certainly not fifty feet from the property line in any direction.

Please explain if the village would come after people for fish, reptiles, amphibians, rabbits or Guinea pigs living in enclosures inside the home if they are closer than fifty feet away from a property line.

Many neighbors and residents here keep these types of small animals which are perfectly legal to own and can be purchased at most pet stores and the Reptile Show that happens 4-6 times a year at the Westchester County Center with much enthusiasm.

I highly recommend you remove the section in your proposed law (see below) as many people all over Croton and Westchester County own and enjoy these pets. It’s ridiculous and highly restrictive. It’s also totalitarian and just because members of the BOE don’t own reptiles or small animals like this doesn’t mean they should attempt to ban them legally from small homes or apartments. These animals bring people much joy. Why would you want to attempt to take that away especially when they are legal to own and are commonly owned.

Please change or throw out your proposed law and I also stand against banning chickens and pigeons.

Does the village plan on coming into people’s personal homes, bedrooms and private spaces and measuring out the property lines from a tanked animal’s enclosures? If they are closer than fifty feet from the property line, will they then be made to remove or kill the animal to comply with this nonsensical village law?

Who dreams up these poorly written laws designed to punish people for no reason?

—Jessica Dieckman


INTRODUCTORY LOCAL LAW NO. 10 OF 2026

§230-40 J. Keeping of Animals--(1) the keeping of domestic animals for individual domestic purposes or as pets, provided that no domestic animals, except dogs or cats, shall be penned or housed within 50 feet of any lot line.