Pennsylvania bans breed-specific legislation, so no Lancaster County municipality may outlaw pit bulls or any breed. Dogs are instead regulated individually under the state's dangerous-dog law based on behavior, not breed.
State law (3 P.S. §459-507-A) expressly preempts local breed bans — municipalities cannot prohibit or restrict a dog based on its breed. Instead, any dog that inflicts severe injury without provocation, kills a domestic animal off the owner's property, or has a history of unprovoked attacks may be declared a "dangerous dog" by a Magisterial District Judge. A dog so declared must be kept in a secure, locked enclosure and, when outside it, muzzled and leashed under a responsible person's control. This applies uniformly across all Lancaster County municipalities regardless of breed.
Harboring a declared dangerous dog without registration/insurance is a misdemeanor; annual dangerous-dog registration is $500–$1,000 plus a $50,000 liability-insurance requirement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA
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See how Lancaster's breed restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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