Pennsylvania state law prohibits municipalities from enacting breed-specific legislation that restricts dogs solely based on their breed or appearance.
The Pennsylvania Dog Law (3 P.S. Sec. 459-507-A) explicitly preempts municipalities from passing or enforcing ordinances that target specific breeds of dogs. No city, township, or borough may declare any dog dangerous or restrict ownership based solely on breed. Instead, dangerous dog determinations must follow the statewide criteria in Section 502-A based on individual behavior. This preemption has been upheld in cases including Commonwealth v. Hake. Breed-neutral regulations and individual dangerous dog hearings remain valid.
Municipal breed-specific ordinances are unenforceable. Affected owners can challenge enforcement in court and may recover legal costs against municipalities enforcing invalid bans.
Lancaster, PA
The City of Lancaster prohibits loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise across the city, with stricter standards during nighttime quiet hours of 10:00 PM to 7...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster regulates on-street parking through Chapter 263 of the City Code and the Lancaster Parking Authority. Most downtown blocks are metered or permit-on...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster's Zoning Code caps residential fences at 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in side and rear yards, with extra rules in the city's designated Heritag...
Lancaster, PA
Pennsylvania Act 43 of 2017 (72 P.S. §9401) legalized consumer-grade (1.4G) fireworks statewide for adults 18+, but Lancaster's dense rowhouse fabric makes d...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster requires property owners to keep grass and weeds under 10 inches in height on all residential and commercial lots. Chapter 235 (Property Maintenanc...
See how Lancaster's breed restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.