Erie's Codified Ordinances regulate animals in Article 505 (Animals and Fowl) of the General Offenses Code, and Erie's Zoning Ordinance does not list keeping of chickens, fowl, or livestock as a permitted use in residential districts. The practical effect is that backyard chickens and other agricultural animals are not allowed by right inside Erie city limits; keeping such animals invites both Article 505 enforcement and zoning citations from the Department of Code Enforcement. Pennsylvania does not preempt local livestock-keeping rules.
Erie's Codified Ordinances are hosted at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/erie/ and Article 505 (Animals and Fowl) sits within Title Five (General Offenses Code) of Part Five. The article addresses nuisance animals, running at large, and animal-noise complaints, but does not contain an express urban-poultry framework granting backyard chickens as a by-right use. Erie's Zoning Ordinance (Part Twelve, Planning and Zoning Code) limits residential districts (R-1, R-2, RLB, RMB, RHB) to single-family, two-family, and multi-family dwellings plus accessory uses customarily incidental to a residence — chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats, sheep, swine, and other agricultural animals are not listed as customary accessory uses in residential zones. Erie's animal-control field operations are handled by the Erie Bureau of Animal Enforcement working with the Erie Humane Society (Anna M. Shelter Center) under contract; sheltering is provided at the A.N.N.A. Shelter at 1555 East 10th Street. Pennsylvania has not preempted municipal authority over livestock; under the Third Class City Code each city sets its own rules. Surrounding Erie County townships such as Millcreek, Harborcreek, and Summit allow backyard chickens by right subject to setbacks and flock caps — call the City of Erie Department of Code Enforcement at 814-870-1480 to confirm the zoning status of your address before acquiring birds.
Keeping chickens or other agricultural animals inside Erie city limits is enforceable through a combination of Article 505 nuisance citations and Zoning Ordinance citations from the Department of Code Enforcement. Penalties under the General Offenses Code typically run $100 to $1,000 per occurrence as a summary offense, with daily continuing-violation penalties and abatement orders requiring removal of the animals. Zoning violations carry separate fines under Erie Codified Ordinances Part Twelve plus cease-and-desist orders.
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See how Erie's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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