Reading requires all dogs off their owner's property to be on a leash and under the control of a person able to manage them. The local rule is reinforced by the Pennsylvania Dog Law (3 P.S. §459-305), which prohibits dogs from running at large. All dogs three months and older must be licensed annually through Berks County.
Reading regulates domestic animals primarily under Chapter 165 of the city code and the Pennsylvania Dog Law (3 P.S. §459-101 et seq.). Whenever a dog is off the owner's premises, it must be on a leash and under the control of a person physically able to restrain it. Pennsylvania's statewide dog law backstops the local rule: §459-305 makes it unlawful for any dog to run at large, and §459-502-A defines a "dangerous dog" based on the dog's behavior (severe injury, attack without provocation, or threat to public safety).
All dogs three months of age or older must be licensed annually. In Pennsylvania, dog licenses are issued by the county treasurer; for Reading residents that is the Berks County Treasurer. License fees vary by whether the dog is spayed/neutered. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required for licensing.
Reading's pooper-scooper rule (Chapter 165) requires owners to immediately remove and dispose of their dog's waste from any public sidewalk, street, park, or another person's property. The city does not operate dedicated off-leash dog parks, so leashes are required in all public spaces. Dangerous-dog complaints are investigated jointly by Reading Police and the PA Dog Warden assigned to Berks County.
Leash violations: $50–$200 first offense; up to $300 for repeat offenses. Failure to license a dog: $300 maximum under PA Dog Law. Failure to clean up waste: $50–$100. Dangerous-dog designation triggers mandatory confinement, insurance, and registration requirements with the PA Department of Agriculture, plus fines of $500–$1,000 per violation.
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See how Reading's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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