York County has no exotic-pet ordinance. In Pennsylvania, keeping exotic wildlife such as big cats, bears, wolves, and venomous reptiles requires a permit from the PA Game Commission under the Game and Wildlife Code. Your borough or township may add local restrictions through zoning.
Pennsylvania regulates dangerous wild animals at the state level. Under the PA Game and Wildlife Code (34 Pa.C.S.) and Game Commission regulations, possessing 'exotic wildlife' - including bears, coyotes, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, cougars, wolves, and similar species - requires an Exotic Wildlife Possession Permit, with caging, insurance, and experience standards. Venomous and certain native reptiles are separately regulated. York County itself issues no exotic-pet permits and has no countywide list of banned species; enforcement of the state permit rules is by the PA Game Commission and PA Fish and Boat Commission. On top of the state permit, your borough or township may prohibit or restrict keeping wild or dangerous animals through its zoning or nuisance ordinance, so a
Possessing exotic wildlife without the required PA Game Commission permit is a violation of the Game and Wildlife Code, enforced by state wildlife conservation officers, and can carry fines and seizure of the animal. Local zoning or nuisance violations are
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York County, PA
The York County Solid Waste Authority actively encourages backyard composting and mulch-mowing and runs a county yard-waste drop-off at the Resource Recovery...
York County, PA
York County has no rule on artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any permit or stormwater requirement, is decided by your borough, city, o...
York County, PA
York County does not require or ban native-plant landscaping. Native meadows and pollinator gardens are legal and encouraged, but any 'natural landscaping' e...
York County, PA
Pennsylvania places no restriction on collecting rainwater, and York County does not ban it. Rain barrels and cisterns for garden use are legal statewide; la...
York County, PA
York County imposes no countywide lawn-watering restriction. Limits, if any, are set by your water supplier (such as the York Water Company) or your municipa...
York County, PA
York County has no countywide weed ordinance. Noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation are declared a nuisance and abated by your borough, the City of York, or...
See how York County's exotic pets rules stack up against other locations.
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