Delaware County sets no livestock ordinance. Whether you can keep cattle, horses, goats, pigs, or sheep is decided by your borough or township zoning under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Densely developed Delco municipalities generally bar livestock; only lower-density townships permit it on qualifying lots.
Livestock keeping is a land-use matter, and in Pennsylvania land use belongs to municipalities, not counties. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247, 53 P.S. §10101 et seq.), each Delaware County borough, township, or city decides through its zoning ordinance whether farm animals are permitted, minimum lot sizes, animal-unit limits, and setbacks from property lines and dwellings. Because Delco is a built-out Philadelphia suburb, most municipalities restrict or prohibit livestock in residential districts, reserving them for agricultural or large-lot zones. The county's role is limited to Health Department oversight (on-lot sewage, vector control) and does not include livestock permitting. Confirm the rules with your township zoning officer.
Enforced by each municipality as a zoning violation — commonly daily fines under the MPC plus an order to remove animals kept in a prohibited district.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting is legal across Delaware County and encouraged by the county's Act 101 recycling program. There is no county compost permit, but municipa...
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Delaware County sets no rule on artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any impervious-coverage or stormwater conditions, is decided by your...
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Delaware County has no rule against native-plant or meadow landscaping. Native gardens are encouraged for stormwater and pollinator benefits, but you must st...
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Rainwater harvesting is legal in Pennsylvania and Delaware County has no ban. The county and its municipalities generally encourage rain barrels and cisterns...
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Delaware County publishes no lawn-watering schedule. Mandatory outdoor-water restrictions in Pennsylvania take effect only when the Governor declares a droug...
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There is no Delaware County weed ordinance. Each municipality bans noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation through its own property-maintenance code. Lower Ch...
See how Delaware County's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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