Lower Paxton, PA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Chapter 203, Zoning, of the Lower Paxton Township Code was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on 5-19-2025 by Ord. No. 25-01. Section 203-202 defines an animal grooming facility as a retail establishment providing bathing, trimming and grooming services for small domestic animals on a commercial basis, and states that it does not include medical or surgical treatment or overnight boarding facilities. That wording keeps a groomer in a different use category from an animal hospital, which handles treatment, and from a kennel.

The kennel definition draws the line in hours and animal counts. A kennel is a use where four or more domestic animals or pets six months or older are bred, trained, and/or boarded for compensation for more than 12 consecutive hours. Animal day cares and animal grooming facilities where pets are not on-site for more than 12 consecutive hours are not considered kennels. A groomer that keeps pets past 12 consecutive hours therefore risks being classed as a kennel.

Where a grooming facility can locate is set by Table 1, the Table of Authorized Principal Uses, under § 203-305. The letter P is a permitted use by right, subject to the chapter's requirements and a zoning certificate issued under Article XII; C is a conditional use granted by the Board of Supervisors under Article VI; SE is a special exception granted by the Zoning Hearing Board under Article VII. Every entry printed in the Animal grooming facility row of Table 1 is a P. Section 203-305(A)(2) adds that any use not expressly listed for a district is not permitted there.

Parking is set in § 203-903, Table 1 Parking Ratio Requirements: 2 spaces per grooming station plus 1 per employee. Pet grooming also appears in the list of home occupations in § 203-519(B)(10)(g). Those home occupations must be conducted wholly within the principal or accessory building, use no more than 25% of the gross floor area of the dwelling unit, employ no more than two persons who are not family members, and keep business hours no later than 8:00 p.m.