Bristol, PA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

An animal hospital in Bristol Borough is Use 3A in the Zoning Code, § 27-320: a building, structure, or area of land where animals are given medical care, other than the premises where such animals are normally kept. The Code sorts these hospitals by the animals they treat. Hospitals treating small animals (the Code's examples are cats, birds and exotic animals) need a lot of at least 20,000 square feet, and hospitals treating large animals (cattle, horses) need at least 40,000 square feet.

Every building in which animals are housed or provided care must stand at least 20 feet from all lot lines and be adequately soundproofed so that sounds generated within the building cannot be perceived at the lot lines. Outdoor animal runs are allowed only for small animals, and only with a visual barrier at least four feet in height between the runs and a double evergreen screen at least six feet in height around them. No animal can use the outdoor runs from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Boarding is prohibited, except for animals undergoing medical treatment, unless the boarding facility meets all requirements for Use 4P Kennel. Those requirements include buildings and runs at least 100 feet from all lot lines, soundproofing, the same four-foot visual barrier and six-foot evergreen screen around outdoor runs, a fence not less than six feet in height around training areas set no closer than 12 feet from any property line, and a license under the Dog Law of 1982.

Bristol Borough lists Animal Hospital as a special exception in the HC-1 Highway Commercial West and HC-2 Highway Commercial East districts. The Zoning Hearing Board authorizes special exceptions under the standards in § 27-804, Subsection 6B.