Animal Ordinances in Allentown, PA

If you live in Allentown or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Allentown has 10 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Pet Limits

Allentown does not cap household pets by number directly, but City Code Chapter 163 defines any place keeping more than six dogs or domesticated animals over four months old as a 'kennel,' which is barred from residential zones. Pennsylvania's Dog Law also requires a state kennel license once an owner keeps a regulated number of dogs.

Key details: Kennel threshold: More than 6 dogs/domesticated animals over 4 months old. City Code: Chapter 163 (Animals) kennel definition. Residential zones: Kennels and pet shops not permitted (Ch. 660 Zoning). State licensing: PA Dog Law kennel license (3 P.S. Sec. 459-206).

Operating a kennel in a residential zone is a zoning violation enforceable under Chapter 660. Keeping or operating an unlicensed kennel under the state Dog Law carries fines of $100 to $500 per day (7 Pa. Code Sec. 21.4).

Chickens & Livestock

Allentown bans keeping livestock and fowl within the City. City Code Chapter 163 makes it unlawful to keep or maintain any cattle, swine, sheep, goats or fowl except at licensed slaughtering or laboratory locations, so backyard chickens, roosters, ducks and similar poultry are not permitted in residential areas.

Key details: Prohibited: Cattle, swine, sheep, goats, fowl (incl. chickens). City Code: Chapter 163 (Animals) (former Art. 700.13, Sec. 3). Exceptions: Slaughtering/laboratory sites; Allentown Fair (Lehigh County Ag. Society). Backyard hens: Not permitted in residential areas.

Keeping prohibited livestock or fowl is a Code violation abated by Animal Control and Code Enforcement; offenders may be cited and ordered to remove the animals. General penalties for Chapter 163 violations apply (fines plus removal of the animals at the owner's expense).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Allentown actively enforces its chickens & livestock requirements.

Breed Restrictions

Allentown cannot ban or restrict any dog breed. Pennsylvania's Dog Law (3 P.S. Sec. 459-507-A) expressly abrogates local dangerous-dog ordinances and forbids any municipality from prohibiting or limiting a specific breed, so breeds such as pit bulls and Rottweilers are legal citywide and are regulated only by behavior under the state dangerous-dog law.

Key details: Breed bans: Prohibited statewide (no breed-specific local law). Preemption statute: 3 P.S. Sec. 459-507-A (Construction of article). Regulated by: Behavior: state dangerous-dog law, not breed. Pit bulls / Rottweilers: Legal in Allentown.

Any local breed ban is unenforceable under 3 P.S. Sec. 459-507-A. Failure to comply with the state dangerous-dog registration and confinement requirements after a dog is adjudicated dangerous is a summary offense or misdemeanor under the Dog Law (3 P.S. Sec. 459-505-A; 7 Pa. Code Sec. 21.4).

The rules around breed restrictions in Allentown lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Wildlife Feeding

Section 425-6 of Allentown's Code prohibits feeding waterfowl anywhere in the city's parks and at the municipal golf course. Rangers and police enforce the ban alongside the companion rule against releasing animals into park waters, and violators face citation fines up to $1,000 under Chapter 425's penalty schedule.

Key details: Prohibited act: Feeding waterfowl in any city park or golf course. Governing section: Allentown Code § 425-6. Enforcement: Police Dept. and Parks & Recreation Bureau. Citation fine: $100 to $1,000 per offense. Related ban: § 425-7 bars releasing animals into parks.

A first violation is typically handled as a $100 violation ticket under § 425-25; paying within 10 days closes the matter, but waiting past that adds a $25 penalty for days 11 through 20. Unresolved tickets convert to a citation carrying a fine of $100 to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense.

Cat Rules

Allentown does not license cats, but it does regulate them: cats over three months must have current rabies vaccination, and declawing is banned except for therapeutic reasons. Ear-tipped community cats and their caregivers are exempt from licensing, at-large, nuisance, and abandonment rules.

Key details: Cat licensing: Not required (dogs only, § 163-2). Rabies vaccination: Required by age 3 months + 14 days. Community cat exemption: Licensing/at-large/nuisance/abandonment. Ear-tipping: Signals sterilized + vaccinated. Declawing: Banned except therapeutic purpose.

A general animal-control violation under Chapter 163 is enforced by citation, violation ticket ($25 or $100, with penalties for late payment), or a court fine of $50 to $1,000 under § 163-23, but community cats and their caregivers are carved out of the licensing, at-large, nuisance, and abandonment provisions entirely. Declawing a cat without a therapeutic purpose is a separate civil penalty of up to $500 per cat under § 163-18.1.

The rules around cat rules in Allentown lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Pet Store Rules

Allentown pet shops cannot sell dogs, cats, rabbits, or guinea pigs at all; only adoption partnerships with shelters or rescues are allowed. Shelters and rescues also cannot buy animals from breeders or auctions.

Key details: Governing article: Ch. 163, Art. III, Retail Pet Shops. Adopted: Ord. No. 15848, 10-19-2022. Banned sales: Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs. Allowed: Shelter/rescue adoption display in-store. Shelter/rescue purchase from breeders: Banned.

A retail pet shop that sells or offers to sell a dog, cat, or rabbit in violation of § 163-33, or a shelter or rescue that illegally purchases from a breeder or auction in violation of § 163-34, commits a violation punishable by a $600 fine under § 163-36.A, and each unlawful sale or offer of each individual animal counts as a separate violation. The Allentown Police Department enforces the article and keeps violation records on file.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Allentown actively enforces its pet store rules requirements.

Beekeeping

Allentown requires a no-fee registration certificate from the Bureau of Health to keep domestic bees. Hives are capped at one per 2,500 square feet of lot, five per lot maximum, and must sit 25 feet from property lines unless screened by a six-foot fence or hedge.

Key details: Registration: Required, no-fee, Bureau of Health. Renewal: Annual, expires Dec. 31. Colony density: 1 per 2,500 sq ft of lot. Max colonies per lot: 5. Hive setback: 25 ft (or screened/elevated exception).

Violating any provision of the beekeeping article, including keeping unregistered hives, exceeding the five-colony cap, or failing the 25-foot setback without qualifying screening, is punishable under § 163-32 by a fine of not more than $1,000, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense subject to a separate penalty.

Dog Leash Laws

Allentown bars animals from running at large: on public property they must be on a leash no longer than six feet, controlled by a person, and on private property they need the owner's consent. Violators face a violation ticket or citation.

Key details: Leash length (public property): 6 feet maximum. Private property: Owner consent required, any leash. Dogs in City parks: Only where Parks Director designates. Fecal cleanup: Immediate on others' property. Violation ticket fine: $25 or $100.

A leash-law violation is enforced under § 163-21 through 163-23: a City Official may issue a violation ticket of $25 or $100, with a $10 or $25 penalty added if unpaid or unappealed within 10 days, escalating to a citation after 20 days. A court citation for violating Chapter 163 carries a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 per offense, or imprisonment of up to 90 days, and an at-large dog may be impounded under § 163-5.

Exotic Pets

Allentown bans keeping any wild or exotic animal outside a zoo, veterinary clinic, humane society, or circus with adequate enclosures. The list covers wild canids, big cats, bears, weasels, raccoons, primates, venomous snakes, crocodilians, and venomous fish or invertebrates.

Key details: Governing section: § 163-13.A, keeping certain animals prohibited. Allowed locations: Zoo, vet clinic, humane society, licensed circus. Covered families: Canids, felids, bears, mustelids, primates, venomous snakes/fish. Sale/transfer: Banned, narrow pre-1981 grandfather clause. Court fine: $50 to $1,000 per offense.

Keeping, selling, or transferring a wild or exotic animal in violation of § 163-13 is enforced under the article's general penalty at § 163-23: a court fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 per offense, or imprisonment of up to 90 days, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The City Official may also seize and impound the animal and, if disposed of, direct that it be released to the wild, a zoo, or otherwise handled humanely at the owner's expense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Allentown actively enforces its exotic pets requirements.

Pet Groomer Rules

Pet groomers in Allentown are zoned under the "animal service" use category, § 660-37.B, alongside boarding, training and veterinary care. The ordinance splits the use into Indoor, Outdoor Limited (up to 12 pets, no overnight stays) and Outdoor General (more than 12 pets or overnight boarding) subcategories, each allowed in different zones under Table 660-4, so where a groomer can operate depends on which subcategory it fits.

Key details: Governing use category: Animal service, § 660-37.B. Indoor threshold: Fully enclosed, no outdoor exercise area. Outdoor limited cap: 12 pets max, no overnight boarding. Outdoor general trigger: Over 12 pets or overnight boarding. Zone permissions: Set by Table 660-4 per zone.

Operating an animal service business, including a grooming shop, without the zoning classification that matches its actual outdoor pet capacity is a zoning violation enforceable by the City's Zoning Officer under Chapter 660. A business classified as Indoor that runs an outdoor exercise area beyond what its approval allows can be cited for exceeding its approved use, and continued operation without correcting the classification or obtaining the proper zoning permit can result in a stop-work order and citation.

The Bottom Line

Allentown is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 10 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Allentown, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Allentown's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.