Animal Ordinances in Philadelphia, PA (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Philadelphia generally prohibits keeping chickens, poultry, and livestock; farm animals (other than pigs) are allowed only on parcels of three or more acres, plus narrow exceptions like slaughterhouses, zoos, and vet clinics.
Farm Animals Banned Except on 3+ Acre Lots
Heavy RestrictionsCity of Philadelphia, Bill No. 040566 (Certified Copy, passed June 21, 2004), amending Phila. Code Secs. 10-112 (Keeping Farm Animals) and 10-101(8) (Definitions)
Sec. 10-112. Keeping Farm Animals. (1) No person shall keep a farm animal anywhere except: (a) at a licensed slaughterhouse or commercial retailer of live animals sold to be killed for use as food; (b) if the animal was purchased to be killed for food and is kept for no more than 24 hours; (c) at a zoological park; (d) at a veterinary hospital or clinic; (e) at an animal shelter; (f) at a circu...
Dog Leash Laws
Dogs and most other animals off their owner's property must be on a leash no longer than six feet, with a person able to control them.
Philadelphia Dogs Must Be Leashed
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-104(1)
No person shall permit any animal other than a sterilized cat to go at large upon any street, public place or private property other than the property of the owner of the animal. All animals, other than sterilized cats, using any street, public place or private property of anyone other than the owner of the animal shall be on a leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length including the handgrip b...
Breed Restrictions
Philadelphia has no breed-specific dog ban. Pennsylvania's Dog Law preempts breed-specific legislation, expressly barring any local ordinance from prohibiting or limiting a specific breed of dog.
No Breed Bans; State Law Preempts BSL
Few Restrictions3 Pa. Stat. (P.S.) Sec. 459-507-A(c) (Dog Law, Article V-A, Construction of article)
Those provisions of local ordinances relating to dangerous dogs are hereby abrogated. A local ordinance otherwise dealing with dogs may not prohibit or otherwise limit a specific breed of dog.
Exotic Pets
Philadelphia Code § 10-106 bans keeping wild animals, lions, wolves, venomous snakes, alligators, primates, anywhere except zoos, circuses, or licensed educational facilities, with narrow grandfather licensing for animals owned before the ordinance passed.
Philadelphia Bans Wild Animals as Pets
Heavy RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-106(1)
Wild Animals Prohibited. No person shall keep a wild animal in any place other than a zoological park, veterinary hospital or clinic, humane society, circus or facility used for educational or scientific purposes, which provides proper cages, fences and other protective devices adequate to prevent such animal from escaping or injuring the public. No license shall be required of persons exempted...
Wildlife Feeding
Philadelphia Code Section 10-110 makes it unlawful to feed any pigeon in a public street, square, park, or other place of public resort. The ban is enforced under Chapter 10-100's general animal penalties, with a $150 to $300 fine and a steeper repeat-violation charge for anyone cited more than once.
Philadelphia Bans Feeding Pigeons in Public
Heavy RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-110(1); § 10-115(1)-(2)
§ 10-110. Feeding Pigeons. (1) No person shall feed any pigeon in any public street, square, park, or place of public resort. ... § 10-115. Penalties and Sanctions. (1) Except as provided, the penalty for violation of any Section of this Chapter is a fine of no less than one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and no more than three hundred dollars ($300). (2) Repeat Offenders. Any person who commits,...
Pet Limits
Philadelphia caps a residence at no more than twelve adult dogs or cats combined, of which no more than two dogs and two cats may be unsterilized, unless it is a registered kennel or has a waiver.
Twelve-Animal Limit on Dogs and Cats
Some RestrictionsCity of Philadelphia, Bill No. 120049 (Certified Copy, passed June 14, 2012), amending Phila. Code Sec. 10-103(8) (Maximum Number of Dogs and Cats Allowed)
Maximum Number of Dogs and Cats Allowed. Except in connection with the operation of a registered kennel, or unless the Animal Control Agency has granted a waiver pursuant to such regulations as it may establish, no more than twelve (12) adult dogs or cats combined, of which no more than two (2) dogs and two (2) cats may be unsterilized, may be kept-- (a) on a parcel of land on which only one re...
Cat Rules
Philadelphia exempts sterilized cats from its at-large and leash law, and lets Animal Control sterilize and release feral cats back to their colony.
Sterilized Cats Exempt From Leash Law
Light RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code Section 10-104(1), (3)
No person shall permit any animal other than a sterilized cat to go at large upon any street, public place or private property other than the property of the owner of the animal... The Animal Control Agency may, upon finding a cat to be feral, sterilize such cat and release it back to the cat's colony.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Philadelphia Code Section 10-109 bars animal shelters from releasing a dog or cat for adoption, and animal retailers from selling one, unless a licensed veterinarian has sterilized the animal first. Narrow medical, foster-care, and working-dog exceptions apply, and retailers that sell unsterilized pets can be fined and shut down for up to a year.
Philadelphia Requires Sterilizing Shelter, Retail Pets
Significant RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-109(1)-(2)
(1) Sterilization of Adopted Dogs and Cats. No animal shelter shall release a dog or cat to a person for adoption unless the animal has been sterilized by a licensed veterinarian; provided, however, that such requirement shall not apply under the following circumstances: (a) A licensed veterinarian certifies that he or she has examined the dog or cat and found that, because of a medical reason,...
Pet Store Rules
Philadelphia pet shops cannot sell a dog or cat unless it comes from an animal care facility or rescue organization, and no dog or cat under eight weeks old may be sold.
Philadelphia Pet Shops: Rescue-Only Sales
Heavy RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-117(1)-(2)
(1) No pet shop shall offer for sale any dog or cat unless it has obtained the dog or cat from, or displays the dog or cat in cooperation with, an animal care facility or an animal rescue organization. (2) No pet shop shall offer for sale a dog or cat that is younger than eight weeks old.
Pet Groomer Rules
Philadelphia Code Section 10-103(6) makes every groomer, along with veterinarians, animal shelters, retailers, and boarding kennels, a dog-licensing agent for the city's Animal Control Agency. Subsection (7)(b) then requires groomers to check a dog's license before providing services and to report unlicensed dogs, or collect the license fee themselves.
Philadelphia Groomers Must Verify Dog Licenses
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-103(6), (7)(b)
(6) Authorization to Dispense and Accept License Applications. Application for any dog license shall be made to the Animal Control Agency. Every veterinarian, veterinary hospital, animal shelter, animal retailer, boarding kennel, and groomer shall act as a dog licensing agent for the Animal Control Agency, under such regulations as the Agency shall develop. Dog licensing agents may charge a pro...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Philadelphia zoning files animal hospitals under "Boarding and Other Services," a use marked not-allowed in every commercial and residential district and permitted only by special exception in I-1/I-2 industrial zones.
Vet Hospitals Barred From Philly Commercial Zones
Significant Restrictions§ 14-601(7)(b)(.1); Table 14-602-2 (§ 14-602)
Boarding and Other Services. Boarding facilities for horses and similar animals, including public and commercial stables... animal shelters; kennel services for dogs, cats and small animals, including boarding kennels, and pet resorts/hotels; dog training centers; animal hospitals; household pet crematory services; or taxidermy services. ... Table 14-602-2: Uses Allowed in Commercial Districts ...
Bird Protection
Philadelphia's Animal chapter flatly bars capturing, wounding or killing any bird within the city, unless done in accordance with Title 6 of the Code. A first violation draws a fine of $150 to $300 under the chapter's general penalty section, and a second offense becomes a Repeat Violation carrying up to $300 in fines, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Philadelphia Bans Capturing or Killing Birds
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code § 10-111; § 10-115(1), (2)
§ 10-111. Killing Birds. (1) No person shall capture, wound, or kill any bird except in accordance with the provisions of Title 6. ... § 10-115. Penalties and Sanctions. (1) Except as provided, the penalty for violation of any Section of this Chapter is a fine of no less than one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and no more than three hundred dollars ($300). ... (2) Repeat Offenders. Any person who...