Animal Ordinances in Pittsburgh, PA (2026)
18 verified animal ordinances for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Pittsburgh allows up to 5 chickens or ducks on lots of 2,000+ sq ft, plus 1 bird per extra 1,000 sq ft. Roosters prohibited. Two dehorned goats permitted. $70 zoning permit required.
Pittsburgh Backyard Chickens and Small Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Pittsburgh requires all dogs on public property to be on a leash no longer than six feet, held by a person able to control the dog, under City Code Ch. 633. Off-leash use is permitted only at city-designated dog parks. PA Dog Law requires annual county licensing for dogs three months and older.
Pittsburgh Dog Leash Law – Maximum 6 Feet
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Pennsylvania does not have a statewide ban on breed-specific legislation. Some PA municipalities have breed restrictions, though they face legal challenges.
Pittsburgh Dog Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsBeekeeping
Pittsburgh permits up to 2 beehives on lots of at least 2,000 square feet (Chapter 473). State registration with the PA Department of Agriculture is required under PA Bee Law (3 P.S. §2101). If also keeping chickens/goats, the overall lot and combination rules apply.
Pittsburgh Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Pennsylvania prohibits possession of exotic wildlife without a PA Game Commission permit (34 Pa.C.S. §2961). Pittsburgh's zoning code (Chapter 473) restricts farm animals and does not permit exotic/wild animals as pets. Only domestic animals and permitted livestock listed in the Use Regulations are allowed.
Pittsburgh Exotic & Wild Animal Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Pittsburgh regulates wildlife feeding through City Code Ch. 636 and nuisance provisions. PA Game Commission regulation 58 Pa. Code 137.33 prohibits feeding certain wildlife statewide.
Pittsburgh Wildlife Feeding Regulations
Some RestrictionsLivestock
Pittsburgh permits 2 dehorned goats and up to 5 chickens/ducks on lots of 2,000+ sq ft. Horses, cattle, and pigs are prohibited in residential zones. $70 zoning permit required.
Pittsburgh Livestock Regulations and Urban Agriculture
Some RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Pittsburgh treats animal hoarding as cruelty under Pennsylvania Title 18 §5532, with Animal Care and Control authorized to seize neglected animals and refer cases for prosecution by the Allegheny County District Attorney.
Pittsburgh Animal Hoarding Response
Heavy RestrictionsPet Limits
Pittsburgh Title 5 caps the number of dogs and cats kept at a single residence to prevent nuisance conditions, with higher counts treated as a kennel requiring zoning approval under Title 9.
Pittsburgh Household Pet Number Limits
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Pittsburgh does not require a city cat license, but cats running at large can trigger Title 5 nuisance enforcement, and rabies vaccination is mandatory under Pennsylvania law for any cat over twelve weeks of age.
Pittsburgh Cat Licensing and Roaming Rules
Few RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
Pittsburgh shelters and rescue partners must sterilize dogs and cats before adoption under Pennsylvania's Dog Purchaser Protection Act and Pittsburgh Animal Care and Control adoption policy, with limited medical exemptions.
Pittsburgh Spay-Neuter for Adopted Animals
Some RestrictionsMicrochipping
Pittsburgh does not legally require pet microchipping, but Animal Care and Control microchips every adopted animal and uses chip scans as the primary tool for reuniting strays with owners citywide.
Pittsburgh Pet Microchipping Standards
Few RestrictionsCoyote Management
Pittsburgh follows Pennsylvania Game Commission coyote policy under 34 Pa.C.S. with no city bounty or trapping program, focusing on hazing, secured trash, and reporting aggressive behavior to the Game Commission for case-by-case action.
Pittsburgh Coyote Coexistence Guidance
Few RestrictionsPet Store Rules
Pittsburgh restricts retail pet stores from selling commercially bred dogs, cats, and rabbits, requiring sourcing from rescues or shelters under a 2021 ordinance modeled on Pennsylvania's evolving humane pet sale standards.
Pittsburgh Retail Pet Sale Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsPet Groomer Rules
Pittsburgh pet grooming businesses must hold a city business privilege license and comply with Title 9 zoning for animal services, with health and sanitation standards overseen by the Allegheny County Health Department.
Pittsburgh Pet Groomer Operating Rules
Some RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic Zoning
Pittsburgh Title 9 zoning permits veterinary clinics and animal hospitals in commercial and mixed-use districts subject to soundproofing, waste handling, and overnight boarding limits set through use-by-right or special exception review.
Pittsburgh Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsBird Protection
Pittsburgh participates in Lights Out programs to reduce migratory bird collisions, and federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act protections under 16 U.S.C. §703 apply to nest disturbance, supplemented by Game Commission rules for resident species.
Pittsburgh Bird-Safe Building Practices
Few RestrictionsWildlife Rescue Permits
Wildlife rehabilitators operating in Pittsburgh must hold a Pennsylvania Game Commission permit under 34 Pa.C.S. §2901, with additional federal permits for migratory birds and Title 9 zoning compliance for rehabilitation facilities.
Pittsburgh Wildlife Rehabilitation Permits
Some RestrictionsLooking for Allegheny County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Pittsburgh city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Allegheny County →