Pennsylvania's Dog Laws

• All dogs must be licensed when you buy or adopt them (earliest is 8 weeks old) or 3 months of age, whichever comes first, by Jan. 1 of each year. Licenses are issued by the County Treasurer.
• All dogs must be under control and must not be allowed to run at large. Dogs are personal property, and owners are responsible for damages caused by their dog.
• It is illegal to mistreat or abuse any animal. Violations should be reported to a local humane organization or the police.
• It is illegal to abandon or attempt to abandon any dog.
• No dog under eight weeks of age may be sold, traded, bartered, auctioned, or transferred.
• You may not place any poison or harmful substance in any place where dogs may easily eat it, whether it is your own property or elsewhere.
• A kennel license is required by the Department for, “any establishment in or through which at least 26 dogs are kept or transferred in a calendar year, or a boarding kennel as defined in this act.
• Dogs and cats 3 months of age or older are required to have a current rabies vaccination.  
• It is illegal to interfere with an officer or employee of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture engaged in enforcement of dog laws.

• Licensing – ensuring both individual dogs and those meeting the kennel requirements are licensed;
• Investigating illegal kennel operations known as “puppy mills;”
• Inspections – inspecting all state-licensed kennels and registered dangerous dogs a minimum of twice annually;
• Investigating dog bites and placing quarantines;
• Maintaining a statewide Dangerous Dog Registry;
• Picking up and transporting stray dogs to an approved kennel;
• And reimbursing farmers for damages to livestock caused by dogs or coyotes

In an effort to ensure that consumers buying a dog in Pennsylvania know their new pet has a clean bill of health, Pennsylvania's dog sellers and breeders must now post a visible notice that informs consumers of their rights under the state's Dog Purchaser Protection Act, also known as the "Puppy Lemon Law".  Sellers and breeders must also provide a written copy of the consumer's rights at the time of the sale.

For more information on Pennsylvania's "Puppy Lemon Law", or to file a complaint, visit the Office of the Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection