State guide
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania splits animal issues among local agencies for domestic animals, the Pennsylvania Game Commission for wildlife, the Department of Agriculture for domestic-animal rabies matters, and the Department of Health for human exposure questions. The official statewide wildlife help page is the Game Commission’s ‘Request Help With Wildlife’ service page, while city animal control in large municipalities is handled locally, such as ACCT Philly and Pittsburgh Animal Care & Control.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who handles animal control locally
- Pennsylvania animal control is highly local: major cities such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh run their own animal control operations, while other communities may use local officers or contracted agencies.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- Pennsylvania Game Commission
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- Pennsylvania says all animal bites must be reported by the medical professional to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
- State rabies contact
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
Official resources in Pennsylvania
Official wildlife help page for nuisance, sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife issues, with dispatch and rehabilitator links.
State rabies page for domestic animals, quarantines, reporting basics, and Department of Agriculture contact information.
Public health rabies page for human exposure questions and urgent vaccine guidance.
Service page stating that medical professionals who treat bitten or scratched patients must submit a report and specimens to the Department of Health.
Key facts for Pennsylvania
- The Pennsylvania Game Commission says all wildlife is protected, though certain nuisance animals can be removed if they are causing damage to crops, property, or people.
- The Game Commission’s wildlife help page includes centralized dispatch at 1-833-PGC-WILD.
- Pennsylvania says all animal bites in the state must be reported by the medical professional to the Department of Health.
- The Department of Health says people concerned about rabies exposure should call 877-PA HEALTH.
- Pittsburgh Animal Care & Control says it serves City residents with domestic-animal and wildlife situations.
- Philadelphia’s animal control page says emergencies involving an animal can be reported 24 hours a day.
Local animal control offices in Pennsylvania
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT Philly / City animal control contact Philadelphia | Philadelphia | (267) 385-3800 | City page for emergency and non-emergency animal control complaints; emergencies involving an animal can be reported 24 hours a day. |
| Pittsburgh Bureau of Animal Care & Control Allegheny | Pittsburgh | Not published* | City bureau serving Pittsburgh residents with domestic-animal and wildlife situations; after-hours emergencies are handled separately on the city page. |
| Scranton Police Department - Animal Control Officers Lackawanna | Scranton | 570.348.4134 | Animal control officers are listed on the Scranton Police Department page. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If a person may have been exposed to rabies, contact medical care promptly and call 877-PA HEALTH for public health guidance.
- For wildlife conflicts or injured wildlife, start with the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife help page and dispatch options.
- For domestic-animal emergencies in major cities, use the local city animal control office rather than waiting on a statewide wildlife response.
Not seeing your office or county?
Not every office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Pennsylvania's population center, for comparison only):
- Baltimore City Office of Animal Control, Maryland · about 82 miles
- Animal Control, Delaware · about 84 miles
- Animal Control Officer, Delaware · about 84 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture - Rabies
Website →Phone: (717) 772-2852 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Pennsylvania page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.