Reading Backyard Chickens, Goats Face Permit Rules

Households keeping chickens, ducks, or goats in Reading need an exotic animal permit, which costs $100 the first year and $50 each year after.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Pets — General

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a small wooden chicken coop beside a low picket fence in a quiet backyard corner, with a few hens at the doorway. — Reading's Animal Control Board says residents keeping chickens, ducks, or goats need a $100 exotic animal permit, with $50 renewals each year after. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Reading allow residents to keep chickens and goats in neighborhoods?

Reading's Animal Control Board reports rising complaints about chickens and goats kept without required permits, and says no exotic animal permit applications have been received. The board presented its findings to City Council at a recent meeting.

Why it matters

Chickens, ducks, and goats are classified with exotic animals in Reading and require permits, so households keeping them may be out of compliance without knowing it. The board also clarified feeding rules after receiving complaints and reports of confrontations involving residents who feed outdoor animals.

Exotic animal permits cost $100 the first year and $50 each year after, and no applications have been received. The Animal Rescue League recorded 2,504 intakes and 877 dispatch calls in Reading in 2025, including 136 stray cats handled through its trap-neuter-return program.

The players

Reading Animal Control Board

The city board that oversees animal permits and responds to complaints about animals kept within Reading.

Animal Rescue League of Berks County

A county animal welfare organization that handles intakes, dispatch calls, and the trap-neuter-return program in Reading.

Miller

A Reading City Council member who asked for comparative permit figures to be presented at a future meeting.

The details

The Animal Control Board has identified numerous properties where residents keep domestic chickens, ducks, and goats, and is working with the Animal Rescue League of Berks County on permit violations. Permits for six or more dogs or cats are free and valid for three years, and owners must reapply to demonstrate vaccinations and sanitary conditions. Councilmember Miller said she would request comparative figures for a future meeting, and the administration will work with the board to make both versions of the responsible pet ownership flyer, in English and Spanish, available online.

2024: Only one household permit for six or more dogs or cats was approved.
2025: The Animal Rescue League recorded 2,504 intakes and 877 dispatch calls in Reading.
Last Monday: The Animal Control Board presented its report to City Council.

The Home Front

Reading's permit rules treat backyard chickens and goats the same way as other exotic animals, a classification that now faces rising complaints. The six-plus pet permit, valid for three years, is the city's main household-level control on multi-animal homes.

If you keep chickens, ducks, or goats, check with the Reading Animal Control Board about whether an exotic animal permit applies before complaints arise. If you keep six or more dogs or cats, confirm your three-year permit is current and that vaccination records are up to date.

The takeaway

Before adding chickens, ducks, or goats to a Reading yard, contact the Animal Control Board to confirm permit requirements and costs. Keep your multi-pet permit paperwork and vaccination records together so renewal is straightforward.