Animal Control/Stray Pickup

The Humane Society of Berks County provides 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year emergency rescue service for injured stray animals and for reports of animal cruelty anywhere in Berks County.  For injured strays, please call the HSBC at 610-921-2348, 24 hours a day.  You call will be returned swiftly and emergancy assistance provided.

Important notice:  The Humane Society of Berks County no longer provides animal control services for the City of Reading.  For any issue involving stray animals or animal control enforcement, please contact the City at 1-877-PAREADING (1-877-727-3234).  The City has made alternate arrangements for the pickup and housing of stray animals.   

The Humane Society also provides comprehensive animal control services to a limited number of municipalities contracting directly with the Humane Society.  In addition to enforcement of all State and municipal animal related laws and ordinances, this service includes pick up of confined stray domestic animals of any type during business hours (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM), seven days a week.  These services are provided to the following municipalities:

If you have a confined stray animal and reside in one of these municipalities, please call the HSBC at 610-921-2348, and pick up arrangements will be made.  Overnight calls regarding uninjured, confined strays will be returned first thing in the morning.

For cases of animal cruelty or injured strays, call 610-921-2348 and an Animal Protective Services Officer will return your call promptly, 24 hours a day.  Confined strays in other municipalities or outside of Berks County, pick up arrangements are available for a fee.

For all other municipalities in Berks County, contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement (717-787-4833) for information on receiving animal control services for dogs.  All other animals (cats, etc.) are not provided services by the State.  Therefore, you should contact the municipal offices or police department of the municipality in which you live to determine what animal control arrangements they have provided for you.

Anyone may bring any stray animal to the Humane Society during normal business hours (click here for hours and directions).  However, if you reside in a municipality that is not contracted to receive animal control services from the Humane Society, please contact the municipal offices or municipal police first so that they can tell you if they have made arrangements to provide care for the animals elsewhere.

To report a lost or found pet, submit the information on-line by clicking here , or call the Humane Society of Berks County at 610-921-2348.

To confidentially report animal cruelty, call: 610-921-2348.  You may also file a report online by clicking here.

For emergency pick up of injured strays, call: 610-921-2348, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To report animal bites or violations of PA animal laws, call: 610-921-2348.

Your pet is your responsibility!  License your dog now.  It's the law and it may save your pet's life.  You may purchase a current license at the HSBC, the County Treasurer Office, or many other locations throughout Berks County.  Or you can download an application for a license by mail by clicking here.

Read more about the importance of proper identification for your pet here.